Simple Unicorn Cupcakes Recipe | Life Love & Sugar

With silver ice cream cone horns and tiny marshmallow ears, these straightforward unicorn cupcakes would be the lifetime of any unicorn-themed social gathering. Piped with small flowers and winged eyes, they’re completely mystical.

Simple Unicorn Birthday Cupcakes

There are so man choices with regards to unicorn cupcakes – fondant horns, food-related decor, sprinkle-filled facilities. It’s onerous to determine what to do! What I really like about these specific unicorn cupcakes is that there are a number of choices for the horn. You may make it as easy or sophisticated as you need with the mini ice cream cones. The ears are fabricated from marshmallows, in order that’s additionally good and easy. After which the remaining is buttercream. Other than assembling them, it’s also possible to prep most parts forward.

And whereas these cupcakes aren’t full of sprinkles within the heart, you can simply add that. Decide sprinkles that mirror the colours you utilize in your buttercream they usually’ll be stunning!

The ultimate unicorn cupcakes are good for any enjoyable and kooky gathering! They’re colourful and may be made with any colours you want. They positively have a wow-factor about them and are positive to be a success!

What You’ll Want

For those who’re a fan of unicorns, then this elements listing is for you. Verify the recipe card on the backside of the submit for actual ingredient quantities.

For the Cupcakes

• Mini ice cream cones – You possibly can learn extra concerning the cone choices under. Common mini ice cream cones or Muddy Bites Waffle Cone Snacks make nice choices.
• Melting white chocolate – There are many choices right here. Ghirardelli melting wafers and almond bark are simply present in grocery shops, however Wilton sweet melts additionally work properly. Simply don’t use white chocolate chips. They received’t set as properly.
• Silver luster mud – I sometimes use the Wilton model, which you’ll be able to normally discover at Michael’s craft retailer. It’s normally accessible on-line as properly, though I can’t find it on Amazon proper now. This Sunflower Sugar Art luster dust ought to work properly too. Be happy to make use of gold luster mud too, in the event you’re going for that look.
• Pink luster dust – The identical because the silver one above, simply in pink. It might even be known as colour mud.
• Mini marshmallows – Make sure to get the mini dimension, or the ears will probably be too massive.
• Vanilla Cupcakes – I really like my Simple Home made Vanilla Cupcakes Recipe, however use your favourite. You too can swap them for my chocolate cupcakes.

For the Buttercream

• Unsalted butter – Make sure it’s at room temperature in order that it’ll combine properly.
• Powdered sugar – That is additionally known as confectioners’ sugar. It’s added the give the buttercream quantity and thicken it.
• Vanilla extract – For taste. Almond would even be tasty.
• Heavy cream – Entire milk or half-and-half is an effective substitute.
• Gel icing colours – Make sure to use gel colours, moderately than meals coloring. The gel colours are a lot thicker and received’t skinny out your frosting an excessive amount of.

Muddy Bites vs Ice Cream Cones

I experimented with a pair choices for the mini ice cream cones. Muddy Bites Waffle Cone Snacks are positively the tastiest possibility as a result of they’re full of white or milk chocolate. Sadly, they’re comparatively small and are more durable to coat in chocolate as a result of they’re already crammed and more durable to carry on to. For those who’ve received a while and endurance, although, you must positively give them a go.

Then again, the mini ice cream cones have a way more plain taste because it’s simply easy wafer cones. They’re not crammed, however that additionally means it’s simpler to coat them with chocolate. Nonetheless, you’ll need to snip off part of the underside of the cones, in contrast to with the Muddy Bites. You might depart them full-sized however they’d be BIG horns.

The opposite factor to bear in mind as you determine which cone to go together with is that the common mini ice cream cones take up extra moisture as soon as assembled onto the buttercream on the cupcake. In consequence, the cones can crack if added to the cupcake too quickly. With common mini ice cream cones, you’d wish to add the cones to the cupcakes the day you’re serving them. With the Muddy Bites, you don’t have to fret about that taking place. The chocolate filling retains them agency and from cracking.

One different possibility you might have with the mini ice cream cones is just to depart them plain and never add the white chocolate to them. They’ll have a extra “pure” look, however nonetheless look nice and received’t require as a lot work. The excellent news is – you might have choices!

The right way to Make Unicorn Cupcakes

Baking the cupcakes and making the buttercream upfront will make the method tremendous easy, supplying you with extra time to embellish when it’s time to assemble them.

Make the Unicorn Horns

• Trim the horns. Use scissors to fastidiously snip off the sharp ice cream cone suggestions above the 2 fundamental rings. For those who’re utilizing Muddy Bites, you may skip this step. Set them apart.

• Soften the chocolate. Soften the chocolate in line with your package deal instructions. Most melting sweets, just like the Ghirardelli ones or the Wilton ones soften actually simply within the microwave.
• Dip the horns. Use your fingers or a fork to softly decrease one horn at a time into the melted chocolate. Use a toothpick to fastidiously create a spiral across the horn (that is optionally available). Set them on a parchment-lined baking sheet to chill. Be sure they’re standing upright.

