Unicorn cakes have completely taken over birthday parties, and honestly, I’m not mad about it. There’s something so magical and whimsical about these cakes that makes them perfect for celebrations. Whether you’re planning a party for a little girl who’s obsessed with everything sparkly and magical, a teenager who still loves that fantasy aesthetic, or even an adult who appreciates the fun and color of unicorn themes, these cakes never fail to impress. The moment you bring out a unicorn cake, you can see everyone’s faces light up – it’s just pure magic and joy in cake form.

What makes unicorn cakes so popular is that they’re incredibly versatile and can be styled in so many different ways. You can go full pastel princess with soft colors and lots of flowers, or bright and bold with rainbow colors and tons of sprinkles. Some unicorn cakes are elegant and sophisticated, while others are fun and playful. The basic elements are usually the same – a horn, ears, eyes, and maybe a mane – but how you execute those details and what colors you choose makes each cake totally unique. I’ve made dozens of unicorn cakes over the years and no two have ever looked exactly the same.

I think another reason these cakes are so beloved is because they’re incredibly photogenic. Every parent wants to capture that moment when their child sees their birthday cake, and unicorn cakes always photograph beautifully with all those colors, textures, and magical details. They’re Instagram-worthy without even trying, which matters a lot in today’s world where people want to share their celebrations online. Plus, they work for so many different party themes – rainbow parties, princess parties, magical woodland themes, or just a general unicorn-themed celebration.

The key to a great unicorn cake is getting those details right. The horn needs to look magical, the colors should be dreamy and coordinated, and all the little touches like flowers, stars, or sparkles should feel intentional rather than just thrown on. These ten ideas show different approaches to unicorn cakes, from simple and sweet to elaborate showstoppers, all guaranteed to create that magical moment at your celebration.

1. Classic Pastel Unicorn with Buttercream Mane

This is the unicorn cake that started the whole trend – soft pastel buttercream with a gorgeous rainbow mane. The cake is usually covered in pale pink, lavender, or mint green buttercream, smooth and simple. Then you create the unicorn face on top with a gold fondant horn, white fondant ears with pink insides, closed eyes with long lashes made from fondant or piped in black buttercream. The mane is the star – piped buttercream swirls in rainbow colors flowing down the side of the cake. Add some fresh flowers tucked into the mane, maybe some pearls or stars. It’s sweet, it’s pretty, and it’s absolutely perfect for young girls who love everything magical and colorful.

2. Galaxy Unicorn with Metallic Horn

For something more dramatic and modern, create a galaxy-themed unicorn cake. The base is decorated with deep purples, blues, and blacks swirled together like outer space, with edible glitter or luster dust creating stars and sparkle throughout. The unicorn horn is tall and metallic – silver or holographic – and the ears can be in coordinating galaxy colors. Add some star decorations, maybe some planets made from cake pops or fondant. The mane could be in galaxy colors too – deep purples and blues with silver accents. It’s perfect for older kids or teens who want something magical but a bit edgier and more grown-up than traditional pastels.

3. Floral Crown Unicorn Cake

This design is so romantic and beautiful – a unicorn cake where instead of just a few flowers, the entire top is covered in a gorgeous floral crown arrangement. Use fresh flowers or sugar flowers in soft colors – roses, peonies, ranunculus, baby’s breath – arranged in a crown shape around the unicorn’s head. The horn sits in the center, the ears peek out from the flowers, and the eyes can be sweet and gentle. Keep the cake base simple in white or pastel buttercream so those flowers really stand out. Maybe add a small buttercream mane or skip it entirely and let the flowers be the focus. It’s elegant and garden-party perfect.

