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| Gluten Free Unicorn Funfetti Cupcakes |
Yes, I have jumped on the unicorn band wagon. What can I say? They're totally cute and they make my kids squeal with delight.
These adorable cupcakes are fairly easy to make. I made a gluten free cake mix according to the package directions and stirred in a quarter cup of sprinkles before baking. A regular vanilla or white cake mix will also work great.
I started this mystical culinary adventure by melting some white chocolate to make the horns. I piped the chocolate into horn shapes and sprinkled them with gold sanding sugar. I piped mine a little longer than they needed to be. An inch and a half should do just fine. You can also download or draw a template if eyeballing the horns is stressing you out. I'm not a complete perfectionist in the kitchen, so I eyeballed mine.
After your cupcakes are completely cool, whip up my favorite vanilla frosting. This recipe is creamy and dreamy and perfectly sweet. It's my "go to" vanilla frosting.
To put the unicorns together, use a wide round tip to pipe the lusciously perfect vanilla frosting onto your cupcakes. Sprinkle the tops and backs with more sprinkles, stick in the horns, and use a store-bought black icing tube to make the lashed unicorn eyes. I practiced on a plate to steady my hand and get my technique down.
A quick note about the horns: you really need to temper your chocolate so that the horns stay firm. Follow the directions below to do that. I didn't really bother when I made this batch of cupcakes and ended up with delicious, but flopped over, horns.
Also, these cupcakes are as delicious as they are adorable. Have lots a fun making and eating these magical treats.
Unicorn Funfetti Cupcakes
INGREDIENTS
For the horns:
4 oz baking white chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup gold or yellow sanding sugar
For the cupcakes:
1 box vanilla or white cake mix and ingredients to making according to package directions (I used Betty Crocker's Gluten Free Vanilla Cake Mix)
1/4 cup rainbow jimmies for cake mixes that make 12 cupcakes and 1/2 cup jimmies for cake mixes that make 24 cupcakes
For the frosting:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
4 cups powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 to 4 Tbsp milk
1/2 cup rainbow jimmies for decorating
1 3.5 oz tube black piping gel
DIRECTIONS
1. Make your horns first as they'll need plenty of time to fully set. Line a baking sheet with wax or parchment paper and set aside.
2. Melt half of your white chocolate (2 oz) in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave in 15 second increments, stirring after each time. Add in the rest of the white chocolate and stir until all melted.
3. Snip off one corner of a Ziplock freezer bag about 1/8 of an inch. You can also insert a super tiny round piping tip into your bag, if you like. Fill your bag with melted chocolate and pipe 1 1/2 inch long horn shapes onto your parchment-lined baking sheet. Immediately sprinkle with gold sanding sugar. Place tray in the fridge to set.
4. Make your cupcakes according to the package directions stirring in the rainbow jimmies right before you scoop the batter.
5. Let cupcakes cool completely.
6. Make your frosting. Beat butter and shortening in a stand mixer for 30 seconds.
7. Beat in 2 cups powdered sugar until creamy.
8. Scrape down bowl and beat in 2 tsp vanilla.
9. Beat in 2 more cups powdered sugar.
10. Beat in milk 1 tablespoon at a time until the consistency is pipe-able (not too runny, not too stiff). Then, scrape down the bowl again and beat for 3 minutes on high until light and fluffy.
11. Put your unicorns together. Use a large round tip to pipe frosting onto your cupcakes.
12. Sprinkle tops and backs with more rainbow jimmies.
13. Push a horn into the top of each cupcake.
14. Use the black piping gel to pipe half circles and lashes on each cupcake for the eyes.
* If your cake mix makes 24 cupcakes, you 'll need to double the frosting recipe and the number of horns you make.
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