• Add shine. As soon as absolutely dried, use a meals paintbrush to brush silver luster mud on the horns. Set them apart in an hermetic container till prepared to make use of. They’ll final properly for at the very least per week in an air-tight container.

Make the Unicorn Ears

• Snip them. You’ll solely want one mini marshmallow for each unicorn. Minimize every marshmallow in half, diagonally. Then lower one of many pointed ends off. Repeat this for each marshmallow till you might have two ears for each cupcake.

• Paint them. Use a meals paintbrush so as to add a bit little bit of pink luster mud within the heart of each ear. Set them apart and retailer them in an hermetic container till prepared to make use of. These will even final for at the very least per week in an air tight container.

Make the Buttercream

• Cream the butter. Add the butter to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat till clean and creamy
• Add Half the Sugar and Flavoring. Add half of the powdered sugar and proceed mixing till properly mixed. After that, add the vanilla extract and heavy cream. Proceed beating till properly mixed and clean.
• Add Remaining Sugar and Alter Consistency. Subsequent, add the remaining powdered sugar and beat till clean and properly mixed. Pour in additional heavy cream to regulate the consistency, nevertheless it must be thick. Set it apart and retailer it in an hermetic container till prepared to make use of.

Frost the Cupcakes

• Put together the bag. Snip the nook off a big piping again and match it with an Ateco 809 piping tip (or a equally massive spherical one.) Switch the buttercream to the piping bag.
• Pipe the frosting. Maintain the piping bag perpendicularly and about 1/2″ above the highest of the cupcake. Squeeze it and permit the frosting to unfold. Maintain the piping tip in place, barely buried within the frosting. Because the frosting spreads outward and reaches the sting, slowly elevate the piping bag to let the dome get a bit taller, then launch the stress and elevate up. Repeat this for each cupcake.
• Add the horn. Place the horn the place you launched the stress and lifted the piping bag to cowl that less-than-perfect finish. Then add two unicorn ears, one on both sides.

Make the Flowers

• Coloration the frosting. Squeeze the remaining buttercream out of the piping bag and divide it between three bowls. Add completely different gel icing colour to every one and blend till properly mixed.
• Create the swirl. Switch every colour to its personal sandwich-sized ziplock bag and snip a nook off. Minimize about an 8×12″ piece of plastic wrap and lay it on a flat floor. Vertically pipe thick strains of frosting (one for every colour) side-by-side. Rigorously roll the plastic wrap right into a log, being cautious to not mush the colours an excessive amount of. Twist one finish of the log to keep away from it from popping out on that aspect. Snip off the opposite finish and switch the log to a big piping bag fitted with a Wilton 18 piping tip.

• Check it. Gently squeeze the piping bag till you get a swirled buttercream with three colours.
• Beautify it. Pipe rosettes and flowers alongside the edges and prime of the unicorn as desired.

Make the Eyes

• Combine the buttercream. Whenever you’re achieved with the rosettes and flowers, combine all of the leftover buttercream in a bowl and add black gel colour. Combine it till properly mixed. Snip the nook off a piping bag and match it with a Wilton 2 piping tip. Switch the black frosting inside. Pipe the unicorn eyes.

Suggestions for Success

These straightforward unicorn cupcakes are so cute. Use the following tips to assist recreate them and make them your personal.

• Add a filling. Carve out the middle of every cupcake and fill it with rainbow sprinkles for a enjoyable shock inside. High the sprinkles with the piece of cupcake you carved out after which add the frosting as regular.
• Use a food-grade paintbrush. Since this brush goes to be touching your cupcakes, ensure that it’s a food-grade one. It will forestall any plastics and chemical substances from stepping into contact along with your meals.
• Be taught the approach. Watch my video on The right way to Frost Cupcakes so that you just’re not guessing methods to do it with the precise cupcakes.
• Maintain it easy. The horns look nice with the white chocolate coating and silver end, however if you wish to maintain it easy, simply add them to your cupcakes as-is. They’ll look a bit extra “pure” however nonetheless nice.

Serving Options

These are nice for unicorn and rainbow-themed events! Served with Mini Rainbow Cheesecakes, Rainbow Swirl Cake, Sprinkle Sugar Cookies and Home made Funfetti Cupcakes, you’ll have one of the best snack desk your friends have ever seen.

Can These Unicorn Theme Cupcakes Be Made in Advance?

Though these unicorn cupcakes are finest assembled the identical day, whether or not or not you may make them upfront relies on whether or not you used common mini ice cream cones or Muddy Bites for the horns.

The mini ice cream cones will soften and crack inside a number of hours of sitting on the frosting as a result of they’ll take up the moisture. For those who use Muddy Bites, you may positively assemble your cupcakes absolutely upfront as these received’t crack or lose their form. Both method, the horns themselves may be made upfront and saved in an air tight container for at the very least per week. You simply will wish to wait so as to add them to your cupcakes.

The remainder of the parts for this recipe may be made upfront too. Make the ears and buttercream at the very least per week forward as properly. Retailer the ears in an air-tight container at room temperature. Retailer the buttercream in an air-tight container and maintain it within the fridge for as much as a month. Simply deliver it again to room temperature earlier than utilizing.

