Name: Unicorn Cupcakes
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 12 cupcakes, baked and cooled; 12 Starburst duos for horns; 3 ounces white candy melts; 12 additional white candy melts for ears; 1 tablespoon corn syrup; cornstarch; 16 oz white frosting (1 tub); Wilton sparkle gel in black; food coloring; 3" round cookie cutter

Jump to Recipe

It dawned on me that out of all the unicorn recipes on this blog, there were no unicorn cupcakes. Time to change that with these cupcakes that have a face and unicorn horns.

There are tons of recipes for unicorn cupcakes on the web, but I wanted to have our own version. The faces have to be cute, the unicorn horns have to be legit, and the instructions have to be doable. I think those requirements have been met and hopefully you agree.

Unicorn cupcakes with faces and horns

Cupcakes like this require a bit of time, which many of us seem to have more of right now. Even though these are relatively easy unicorn cupcakes, they still have quite a few steps.

The magic is in the decorating, though. The whole family can get involved to create their own unicorn faces.

This recipe uses candy clay. If you are comfortable working with fondant, I’m sure that would work just as well.

Unicorn cupcakes with eyes, ears, and horns sitting on a tray on a table.

Ingredients needed to make unicorn cupcakes

(Exact measurements are in the recipe card below)

Cupcakes – baked and cooled
White candy melts
Corn syrup
Cornstarch
White frosting
Wilton sparkle gel in black
Starbursts Duos
Food coloring
3″ round cookie cutter

How to make unicorn face cupcakes

Bake your favorite cupcake recipe and let them cool completely.

Cupcakes, candy melts, frosting, and candy ears on a table.

Cut 12 candy melts in half and set them aside.

To make the candy unicorn horns, unwrap 4 Starburst Duos and place onto a microwave-safe plate.

Microwave for 10 seconds.

Holding a rolled starburst to make a unicorn horn.

Roll the candy into a 6″ long “snake” shape.

Fold in half and twist, shaping the end to a point.

Twisting a starburst candy to look like a unicorn horn.

Repeat until you have 12 candy unicorn horns.

Let cool and harden on wax paper.

To make the candy clay, melt the candy melts by placing them in a microwave-safe bowl.

Microwave for 60 seconds on 50% power and stir.

Repeat and microwave for 30 seconds on 50% power and stir.

If necessary, return to the microwave for another 30 seconds at 50% power, stirring until melted.

Pouring corn syrup into melted white candy melts.

Add corn syrup and mix well.

The mixture will begin to turn to clay.

Place the clay onto a piece of plastic wrap and flatten.

Cover completely and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Remove the candy clay from the refrigerator and unwrap.

Knead until smooth.

Cover your hands and a cutting board with cornstarch to prevent sticking.

Roll about half of the clay onto a flat surface covered with cornstarch.

Roll to 1/8″ thickness.

Cut into rounds with a cookie cutter.

Mix the scrap clay with the remaining clay and continue to roll until you have 12 rounds.

Divide the frosting into fourths.

Leave one fourth of the frosting white.

Color the rest of the frosting with food coloring.

Place the frosting into piping bags fitted with a star tip.

White frosting on a cupcake above a board with candy clay on it.

Spread a small amount of white frosting on top of the cupcake.

Top with a candy clay round.

Add white frosting to the ears (1/2 a white candy melt) and the horn and attach them to the top of the cupcake.

Decorating a unicorn cupcake with purple frosting.

Pipe frosting flowers around the horn and the ears.

Drawing eyes on a unicorn cupcake with black frosting.

Draw eyes on the cupcakes with the black sparkle gel.

Drag a toothpick through the eye to create eyelashes.

Repeat until all the cupcakes are decorated.

A unicorn cupcake with ears, a candy horn, a frosting mane, and eyes.

Makes 12 unicorn cupcakes.

Yield: 12 cupcakes

Unicorn Cupcakes

Create cute unicorn face cupcakes with candy horns.

Prep Time 30 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

12 cupcakes, baked and cooled
12 Starburst duos for horns
3 ounces white candy melts
12 additional white candy melts for ears
1 tablespoon corn syrup
cornstarch
16 oz white frosting (1 tub)
Wilton sparkle gel in black
food coloring
3" round cookie cutter

Instructions

Once cupcakes are baked and cooled, you can begin decorating them.
Cut 12 candy melts in half and set aside.
To make horns, unwrap 4 candies and place onto a microwave safe plate. Microwave for 10 seconds. Roll the candy into a 6" long "snake' shape. Fold in half and twist. Shape the end to a point. Let cool and harden on wax paper. Repeat to create 12 horns.
Melt candy melts by placing in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 60 seconds on 50% power and stir. Repeat and microwave for 30 seconds on 50% power and stir. If necessary, return to the microwave for another 30 seconds at 50% power, stirring until melted. Add corn syrup and mix well. Mixture will begin to turn to clay. Place clay onto a piece of plastic wrap and flatten. Cover completely and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Remove candy clay from refrigerator and unwrap. Knead until smooth. You may want to cover your hands and a cutting board with cornstarch to prevent sticking. Roll about half of the clay onto a flat surface covered with cornstarch. Roll to 1/8" thickness. Cut into rounds with a cookie cutter.
Mix scrap clay with remaining clay and continue to roll until you have 12 rounds.
Divide frosting into fourths. Leave one fourth of the frosting white. Color the remaining frosting with food coloring. Place into piping bags fitted with a star tip.
Spread a small amount of white frosting on top of the cupcake. Top with candy clay round. Add white frosting to the ears and horn and attach to the top of the cupcake. Pipe frosting flowers around the horn and ears.
Draw eyes on the cupcakes with black sparkle gel. Drag a toothpick through the eye to create eyelashes.
Repeat until all cupcakes are decorated.
Makes 12 cupcakes.

Notes

If you're comfortable working with fondant, you can use that instead of making candy clay.

If you buy a big bag of candy melts, weigh out 3 oz on a food scale.

Adorable Unicorn Cupcakes with Horns and Eyes

Unicorn cupcakes with faces and horns