Want to create an enchanting dessert that is sure to go above and beyond any child’s wildest dreams? This Unicorn Cake Roll is all that and more. A moist Strawberry Cheesecake Cake Roll gets an added dose of sweetness from the layers of buttercream and a dash of brightness from the multi-colored rosette mane. Complete with a golden horn, this magical dessert is fit for princes and princesses of all ages.
There are two kinds of people in this world: those who see a brightly colored and highly decorative dessert and politely admire it… and those who grab a fork before it even hits the table. I’ll let you guess which camp I’m in. This Unicorn Cake Roll was born out of a very specific request from my daughter, who announced that for her birthday she wanted something “sparkly and rainbowy”. After a little experimenting (and a lot of frosting stuck to my kitchen counter), this cake roll came together, and it ended up being the star of her party.
The best part? It looks like you spent hours conjuring it up with your very own unicorn powers, but it’s actually super simple once you know a few tricks. Bright swirls of color, fluffy filling, and a delicious cake roll make this dessert the ultimate party centerpiece. Trust me, if you’re looking for a dessert that will make all your child’s birthday dreams come true, this one delivers.
Other Party-Ready Cake Rolls You’ll Love
Lemon Meringue Cake Roll
This dessert takes the bright, zesty flavor of lemon and pairs it with fluffy, toasted meringue for a treat that’s as beautiful as it is delicious. It’s an incredibly simple recipe that delivers classic lemon meringue pie flavor in the form of a show-stopping cake roll.
Caramel Pumpkin Cake Roll
Nothing embodies the warmth of the season quite like pumpkin and caramel. This cake roll combines these quintessential fall flavors to create a dessert that’s both elegant and comforting. With its rich pumpkin flavor, creamy buttercream, and gooey caramel drip, this cake is a true showstopper.
Candy Corn Fault Line Cake Roll
Combining the vibrant colors from everyone’s favorite holiday candy with the fault line cake decorating style, it’s the perfect dessert to bring to all your upcoming spooktacular events. With layers of creamy buttercream, sprinkles, and a touch of edible gold, this cake roll will be the centerpiece of your Halloween spread.
What You’ll Need
- Stand mixer or hand mixer and bowl
- 4 medium-sized mixing bowls
- Cake board or serving platter
- 5 piping bags
- 3 #4B star piping tips
- #5 round piping tip
- Turntable
- Bench scraper
- Plastic unicorn horn cake topper
Storage Information
A frosted cake can last up to a week when stored in the refrigerator. The frosting helps to lock in the moisture of the cake, keeping it fresh while you wait to serve. If you cut the cake first and then want to store it, put the pieces in an airtight container or cover the cut sections with any leftover frosting you may have. The cake can be stored like this for a week in the refrigerator.
Tips for Making a Unicorn Cake Roll
- You can make this buttercream the day before you assemble your cake roll and refrigerate it overnight. Then, when you’re ready to start decorating your cake, take it out and let it come back up to room temperature. You may need to mix it again for a few minutes before applying.
- Don’t take your cake roll out of the freezer until you are ready to start putting on the frosting. A cold cake is easier to decorate as it is less delicate. A room temperature cake is tender and fragile which means it is more likely to fall apart.
- Piping a rosette is almost like doing a lowercase “e”. You start in the center and pipe around counterclockwise then gently lift off. You do this as many times as necessary to create your unicorn’s “mane”. If you need a little more help, I highly recommend this tutorial from CakesbyLynz on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acVfZiNBniY.
How to Make a Unicorn Cake Roll
Unicorn Cake Roll
Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Moderate8
servings284
kcal10
Want to create an enchanting dessert that is sure to go above and beyond any child’s wildest dreams? This Unicorn Cake Roll is all that and more. A moist Strawberry Cheesecake Cake Roll gets an added dose of sweetness from the layers of buttercream and a dash of brightness from the multi-colored rosette mane. Complete with a golden horn, this magical dessert is fit for princes and princesses of all ages.
Ingredients
- Unicorn Cake Roll:
1 Dutch Apron® Bakery Strawberry Cheesecake Cake Roll
- Buttercream Frosting:
2 c. unsalted butter, room temperature
7 c. powdered sugar, sifted
2 tbsp. heavy cream
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
Black, purple, pink, and blue gel food coloring
Directions
- Prepare the Buttercream Frosting
- In a stand mixer, beat butter until smooth and light in color, about 2 minutes.
- Turn mixer to low and slowly add powdered sugar. Once fully incorporated, add heavy cream, salt, and vanilla extract.
- Mix ingredients until well combined then scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Beat an additional 1-2 minutes until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
- Color the Buttercream Frosting
- Get 4 medium-sized mixing bowls to create your colored frosting.
- Put one cup of white buttercream frosting in each bowl. Color one bowl black, one bowl purple, one bowl pink, one bowl blue. Leave enough white buttercream in the mixing bowl to cover your cake roll.
- Take your piping bags and fit three of them with your #4B piping tips. Fill one bag with purple buttercream, one bag with pink buttercream, and one bag with blue buttercream.
- Fit another piping bag with the #5 round piping tip. Fill this bag with black buttercream.
- Fill your last piping bag with the remaining white buttercream.
- Decorate the Cake Roll
- Remove your cake roll from its packaging. Place the cake roll vertically on a cake board or serving platter, so it is standing on one end. Move the cake roll to your turntable.
- Grab the piping bag with the white buttercream. Starting at the bottom of the cake roll, pipe a ring of frosting all the way around.
- Continue piping rings above each other until the cake roll is covered. Cover the top of the cake roll with frosting as well.
- Using a bench scraper, smooth the frosting around the sides of the cake while spinning the turntable. Wipe off excess frosting from the bench scraper after every pass.
- Using the blue, pink, and purple piping bags, start piping the “mane” of your unicorn. Start piping your rosettes at the center of the “forehead”. Continue until you cover the whole top of the cake roll. Finish the mane by piping rosettes around one side of the cake roll. If you need help, check out the video linked above.
- Pipe on the unicorn’s “eyes” using the black piping bag.
- Finally, place the horn cake topper in the center of the top of your cake roll to give it that perfect finishing touch.
About the Author:
Amber Breitigan joined Dutch Apron® Bakery as the Lead Graphic Designer in 2021 after trading the bright lights of Vegas for the charm of small-town Iowa. From revamping product packaging to designing eye-catching social media posts, Amber brings creativity and warmth to everything she touches. When she’s not juggling design files, she’s likely crocheting with a cat in her lap, baking up creative cakes for her three kids, or enjoying game night with her husband.
