Layered Birthday Unicorn Cake

This unicorn cake is one of my favorites! A layered vanilla cake that is colored for a festive feel when you slice into it. The decorations are simple to do but offer a stunning presentation value.

Layered cake piped with purple, blue, and pink frosting added with plastic unicorn cake topper horn and ears.

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Give this layered unicorn cake a try! Great for birthday parties, celebrations of any kind or a special treat to gift a friend or loved one.

Table of Contents

This Unicorn Cake Is

Made with Boxed Cake Mix
Swirls of Color In The Cake For A Rainbow Design
Birthday Cake Idea or Any Celebration
Intermediate Piping Skills Needed

Ingredients For Layered Unicorn Cake

White Cake Mix
Eggs
Oil
Food Coloring
Butter
Powdered Sugar
Heavy Cream
Vanilla Extract

How to Make

See the recipe card below for a complete list of ingredients and measurements.

Collage of decorating unicorn themed cake.

Start by baking your cakes as directed. I add separate the cake and added different colors to create a rainbow look. This is optional.
Once the cake is cooled, assemble the layered cake as directed below. Then frost the whole outside with the vanilla frosting. With some of the frostings create different colors to make the “hair” on the unicorn. (Photo 1)
Add the horn to the top of the cake. Begin piping on the pink flowers, and then alternate colors to create that rainbow unicorn cake look. (Photo 2)
Once you are done piping add the rest of the unicorn cake topper and slice and serve!

Layered cake with unicorn themed sitting on a table with green and white cloth.

Variations to Cake Recipe

Here are a few changes you can make to this layered unicorn cake if you want.

Colors of Cake – Feel free to use any colors to make the unicorn hair and such. There are so many different ways you could decorate your cake to make it special and perfect for your particular occasion.

Homemade Cake – Instead of boxed cake, use any of your favorite cake recipes to make a homemade cake! Feel free to get creative or do something simple like a classic white cake or even chocolate.

Toppers – There are tons of unicorn toppers you can buy to place on top. Or if you are crafty do homemade if you see fit. Feel free to use this cake tutorial as a guide to creating any look you want.

Storing

This cake will need to be placed in a covered container. If you leave your cake out in the air, it will begin to dry out and crust. Now with the frosting, I find it stores best refrigerated as it can break down a bit if the house is a bit warm, due to the butter and dairy in it.

In terms of freezing, you can freeze your cake for up to 3-4 months if you would like. Wrap in plastic wrap or foil then place in a container or bag.

A white plate with a slice of unicorn themed cake.

Common Questions

Do I need to level cakes for a layered cake?

You do need to use a knife or cake leveler tool to cut off any “dome” shape on the cake. This is needed as it will prevent the cake from leaning or falling over if one side of the cake is higher than the other side. Feel free to place the cake and cut with a knife and use your eye as a guide if you are not wanting to buy a special tool.

Do I need to have a crumb layer before I frost the layered cake?

If you are wanting to create an ultra-smooth base layered cake, creating a crumb layer will help in providing a smooth and bakery-worthy cake. If you are impatient, you can skip the crumb coat but you run the risk of the cake crumbling and clumping.