Whether you are planning a mermaid party or just looking for a special treat to make with the kids, these cupcakes are perfection. What inspired these delectable creations? You may think these cupcakes look familiar. Disney World did sell a similar looking mermaid tail cupcake at the Starbucks in the Magic Kingdom. So here is the inside scoop on diving under the sea and making these adorable mermaid tail cupcakes.
Mermaid Tail Cupcakes Ingredients
- 1 box Duff’s Mermaid Cupcake Mix plus the ingredients listed to make it
- 4 sticks of butter
- 8 – 10 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tsp Vanilla extract
- 4 tbs Milk (optional)
- Sweet Tooth Fairy Mermaid sprinkles
- Piping Bag
- 1M Pipping Tip
- White Fondant
- Green, Teal, Purple, Pink Gel Food Coloring
- Silver Glitter Spray
- Toothpicks
- Mermaid Tail Molds
Directions on How to Make
Mermaid Tail Directions
I highly recommend that you make Mermaid Tails a day or two ahead of time. This is so they have plenty of time to harden up, you will need at least one overnight for this to happen.
Knead fondant until it’s soft. This makes mixing the color go so much easier. Add 1-3 drops of gel color and create a ball of green fondant, purple fondant, pink fondant, and teal fondant.
Pull off a little bit from each ball and mix together and place in your mermaid tail mold and trim the excess off. Once the fondant has been pressed into the mold and shaped into a mermaid tail. Then you can remove from the mold and place on a piece of wax paper and insert a toothpick into each tail.
Now for the best part, glitter! Spray with Silver Glitter Spray. When you have glittered your tails to perfection leave your tails in a cool place to dry overnight.
Cupcake Making Instructions
Bake per the box directions and let cool. Once completely cool they can be frosted. If you do not use the Duff’s Mermaid Cupcake Mix use any white cake mix.
Separate the white cake batter into 3 bowls and add gel food coloring to the bowls. You would just add 2 drops of purple to bowl one, 4 drops of purple to bowl two, 2 drops of blue to bowl three.
Take a spoon to add dollops, alternating the colors, into your cupcake liners until about 2/3 full. Once your muffin tins are filled up bake per cake box directions for cupcakes.
Directions for the Bottom Layer of Frosting
First off start by grabbing out your KitchenAid mixer. This is so you can whip 1 cup of butter. I find this takes about 3-5 minutes and room temperature butter works best. Word of caution, if the butter is not room temperature it can burn out your mixer. If you need to soften the butter just pop it in the microwave for about 15-30 seconds.
Now that you have your butter softened and beaten it’s time to sweeten things up a bit! Slowly add in 2 cups of powdered sugar until fully mixed together. Then add in 2 tsp of Vanilla extract and gradually add another 2-3 cups of powdered sugar. If the frosting is too stiff add a little milk or heavy whipping cream to soften back up.
Now it’s time to transform the frosting into a beautiful seafoam green mermaid-esque color. You do this by adding 2-3 drops of Teal food coloring and be sure mix well.
Place the frosting in either a gallon Ziploc bag or piping bag. Cut the tip of your bag off. For this layer of frosting on the cupcake, you do not need a piping tip. Now it’s time to frost! You need to place an even layer of frosting on the cupcake in a circular motion.
Now it’s time for my favorite touch on the mermaid cupcakes, sprinkles! Roll the edges of the cupcake in the Sweet Tooth Fairy Mermaid sprinkles. I find it best to place them on a plate first and then roll your cupcake on it. I actually think these cupcakes look good enough to eat now! But if you can hold out let’s move on to the final layer of frosting.
Topping the Cupcake with the Second Layer of Frosting
This is the same deal as the previous layer of frosting. Grab out your KitchenAid mixer once again. This is so you can whip 1 cup of butter. I find this takes about 3-5 minutes and room temperature butter works best. Word of caution, if the butter is not room temperature it can burn out your mixer. If you need to soften the butter just pop it in the microwave for about 15-30 seconds.
Slowly add in 2 cups of powdered sugar until mixed. Add in 2 tsp of Vanilla extract and gradually add another 2-3 cups of powdered sugar. If the frosting is too stiff add a little milk or heavy whipping cream to soften.
Place a 1/3 of the frosting into 3 separate bowls and add 2 drops of each color of food coloring to the bowls and mix well.
Place cling wrap on the counter and spoon out the frosting into lines next to each other. Then bring the sides together and twist the ends like in the picture.
Snip the bottom off one and but this time around, place in a piping bag with a 1M piping tip. Not it’s time to swirl the frosting on to the top of the first layer of frosting.
Now it’s time to top your work of art by adding the mermaid tail you made it the first part of these instructions. Be sure you grab a photo or two so you can brag to all your friends. Plus be sure to share your mermaid tail cupcake creations with us on social media by tagging us.
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I have been visiting the parks annually since my parents first brought me at just a year old. Recently I was able to fulfill my life long dream of being a Florida local and moved from the wintery Northeast to the sunshine and fun of central Florida. Now I am hoping to share my Disney knowledge with you so you can have the best vacation possible!