4. Rainbow Unicorn Drip Cake

Combining two of the most popular cake trends – unicorns and drip cakes – creates something absolutely show-stopping. Start with white or pastel buttercream, then add rainbow-colored drips cascading down the sides in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, and purple. Top with a gold unicorn horn, ears, closed eyes with lashes, and a rainbow buttercream mane. Load up the top with rainbow sprinkles, meringues, macarons, candies, and treats in rainbow colors. It’s over-the-top in the best way, perfect for a big celebration where you want maximum impact. Kids go absolutely crazy for these because they’re so colorful and covered in candy.

5. Minimalist White and Gold Unicorn

For a more sophisticated take on the unicorn cake, go minimalist with just white and gold. Cover the cake in smooth white buttercream or fondant, then add a tall elegant gold horn – either fondant painted with gold luster or actual gold leaf. The ears are white with just a touch of gold on the edges. Eyes are simple and elegant, either closed or just gentle. Instead of a full colorful mane, just add a few gold buttercream swirls or skip the mane entirely. Maybe add one or two white roses and some gold leaf accents. It’s refined, elegant, and proves unicorn cakes don’t have to be super colorful to be magical.

6. Pink Ombre Unicorn with Sprinkles

This cake is all about pretty pink perfection. Create an ombre effect with the buttercream frosting going from deep pink at the bottom gradually to pale pink and then white at the top. The gradient should be smooth and beautiful. Add the unicorn face on top with a white or gold horn, pink and white ears, sweet closed eyes. The mane can be in coordinating pink shades or add some purple and lavender for variety. Press pink and white sprinkles around the base of the cake or create a sprinkle waterfall on one side. It’s feminine, pretty, and perfect for princess-themed parties or anyone who loves all things pink.

7. Unicorn with Edible Flowers and Butterflies

This design brings a garden party feel to the unicorn cake with lots of edible flowers and butterfly decorations. Cover the cake in soft buttercream – maybe lavender, mint, or cream – then decorate with edible flowers like pansies, violas, or rose petals. Add fondant or wafer paper butterflies in coordinating colors scattered around the tiers and in the mane area. The unicorn horn can be white or pastel with flowers wrapped around the base. The whole effect is nature-meets-magic, perfect for outdoor parties, spring birthdays, or anyone who loves gardens and butterflies along with their unicorns.

8. Glitter and Sparkle Unicorn Cake

For the birthday girl or boy who wants maximum sparkle, create a unicorn cake that’s all about the glitter and shine. Use edible glitter dust in the buttercream to make the whole cake shimmer – you can do all white with glitter, or pastel colors with coordinating glitter. The horn should be covered in edible glitter or made from isomalt to really sparkle. Add edible glitter to the mane, sprinkle it around the base, use glittery fondant for the ears. Add some disco dust, luster dust, anything that catches the light. It’s glamorous and sparkly, perfect for kids who want their cake to literally shine and be as magical as possible.

9. Rustic Unicorn with Naked Cake Style

For a more natural, bohemian take on the unicorn cake, use the naked or semi-naked cake style where you can see the cake layers with minimal frosting. The exposed layers give it a rustic, homemade feel. Decorate the top with a simple unicorn face using natural-colored horn (maybe cream or ivory instead of bright gold), ears in natural tones, gentle closed eyes. Add fresh flowers in soft natural colors, eucalyptus, and maybe some berries. The mane can be minimal or done in natural buttercream tones. It’s perfect for outdoor parties, bohemian themes, or when you want unicorn magic with a more earthy, natural aesthetic.

10. Double Rainbow Unicorn Cake

Why settle for one rainbow when you can have two? This cake features rainbow layers inside AND a rainbow theme on the outside. Cover the cake in white or pastel buttercream, then create a beautiful rainbow arch over the top made from buttercream or fondant in perfect rainbow colors. The unicorn sits at one end of the rainbow with its horn, ears, and face. The mane flows in rainbow colors. When you cut into it, surprise – rainbow layers inside too. Add clouds made from white buttercream, rainbow sprinkles, and maybe some stars. It’s double the rainbow magic, perfect for anyone who wants the ultimate colorful, happy, magical birthday cake.