The vanilla cupcakes may be made upfront as properly, however I might advocate making them the day earlier than or the day of the occasion for them to be at their freshest.

The right way to Retailer

Retailer any leftover cupcakes in an hermetic container for as much as 3-4 days. They could maintain for an additional day or two within the fridge, however deliver them to room temperature earlier than serving.

Extra Enjoyable & Simple Cupcake Recipes

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Recipe

Unicorn Cupcakes

• 
  Creator: Lindsay
• 
  Prep Time: 4 hours
• 
  Prepare dinner Time: 15 miuntes
• 
  Whole Time: 28 minute
• 
  Yield: 12 cupcakes
• 
  Class: Dessert
• 
  Technique: Oven
• 
  Delicacies: American

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Description

With an ice cream cone horn and marshmallow ears, these straightforward unicorn cupcakes are tremendous lovely. They’re so cute you received’t wish to eat them!

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Components

For the Unicorn Cupcakes

For the Vanilla Buttercream

• 1 ½ cups (345g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 6 cups (690g) powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 3–5 tbsp (45–75 ml) heavy cream
• Gel icing colours (I used pink, purple, and teal)
• Ateco tip 809
• Wilton tip 18
• Wilton tip 2

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Directions

Make the Horns:

1. Use scissors to fastidiously snip off the underside of the ice cream cones above the 2 fundamental rings in order that they’re fairly so tall/massive. For those who’re utilizing Muddy Bites, you may skip this step. Set them apart.
2. Soften the chocolate in line with your package deal instructions. Most melting sweets, just like the Ghirardelli ones or the Wilton ones soften actually simply within the microwave.
3. Gently decrease one horn at a time into the melted chocolate. Use a toothpick to fastidiously create a spiral across the horn (that is optionally available). Set them on a parchment-lined baking sheet to chill. Be sure they’re standing upright.
4. As soon as absolutely dried, use a meals paintbrush to brush silver luster mud on the horns. Set them apart in an hermetic container till prepared to make use of. They’ll final properly for at the very least per week in an air-tight container.

Make the Ears:

1. Minimize every marshmallow in half, diagonally. Then lower one of many pointed ends off. 
2. Use a food-grade paintbrush so as to add a bit little bit of pink luster mud within the heart of every ear. They’ll final properly for at the very least per week in an air-tight container.

Make the Buttercream:

1. Add the butter and beat till clean creamy.
2. Add half of the powdered sugar and proceed mixing till properly mixed.
3. Add the vanilla extract and heavy cream. Proceed beating till properly mixed and clean.
4. Add the remaining powdered sugar and beat till clean and properly mixed. Add further heavy cream to regulate the consistency. 

To Frost the Cupcakes: 

1. Add the buttercream to a big piping bag fitted with the Ateco 809 piping tip (or a equally massive spherical one).
2. Maintain the piping bag perpendicularly and about 1/2″ above the highest of the cupcake. Squeeze the piping bag and permit the frosting to unfold. Maintain the frosting tip in place and barely buried within the frosting. Because the frosting spreads outward and reaches the sting, slowly elevate the piping bag to let the dome get a bit taller, then launch the stress and elevate up. Repeat this for each cupcake.
3. Place the horn the place you launched the stress and lifted the piping bag to cowl that less-than-perfect finish. Then add two unicorn ears, one on both sides.

To Make the Flowers:

1. Squeeze the remaining buttercream out of the piping bag and divide it between three bowls. Add completely different gel icing colour to every one and blend till properly mixed.
2. Switch every colour to its personal sandwich-sized ziplock bag and snip a nook off. Minimize about an 8×12″ piece of plastic wrap and lay it on a flat floor. Vertically pipe thick strains of frosting (one for every colour) side-by-side. Rigorously roll the plastic wrap right into a log, being cautious to not mush the colours an excessive amount of. Twist one finish of the log to keep away from it from popping out on that aspect. Snip off the opposite finish and switch the log to a big piping bag fitted with a Wilton 18 piping tip.
3. Gently squeeze the piping bag till you get a swirled buttercream with three colours. Pipe rosettes and flowers alongside the edges and prime of the unicorn as desired.

Make the Eyes: 

1. Whenever you’re achieved with the rosettes and flowers, combine all of the leftover buttercream in a bowl and add black gel icing colour. Stir it till properly mixed. Add to a piping bag fitted with the Wilton 2 tip. Pipe the unicorn eyes.
2. Serve the cupcakes. Retailer any leftovers in an air-tight container for as much as 3-4 days. For prep forward recommendation, please seek advice from the weblog submit.

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Notes

For the mini ice cream cones: There’s extra element concerning the choices for these within the submit, however I like to recommend both Muddy Bites or easy mini ice cream cones. Make sure to learn the submit above about the advantages to every.

Melting chocolate: I used Ghirardelli melting wafers, however almond bark or Wilton sweet melts would additionally work.

Gel icing colours: I exploit each Wilton and AmeriColor they usually each work properly. The one colour that I desire to make use of Wilton for is purple. It’s a extra true purple.

Key phrases: unicorn theme cupcakes, unicorn birthday desserts, straightforward unicorn cupcakes