This Cake Hack shows you just how easy it is to create an adorable Unicorn Cake without any fancy decorating tools or professional baking skills.
I’m definitely a better cook than I am a baker, so I love simple cake ideas like this. With just one round cake, a few easy cuts, and some creative decorating, you can transform an ordinary cake into a magical unicorn. If I can make this, anyone can!
Or you can take shortcut and skip the baking altogether and buy a plain round cake from the bakery section of your grocery store. Scrape off the frosting, cut and arrange the cake pieces, then decorate it. It’s a fun budget-friendly trick that looks impressive without all the work, and kids love the finished cake.
If you are looking for more creative cake ideas for birthdays and special occasions, check out my beach cake and beer can cake tutorials too!
Why You’ll Love This Cake Hack!
- So easy anyone can make it
- Perfect for birthday parties or unicorn-themed parties
- Budget-friendly using a boxed or store-bought cake
- No special skills required
- Easily customized with your favorite candy and sprinkles
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Box Cake Mix: Use any flavor of cake mix you’d like, chocolate, white, vanilla, funfetti, or yellow cake mix all work great too.
- Ingredients Listed on the Cake Box: Eggs, water, and vegetable oil
- White Frosting: Store-bought vanilla frosting or buttercream frosting. You can also use your favorite frosting recipe.
- Black Decorating Icing: Used to pipe on the eye, eyelashes and mouth. You can also use black decorating gel.
- Rainbow Mini Marshmallows: Used to create the colorful mane. Regular-sized colored marshmallows can be cut into smaller pieces if needed.
- Yellow Sprinkles: Used for the unicorn horn. Gold sanding sugar, edible glitter, or gold sprinkles are great substitutes.
How to Make a Unicorn Cake
1. Bake the cake in a round cake pan according to the package directions.
2. Allow the cake to cool completely, then carefully remove it from the pan.
3. Using a sharp knife, cut a triangle wedge from one side of the cake. Cut that wedge into two, one smaller than the other. The smaller one will be the ear and the larger one will be the horn.
4. Arrange the cake pieces on a serving platter or cake board to create the unicorn shape.
5. Frost the entire cake with white frosting until smooth.
6. Cover the horn with yellow sprinkles to give it a golden look.
7. Arrange the rainbow mini marshmallows around the head to create the colorful mane.
8. Use the black decorating icing to pipe on the closed eye, eyelashes, and mouth.
9. Slice and serve.
Helpful Tips
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting to prevent it from crumbling.
- Freeze the cake for 20-30 minutes before carving it if it’s extra soft.
- Use an offset spatula or butter knife to spread the frosting smoothly.
- Decorate the cake the same day you plan to serve it for the freshest appearance.
- A serrated knife makes cleaner cuts.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can bake the cake one day ahead and store it tightly wrapped. Decorate it the day you plan to serve it.
Cover the cake tightly and store it at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Yes! You can freeze the cake unfrosted for up to 3 months. Let cool completely, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, then in tin foil. Thaw overnight in fridge before cutting or decorating.
Recipe
Unicorn Cake
Ingredients
- 1 Box Cake Mix, any flavor
- Ingredients Listed on the Cake Box, eggs, water, and vegetable oil
- 1 Tub White Frosting
- Black Decorating Icing
- 1 Bag Rainbow Mini Marshmallows
- Yellow Sprinkles
Instructions
- Bake the cake in a round cake pan according to the package directions.
- Allow the cake to cool completely, then carefully remove it from the pan.
- Using a sharp knife, cut a triangle wedge from one side of the cake. Cut that wedge into two, one smaller than the other. The smaller one will be the ear and the larger one will be the horn.
- Arrange the cake pieces on a serving platter or cake board to create the unicorn shape.
- Frost the entire cake with white frosting until smooth.
- Cover the horn with yellow sprinkles to give it a golden look.
- Arrange the rainbow mini marshmallows around the head to create the colorful mane.
- Use the black decorating icing to pipe on the closed eye, eyelashes, and mouth.
- Slice and serve.
Notes
How to Store Leftovers
Cover the cake tightly and store it at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days.Helpful Tips
- Let the cake cool completely before frosting to prevent it from crumbling.
- Freeze the cake for 20-30 minutes before carving it if it’s extra soft.
- Use an offset spatula or butter knife to spread the frosting smoothly.
- Decorate the cake the same day you plan to serve it for the freshest appearance.
- A serrated knife makes cleaner cuts.
Nutrition Disclosure
Nutritional facts are estimates and are provided as a courtesy to the reader. Please utilize your own brand nutritional values to double check against our estimates. Nutritional values are calculated via a third party. Changing ingredients, amounts or cooking technique will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.
Leave a Reply