Description
This stunning Unicorn Heart Cake features tender vanilla cake layers swirled with pastel colors, creamy buttercream frosting, and magical decorations including sprinkles, edible glitter, and sugar crystals. Perfect for birthdays, baby showers, or any celebration that needs enchantment!
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt (Greek yogurt works great)
- ½ cup whole milk (2% milk acceptable)
- Optional: pastel gel food coloring in pink, blue, purple, and yellow
For the Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4–5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 2–3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
For Decorations:
- Pastel sprinkles (stars, hearts, nonpareils)
- Edible glitter or shimmer dust
- Colored sugar crystals
- Optional: unicorn cake toppers, edible pearls, fondant hearts
For Optional Filling:
- ¼–½ cup fruit jam (strawberry or raspberry)
- Lemon curd
- Pastry cream
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease two 8-inch heart-shaped cake pans thoroughly with butter or baking spray, then dust with flour, tapping out excess. This prevents sticking and ensures clean release after baking.
In a medium bowl, whisk together 2½ cups all-purpose flour, 2½ teaspoons baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Set this mixture aside—it’ll be added to the wet ingredients later.
In a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat 1 cup room-temperature butter and 1½ cups granulated sugar on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color. This incorporates air for a tender crumb.
Add 4 room-temperature eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition (about 30 seconds per egg). Mix in 2 teaspoons vanilla extract until fully combined.
Add the dry flour mixture in three additions, alternating with ½ cup sour cream and ½ cup milk: Add ⅓ dry ingredients → mix → add sour cream → mix → add ⅓ dry ingredients → mix → add milk → mix → add remaining dry ingredients → mix until just combined. Don’t overmix or your cake will be dense.
Divide batter evenly into 3–4 small bowls. Add a tiny amount of gel food coloring to each bowl (start with a toothpick dip—a little goes a long way for pastels). Gently fold to create pink, blue, purple, and yellow batters. Spoon colored batters alternately into prepared pans or swirl together for a marbled effect.
Pour batter into prepared heart pans, smoothing tops gently. Bake for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Start checking at 25 minutes to avoid overbaking.
Let cakes cool in pans for 10 minutes on a wire rack, then carefully turn out onto the rack to cool completely (at least 1 hour). Never frost warm cakes or the frosting will melt.
In a large bowl, beat 1 cup room-temperature butter with an electric mixer until creamy (about 1 minute). Gradually add 4 cups sifted powdered sugar, mixing on low speed at first to avoid a sugar cloud. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, a pinch of salt, and 2 tablespoons milk or cream. Beat on medium speed for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy. If frosting is too thick, add more milk 1 teaspoon at a time; if too thin, add more powdered sugar ¼ cup at a time.
Once cakes are completely cool, use a cake leveler or serrated knife to trim any domed tops so layers stack evenly. Save scraps for snacking!
Place the first cake layer on your serving plate or cake stand. If using, spread a thin layer (about ¼ cup) of fruit jam, lemon curd, or pastry cream over the top, leaving a ½-inch border around the edges.
Spread about ½ cup of buttercream frosting over the first layer (or on top of your filling layer). Place the second heart cake layer on top, pressing gently to adhere.
Using an offset spatula, apply a thin layer of frosting over the entire cake—top and sides. This “crumb coat” traps loose crumbs. Don’t worry about it looking perfect. Refrigerate for 15–20 minutes until firm.
Remove chilled cake from refrigerator. Apply a generous layer of buttercream over the entire cake, smoothing with an offset spatula. For a unicorn swirl effect, divide remaining frosting into bowls, tint with pastel gel colors, then apply in swoops and swirls. Smooth or leave textured as desired.
Cover the top and sides generously with pastel sprinkles, colored sugar crystals, and edible pearls while frosting is still soft. Lightly brush edible glitter or shimmer dust over the frosting for extra sparkle. Add unicorn toppers, fondant hearts, or candy pieces to complete your magical masterpiece.
Notes
- Don’t skip the crumb coat – This thin first layer of frosting locks in crumbs so your final coat looks professional and smooth
- Chill between frosting layers – A 15–20 minute refrigerator rest makes the final decorating so much easier and prevents sliding
- Test doneness early – Start checking at 25 minutes; overbaked cake is dry cake, and even 3–4 extra minutes matters
- Make layers ahead – Bake cake layers up to 2 days in advance, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to assemble
- Freeze for easier cutting – Pop layers in the freezer for 30 minutes before leveling; this prevents crumbling and gives cleaner cuts
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes + Cooling & Assembly Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 485
- Sugar: 58g
- Sodium: 185mg
- Fat: 24g
- Saturated Fat: 15g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 65g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 115mg