Unicorn Birthday Cake with Candy Bark

5 from 1 vote

Three layers of vanilla buttermilk cake are frosted with purple-tinted white chocolate buttercream and decorated with Midnight Magic Sprinkles. Shards of unicorn candy bark and a purple candy melt drip finish it off perfectly.

Prep Time1

Cook Time30

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 974kcal

Author: Elizabeth

Equipment

6-inch tins
mixing bowl
hand mixer
rubber spatula

Ingredients

for the vanilla buttermilk cake

170 grams butter softened
450 grams caster sugar
5 large free-range egg whites room temperature
1 large free-range egg room temperature
425 grams plain flour
4 tsp baking powder
0.5 tsp Shetland sea salt
225 ml buttermilk
2.5 tsp vanilla extract

for the unicorn candy bark

340 grams bright white candy melts
75 grams pink candy melts
75 grams purple candy melts
1 tsp vegetable oil divided
2 tbsp Midnight Magic sprinkles

for the white chocolate buttercream frosting

150 grams butter softened
300 grams icing sugar
225 grams white chocolate
3 tbsp double cream
2-3 drops purple gel food colouring

for the purple drip decoration

55 grams purple candy melts
1 tbsp double cream

to decorate

110 grams Midnight Magic sprinkles (less the 2 tbsp used in the bark)

Metric - US Cup Measures

Instructions

for the vanilla buttermilk cake

Preheat oven to 350 F/ 180 C/ 160 C fan. Grease and line three 6-inch cake tins with baking paper.
With a hand mixer, cream together 170 grams butter and 450 grams caster sugar until well incorporated.
Add 5 large free-range egg whites and 1 large free-range egg and beat until light and fluffy.
Sift together 425 grams plain flour, 4 tsp baking powder and 0.5 tsp Shetland sea salt in a medium-sized bowl. Combine 2.5 tsp vanilla extract and 225 ml buttermilk in a measuring jug.
With the hand mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and buttermilk mixture in alternating increments, mixing until well combined.
Weigh out the batter and divide by three so each tin is evenly filled. Spoon into the prepared tins and bake in the centre of the oven for 25-35 minutes. Check after 25 minutes and cover with foil if the cake is browning too much.
Leave the cakes in the tins for ten minutes before removing and cooling completely. If the cakes aren't needed immediately you can wrap them in clingfilm tightly and keep in the refigerator for up to three days.

for the unicorn candy bark

Melt 340 grams bright white candy melts, 75 grams pink candy melts, and 75 grams purple candy melts in separate bowls in your microwave, as per the instructions on the packet, or in a heat-proof bowl suspended over a pan of barely simmering water.
Spread the white candy melts out in a thin layer on a silicone mat or piece of non-stick baking paper.
Divide 1 tsp vegetable oil between each of the coloured candy melts, if needed to thin, and drop by the spoonful over the top of the white candy melts. Use a chopstick to swirl all the colours together.
Sprinkle with 2 tbsp Midnight Magic sprinkles, and pop into the fridge to harden. When hardened, carefully cut the bark into shards, and pick a few of the best one to decorate the cake with.

for the white chocolate buttercream frosting

Cream together 150 grams butter and 300 grams icing sugar.
Melt 225 grams white chocolate in a heatproof bowl suspended over a pan of barely simmering water. Cool to room temperature.
Beat the cooled white chocolate and 3 tbsp double cream into the icing sugar mixture.
Add 2-3 drops purple gel food colouring, and beat well until light and fluffy.

for the purple drip

Melt 55 grams purple candy melts along with 1 tbsp double cream.
Cool slightly and pour into a piping bag.

to assemble the unicorn candy bark cake

Cut the tops of all three cooled cakes off to make them even.
Place a little spoonful of frosting on the cake stand to hold the cake in place. Peel off the baking paper and place the first cake layer on the stand, cut side up.
Add a generous layer of buttercream frosting, and top with a second cake, cut side down.
Repeat with more buttercream and the last cake layer.
Cover the entire cake, top and sides, with a thin layer of frosting. This is the crumb layer. Chill for 30 minutes.
Frost the cake with the remaining icing, using a ruler to smooth the top and sides, if desired.
Decorate the bottom edge of the cake with 110 grams Midnight Magic sprinkles, reserving some for the top of the cake.
Pipe a purple drip around the top edge of the cake, as pictured, and decorate the top of the cake with the remaining Midnight Magic sprinkles.
Pick a few of the best shards of unicorn bark to decorate the top of the cake with. Using a sharp knife, carefully cut a slit into the top of the cake to push the candy bark in to so that it stays upright.
Serve! This cake will keep, refrigerated, for a few days.

Nutrition