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–+ servings
This Mermaid Tail Cupcake Cake is the perfect girls birthday cake, and this tutorial shows you exactly how to make it. Cupcakes pull apart for easy serving. (No cake to cut! Template included.)

Mermaid Tail Cupcake Cake

Author Amber Brady
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 20 minutes
Yields 24 cupcakes

Ingredients

  • 15.25 oz (432 g) box cake mix + ingredients to make cake, (oil, water, eggs)
  • 4 disposable piping bags, (12-inches or larger)
  • 1 Wilton 2D tip
  • 3 Wilton 1A tips
  • Small offset spatula
  • Clean damp washcloth
  • 3 small bowls to scrape excess frosting
  • Chocolate pearls for decorating

Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

  • 2 cups (452 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 6 cups (720 g) powdered sugar
  • 6 Tbsp heavy cream
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Food Coloring Paste, (2-3 colors of choice - I did turquoise [blue/green mixed together] and purple)

Instructions

  • For the cupcakes: Mix and bake cupcakes in paper baking cups -- I used double-lined silver baking cups to hide the brown of the chocolate cake. Bake according to package directions. (Cupcakes typically bake at 350˚F for 19-23 minutes.) Make sure to divide batter evenly for 24 cupcakes.
  • For the frosting: With an electric mixer, beat the butter with the salt until creamy. Add the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, mixing completely before adding more. Repeat until all powdered sugar is added. Add heavy cream one Tablespoon at a time, then increase speed to high and beat for about 30 seconds. Add vanilla and mix until incorporated.
  • Separate and color 1/2 of the frosting turquoise (or which ever color you choose for the fins and some scales).
  • Color 1/4 of the frosting purple (or the color of your choice) and keep the other 1/4 of the frosting white (or the color of your choice).
  • Use four disposable piping bags. Place half of the turquoise in one bag with a Wilton 2D tip. Place the turquoise, purple, and white frosting in separate bags each fitted with a Wilton 1A or larger round tip. You will also need a small offset spatula, three small bowls, and a clean, damp washcloth for wiping the spatula between colors.
  • Use double-sided tape to adhere cupcakes to a full-size sheet cake board in a mermaid tail shape. (See post for template.)
  • For the fins: Pipe the fins with a slightly opened Wilton 2D tip. Pipe continuously, outlining the edge first, and working your way towards the center. TIP: Make sure the frosting bag is full before piping each fin, to help prevent air bubbles and having to lift the tip to start again.
  • For the scales: Flip the board upside down so the fins are at the top. Alternate piping colored dots by squeezing the frosting directly on top of the cupcake and lifting the bag straight up. Try not to have the same two colors touching. You may need to pipe frosting extra thick between any cupcake gaps.
  • Using the small offset spatula, gently press the tips of the dots down slightly and then pull the spatula towards the unfrosted cupcakes. This creates the scales. Scrape excess frosting into three small bowls - one for each color. Wipe the spatula clean with the damp cloth between colors. (This is the most time intensive part.) TIP: Pull all of the same colors in the row, then wipe the spatula clean and do a different color, then wipe the spatula and do the last color.
  • For the waistband: Once the scales get close to the top of the mermaid tail, you can use any of the three colors to pipe an outline for a v-shaped waistband. I used white because it was the color I had the most left over. Squeeze more frosting into the center to fill it in and then smooth it out with the offset spatula. TIP: Using a slightly wet spatula will help smooth out most bumps and lines.
  • Use chocolate pearls to decorate the waistband and random scales along the mermaid tail. Scoot the cake board onto the bottom of the cardboard box, and then assemble the box around the cake. Store Mermaid Tail Cupcake Cake in the cake box until ready to eat.

Notes

*You can purchase a full-size sheet cake board and box from most grocery store bakeries. (I got mine from Walmart.)
*For this frosting, I highly recommend using the heavy cream and not milk. It lightens the frosting and gives it a slightly whipped texture that makes it easy to smooth. Recipe originally from Sugar Spun Run