Whimsical Chocolate Unicorn Cake
Experience the magic of our Whimsical Chocolate Unicorn Cake, a vegetarian-friendly dessert that combines rich chocolate flavors with vibrant, playful decorations. This American-style cake is perfect for birthdays and special occasions, captivating both kids and adults with its moist texture and colorful frosting.
With a deep chocolate flavor profile, this cake is versatile enough to be the centerpiece of any celebration. It’s gluten, dairy, and egg-free, making it suitable for various dietary needs.
Find this enchanting recipe and more in your EasyChef Pro cookbook, complete with a convenient shopping list feature to ensure the lowest cost per serving. Get ready to impress your guests with this stunning cake!
Recipe Collection: Dessert
Serving Size: 8
Cooking Time: 115 minutes
Overview
The Chocolate Unicorn Cake is a whimsical and delightful dessert that combines the rich flavors of chocolate with the playful charm of unicorn-themed decorations. Perfect for birthdays or any special occasion, this cake is sure to impress both kids and adults alike with its deep chocolate flavor and colorful frosting.
Diet Type
Vegetarian
Allergies
Gluten, Dairy, Eggs
Cuisine
American
Ingredients
Chocolate Cake:
- 1 ¾ Cups all-purpose flour
- 1 Cup dark cocoa powder, sifted
- 2 Teaspoons baking soda
- 1 Teaspoon baking powder
- 0.75 Teaspoon salt
- 1 Cup brown sugar, packed
- 0.5 Cup white sugar
- 0.5 Cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 Large eggs, kneaded
- 2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 Cup strongly brewed coffee, cooled
- 1 Cup sour cream
Vanilla Frosting:
- 1 Cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 Cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1.5 Teaspoons vanilla extract
- 0.25 Teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon heavy cream
Decorations:
- 1 Drop blue food coloring
- 1 Drop purple food coloring
- 1 Tablespoon pink sprinkles
- 1 0.75 Ounce tube black decorating gel
- 4 Marshmallows, torn
- 1 Tablespoon pink sanding sugar (Optional)
- 8 Birthday candles
Steps
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease two 9-inch cake pans and line with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat together brown sugar, white sugar, and butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
- Gradually mix in 1/3 of the flour mixture into the butter mixture until just combined. Add 1/2 of the coffee and 1/2 of the sour cream, mixing until just combined. Repeat with remaining flour mixture, sour cream, and coffee. Do not overmix. Divide the batter between the prepared cake pans.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and invert onto cooling racks. Remove parchment paper and let cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- While the cakes cool, prepare the frosting. Beat butter with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, until incorporated. Mix in vanilla extract and salt. Add heavy cream and beat on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add more cream if needed for a spreadable consistency.
- Divide 1/2 cup of frosting into two separate bowls. Stir blue food coloring into one bowl and purple into the other. Transfer colored frostings to a piping bag fitted with a star tip.
- Place one cooled cake layer on a cake plate. Spread 3/4 cup of white frosting on top. Place the second cake layer on top and frost the outside and top of the cake with the remaining frosting.
- Divide the cake into 8 wedges by tracing a sharp knife through the frosting on top, without cutting all the way through. Place 2 pink sprinkles at the innermost point of each wedge for the unicorn's nostrils. Use black decorating gel to pipe eyes and eyelashes near the upper portion of each wedge. Pipe blue and purple unicorn hair at the top of each wedge.
- Stretch marshmallow quarters into ear shapes and dip into pink sugar. Attach two ears to the edge of each slice. Pipe more hair around the ears and place one candle into the hair for the horns. Keep the cake refrigerated until ready to serve.
Enjoy this enchanting and delightful Chocolate Unicorn Cake with your loved ones!