Today I’m sharing a recipe and detailed tutorial on how to make a Unikitty cake! Unikitty is my favorite character from The Lego Movie, and I figured it was about time I share a cake of her!!

Making Unikitty’s Face

While I’m always team buttercream, there are some situations where using a bit of fondant is just better than trying to pipe certain details.

Unikitty has those huge bright eyes and I wanted to get her expression just right.

I used circle cutters and thinly rolled out black, white, and blue fondant to create her eyes. I made her nose, cheeks and ears with bright pink fondant.

Then it was time to make Unikitty’s ears and horns. For this step it’s important to support them properly! I recommend inserted toothpicks into her ears to make sure they stayed upright.

When creating her horn, roll out a long, tapered piece of blue fondant and wrap it tightly around a wooden dowel. Leave a bit of wooden dowel exposed to allow you to press the horn into the cake.

To help the fondant stay tightly wound around the dowel, paint a bit of clear liquor or extract between the coils to seal them together.

I usually use premade fondant that I order on amazon, but you can also make your own fondant.

I figure if I’m already putting so much energy into making the cake and frosting from scratch it’s ok to take a little short cut on the fondant.

Substitutions and Swaps – Funfetti Cake Layers

This Unikitty cake recipe uses quite a few ingredients and I know you might not have all of them on hand. Or if you have food allergies or restrictions, I’ve got you covered.

Below are some swaps and substitutions that can be made in this cake:

• All Purpose Flour – This recipe turns out best with AP flour, but you can use a gluten free flour blend (be sure to also follow my tips below) or cake flour if that’s all you have on hand. I don’t recommend using straight almond flour though!
• Granulated Sugar – I do not recommend reducing the amount of sugar or changing the type of sugar, as it will change the texture of the cake layers.
• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter in this recipe. Just be sure to omit the salt that this recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place!
• Egg whites – If you don’t have egg whites on hand (I use the type out of the carton), you can use 4 whole eggs in place of the egg whites. Or you have an egg allergy you can use flaxseed eggs in their place or 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce.
• Sour Cream – You can also use full fat yogurt, buttermilk, whole milk or an alternative yogurt or milk (almond, soy, oat) if you’re dairy free.
• Vegetable Oil – You can use any flavorless oil in this recipe. Canola or even sunflower oil would work great!
• Almond Extract – I love adding a little almond extract into this cake recipe, but you can omit it if you’re allergic or not a fan.

Substitutions and Swaps – Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

• Unsalted Butter – If you only have salted butter on hand, you can use it in place of the unsalted butter. Just be sure to omit the salt that this frosting recipe calls for. You can also use vegan butter in its place!
• Heavy Cream – Whole milk or alternative milk (soy, almond, oat) will work fine in this frosting recipe if that’s what you have on hand.
• Almond Extract – I love adding a little almond extract into the frosting as well, but you can omit it if you’re allergic or not a fan of it.

Tips for Making the Best Unikitty Cake

• Properly measure your flour (spoon into the cup measure, then level) or use a kitchen scale to measure your dry ingredients.
• Use flower nails to help your sheet cake bake more evenly and quickly. If you don’t have any on hand, increase your bake time by 5-10 minutes.
• Shape your Unikitty horn around a wooden dowel to help it keep its shape and securely place it on top of the cake.
• Natural food coloring (either liquid or powder) can be used in place of the pink gel food coloring. The color won’t be quite the same, but it will still be beautiful.
• Ingredients at room temp mix together better. Set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
• Mix your cake batter just until the ingredients are incorporated. This will ensure your cake layers are tender and fluffy.
• Chill your cake layers in the freezer for about 20 minutes before assembling the cake. This makes it easier to stack and frost.
• Make this unikitty cake vegan or dairy free! Use your favorite type of dairy free milk to replace the sour cream and heavy cream and use vegan butter sticks in place of the butter.

Making This Unikitty Cake in Advance & Storage Tips

Make your cake layers in advance and freeze them. It breaks the process up and makes it more approachable.

Make your frosting ahead of time too or save any leftover frosting. It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month. Or store it in the freezer for up to 3 months! Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency smooth again.

A frosted cake can last in the fridge for up to a week. In the freezer it can last for up to a month! The buttercream locks in all the moisture, keeping the cake fresh and delicious.

The fondant on this cake can be refrigerated as long as you don’t live in a warm/humid environment. If you live somewhere really warm, wait to add the fondant features until the day you plan to serve the cake.

If you cut into the cake and have leftovers, use any remaining frosting to cover the cut section to keep it moist. It can be stored in the fridge like this for up to a week.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you make this unikitty cake recipe, I’d love to hear what you think of it! Please leave a rating and comment below.

Don’t forget to tag me @chelsweets and use #chelsweets so that I can see your amazing creations on social media.

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