Description
This magical Unicorn Heart Cake features tender vanilla layers swirled with pastel colors, silky buttercream frosting, and all the sparkle your heart desires. Perfect for birthdays, baby showers, or any celebration that needs a touch of 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 (this is key for a fluffy cake!)
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs, room temperature (cold eggs can make the batter seize up)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract (use the good stuff if you have it)
- ½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt (the secret to moisture!)
- ½ cup milk
- Optional: pastel gel food coloring in pink, blue, purple, yellow (gel colors work better than liquid)
For the Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4–5 cups powdered sugar, sifted (sifting prevents lumps)
- 2–3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt (it makes the sweetness sing)
For the Decorations:
- Pastel sprinkles (stars, hearts, nonpareils)
- Edible glitter or shimmer dust
- Colored sugar crystals
- Optional: unicorn cake toppers, edible pearls, fondant hearts
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease your two 8-inch heart-shaped cake pans generously with butter or baking spray, then dust with a little flour, tapping out the excess.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until everything’s evenly combined. Set this aside—you’ll be adding it to the wet ingredients in just a bit. This step ensures your leavening is distributed evenly throughout the cake.
In your large mixing bowl (or stand mixer bowl), beat the room-temperature butter and sugar together on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes. You’re looking for a light, fluffy mixture that’s almost doubled in volume and pale in color.
Add your eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Make sure each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next one. Then mix in the vanilla extract. Your batter should look smooth and creamy at this point, maybe even a little glossy.
Here’s where we build the perfect texture. Add your dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the sour cream and milk. Start and end with the dry ingredients: add about a third of the flour mixture, then the sour cream, another third of flour, then the milk, and finally the last of the flour.
If you’re making those magical pastel layers, divide your batter evenly into separate bowls—as many as you want colors. Add a tiny bit of gel food coloring to each bowl (a little goes a long way!) and fold gently to combine.
Pour your batter into the prepared pans, smoothing the tops gently with a spatula. Bake for 25–30 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the tops spring back lightly when touched, the edges are just pulling away from the sides, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
Let your cakes cool in the pans for 10 minutes—this helps them set up so they don’t fall apart when you remove them. Then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
While your cakes are cooling, make your frosting. Beat the room-temperature butter in a large bowl until it’s creamy and smooth—about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla extract, pinch of salt, and 2 tablespoons of milk. Beat on medium speed for 2–3 minutes until the frosting is light and fluffy. If it’s too thick, add another tablespoon of milk.
Once your cakes are completely cool, check if the tops are domed. If they are, use a cake leveler or a long serrated knife to trim them flat. This helps your layers stack evenly and look professional.
If you’re using a filling like jam, lemon curd, or pastry cream, now’s the time. Place your first cake layer on your serving plate or cake stand. Spread a thin layer of filling over the top, leaving about a half-inch border around the edge.
Spread a generous layer of buttercream over the first cake layer (on top of the filling if you used it). Use an offset spatula to spread it evenly. Gently place the second cake layer on top, pressing down very lightly to secure it.
This is the secret to a beautifully frosted cake! Spread a very thin layer of buttercream all over the entire cake—top and sides. This “crumb coat” seals in all those loose crumbs. Pop the cake in the refrigerator for 15–20 minutes to let this layer firm up.
Once your crumb coat is chilled, frost the cake with the remaining buttercream. You can keep it simple and smooth, or get creative with swirls of different pastel colors for that magical unicorn look. An offset spatula and a lazy Susan (if you have one) make this step so much easier.
Now comes the really fun part! Sprinkle those pastel sprinkles, sugar crystals, and edible pearls all over the top and gently press some onto the sides. Dust with edible glitter or shimmer dust for that sparkly, magical finish. Add your unicorn toppers, fondant hearts, or any other decorations your heart desires.
Notes
- Don’t skip sifting the powdered sugar — Those lumps won’t magically disappear in your frosting, and nobody wants gritty buttercream.
- Make cleanup easier — Line your pans with parchment paper circles at the bottom, and your cakes will release like a dream every single time.
- Warm your spatula — Dip your offset spatula in hot water, dry it off, and use it to smooth your frosting. The warmth helps create that professional bakery finish.
- Stabilize your cake plate — Put a dab of frosting on your serving plate before adding the first cake layer. It acts like glue and keeps everything from sliding around while you frost.
- Avoid the dreaded cake dome — Use baking strips around your pans (even homemade ones with damp paper towels and aluminum foil) to help cakes bake more evenly.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes + Cooling & Assembly Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American