Strawberry Unicorn Cake Recipe

We’re celebrating all things rainbow with this easy unicorn cake made from a classic strawberry cake recipe and all of the colorful sprinkles and decorations you can think of!

a unicorn strawberry cake recipe | sugar & cloth

You may be asking yourself, “how in the world is this a unicorn cake, and why would someone make that?”.

Well, that’s a great question. And technically, there’s no real reason other than the fact that it looks like unicorn food.

Pretty much anything edible that is rainbow colored gets categorized as unicorn food. Think colorful unicorn toast

We were also slightly inspired by the Little Debbie’s Unicorn Snack Cakes. The strawberry unicorn cake is basically the classic strawberry cake recipe with coconut buttercream icing.

If you made one of these bad boys and sat it in front of your kid for their next birthday, we guarantee that they will actually pass out from excitement.

Plus, macarons on top of anything is always a good idea.

a unicorn strawberry cake recipe | sugar & cloth

Ingredients Needed to Make a Strawberry Unicorn Cake

Softened butter

Sugar

Strawberry preserves — Preserves are not the same as jam. Preserves have whole fruit or large pieces of fruit whereas jam is made of mashed fruit. Preserves contain more fruit and less additives. Thus, preserves contain more fresh fruit flavors.

Large eggs

Strawberry extract

Cake flour— Cake flour is not the same as all-purpose flour. However, you can substitute the cake flour for all-purpose flour. But it won’t be as fluffy and light.

Baking powder

Salt

Baking soda

Whole buttermilk

Liquid red food coloring 

 

a unicorn strawberry cake recipe | sugar & cloth

How to Make a Strawberry Cake

1 — Preheat oven to 350°F.

2 — Spray 4 (6-inch) cake pans with nonstick spray.

3 — In a large bowl, beat butter, preserves, and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy, then add in eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Once the eggs are mixed, beat in strawberry extract.

4 — In a medium bowl, sift together cake flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Beat in the food coloring until well mixed, and divide batter equally among prepared pans.

5 — Bake for 20 to 25 minutes (or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean). Let cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove cake from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks.

a unicorn strawberry cake recipe | sugar & cloth

The Coconut Buttercream Icing

Ingredients needed:

Butter

Powdered sugar

Cream of coconut — Not to be confused with coconut cream

Coconut extract

Green food coloring — Optional for a super light mint green cake like ours.

How to make the coconut buttercream icing:

1 — Beat butter until smooth. Then, add in powdered sugar and cream of coconut. (Make sure cream of coconut is well mixed first!)

2 — Next, beat the mixture at medium speed for 1-2 minutes until smooth. Add in coconut extract and green food coloring, and continue to blend until the color is even.

a unicorn strawberry cake recipe | sugar & cloth

Unicorn Cake Decorating Ideas and Tips

Once your buttercream icing is fully mixed, lightly frost in between each of the four cake layers. Then, covering the rest of the cake with the icing. 

If you prefer a more classic icing, opt for a Italian buttercream recipe.

For the additional pink icing topping, we poured pink ganache made with hot pink melting chocolates and heavy cream on top of of the cake. You can use this tutorial for that rainbow dripped icing look.

For topping ideas, add:

— Multicolored meringues

— Macarons

— Star sprinkles

— Chocolate shards

— Lemon drops

— Pink chocolate nonpareils

— Edible confetti

a unicorn strawberry cake recipe | sugar & cloth

More Strawberry Flavored Recipes

We created this strawberry unicorn cake color concoction with Monica from Paper Flour Ink. If you’re in Houston, be sure to call her up to snag one of these beauties! 

Check out some more strawberry flavored recipes below that would complement this delicious unicorn cake —

a unicorn strawberry cake recipe | sugar & cloth

a unicorn strawberry cake recipe | sugar & cloth

Strawberry Unicorn Cake Recipe

Print Recipe
4.95 from 18 votes
An easy unicorn cake recipe made from a classic strawberry cake recipe and all of the colorful sprinkles and decorations you can think of!
Prep Time40 minutes
Cook Time20 minutes
Cool Time10 minutes
Total Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course Desserts
Cuisine Baked Goods

Equipment

  • 4 6-inch cake pan
  • Hand or stand electric mixer
  • Large mixing bowl
  • Medium mixing bowl

Ingredients

For the strawberry cake:

  • 3/4 cup unsalted butter  softened
  • 1 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cup strawberry preserves
  • 4 large egg
  • 1 tsp strawberry extract
  • 2 1/2 cup cake flour
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup whole milk buttermilk
  • 1/4 tsp liquid red food coloring

For the coconut buttercream icing:

  • 1 cup butter at room temperature
  • 5 cup powdered sugar
  • 3/4 cup cream of coconut
  • 1/2 tsp coconut extract
  • 1-2 drop green food coloring optional if you want a light mint green icing

Nutrition

Calories: 789kcal | Carbohydrates: 122g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 32g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 127mg | Sodium: 453mg | Potassium: 94mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 97g | Vitamin A: 923IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg
Servings: 12
Calories: 789kcal

Instructions

To make the strawberry cake:

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F.
  • Spray the 4 cake pans with nonstick spray.
  • In a large bowl, beat the butter, preserves, and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until fluffy. Then, add in eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Once the eggs are mixed, beat in strawberry extract.
  • In a medium bowl, sift together the cake flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Add flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the buttermilk. Beat in the food coloring until well mixed, and divide batter equally among prepared pans.
  • Bake for 20 to 25 minutes (or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean). Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Then, remove cake from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks.

To make the coconut buttercream icing:

  • Beat the butter until smooth. Then, add in powdered sugar and cream of coconut. (Make sure cream of coconut is well mixed first.)
  • Beat the mixture at medium speed for 1-2 minutes until smooth. Add in coconut extract and green food coloring, and continue to blend until the color is even.
  • Once fully mixed, lightly frost in between each of the four cake layers, then covering the rest of the cake.
KEYWORD: strawberry unicorn cake

Please note that we may earn a commission for some of the above affiliate links. However, products featured are independently selected and personally well-loved by us!

4.95 from 18 votes (1 rating without comment)

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23 Comments

  1. I’m about to make this cake for a friend’s bIrthday and i can’t wait! Quick question- salted or unsalted butter in your cake recipe?

  2. I made this cake using 2 9inch pans, baked for about 25-30 minutes. The cake is really good and moist. I also added 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. As for the icing, I must confess I did not like it very much. I guess I am not a fan of the flavor imparted by the coconut cream in the icing. The icing also was a bit too creamy. I certainly will make cake again but instead use a cream cheese icing. I am thinking this cake is versatile in that one could replace the strawberry jam with other flavors such as apricot. Thanks for sharing this wonderful cake recipe.4 stars

  3. Ahhhh that is so pretty!! I need to try this “unicorn cake” idea, it sounds like so much fun :)5 stars

  4. OMG this cake is EVERYTHING…Now I just need an occasion to make it! WOW… just WOW.5 stars

  5. This is the most magical cake I think I’ve ever seen in my life. I’m pretty sure my inner child would have her jaw on the floor in amazement if you put this in front of me, so you’ll definitely get no judgment from this neck of the woods!5 stars

  6. Big mistake not having Monica make the cake for Isla’s party on Saturday. BUT I am using your edible confetti cake idea, so let’s just pray it all works out :)5 stars

  7. Those tie-dyed meringues are my favorite part of the cake! Such a great idea, thanks for sharing :)

    xx Hannah // TheCheapishly.com5 stars