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Home ยป Birthday Party Ideas

Mermaid Cupcakes

Published: Jul 6, 2022 by Maddy ยท This post may contain affiliate links for which I may earn a small commission.

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These beautiful and easy Mermaid Cupcakes are perfect for a little girl's mermaid party. Mermaid cupcakes are the cutest party treat and a must-make for your next summer party!

mermaid cupcake with a purple tail blue icing and mermaid sprinkles on a cake stand

This is a super easy way to make impressive and gorgeous mermaid cupcakes for your next mermaid birthday party. Everyone will love these cupcakes, guaranteed! They are so pretty that you won't want to eat them.

This cupcake recipe is also cute for an ocean-themed party, just like our shark attack cupcakes!

All you need to make mermaid cupcakes is a package of cake mix, mermaid tail molds and candy melts, a piping bag set and a colorful sprinkle mix.

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Ingredients

For the cupcakes and mermaid decorations you need:

  • Boxed cake mix
  • Colored candy melts: to make the mermaid tails use brightly colored candy melts, such as these bright pink or purple ones. Fondantย can also be used.
  • Edible shimmer dust: sprinkle some edible shimmer on the molds to create a shimmery mermaid tail. This it optional but a nice little touch!
  • Mermaid sprinkle mix: there are a lot of options here but these sprinkles are my favorite because they include a small mermaid tails, pearls, sugar sprinkles and jimmies all in one.
  • White shimmer sprinkles: I use these around the tails to look like wave foam, as though the mermaid is splashing in the water.

For the frosting you need:

  • Cream cheese
  • Butter
  • Powdered sugar (confectioner's sugar)
  • Vanilla extract
  • Food coloring: gel food coloring is best to use when making icing because it doesn't add liquid to it. If you only have liquid food coloring, that is okay- just don't use too much. I use a mixture of blue and green food coloring in a ratio of 3:1 (more on that below).
mermaid cupcake with a purple tail blue icing and mermaid sprinkles on a cake stand

Tools Needed

To make these mermaid cupcakes you need:

  • Mermaid tail silicone molds: I use these, which have 2 large size molds plus baby mermaid tails and an assortment of shell shapes if you want to get really creative!
  • Electric hand mixer for the frosting.
  • Cupcake tin, standard size.
  • Cupcake liners: I like using the colors that match the mermaid tails and icing to create variety. Pink, blue, teal, purple, and white all look beautiful with this recipe.
  • Piping bag and piping tips: I use a reusable piping bag with screw on tips similar to this one. It's so much easier to work with piping tips that screw into place and are secure.
mermaid cupcake with a purple tail blue icing and mermaid sprinkles on a cake stand

Instructions

STEP 1: Preheat the oven to the temperature indicated on the box of cupcake mix (usually 350ยฐ Fahrenheit). Line the muffin tin with the liners. Make the cupcake batter as indicated on the package and fill each liner ยฝ full. Bake for the time indicated on the box, usually 15 minutes. Remove cupcakes from the oven when done and place on your decorating workspace. I suggest lining your workspace with paper towels or parchment paper, as the sprinkles can be messy! Let the cupcakes cool for at least 15 minutes before frosting.

STEP 2: I recommend doing this the night before (or in advance the day of) because it will take time. Each mermaid tail takes about 5 minutes to harden, so if you're making 20 tails using the 2 molds that is about an hour or more of time needed.

Make the candy mermaid tails using the candy melts. Prepare the candy melts according to the instructions on the package and fill each mold. If you're using edible shimmer, use your finger to coat the inside of the molds before filling with the melted candy. Let cool for about 5 minutes in the fridge then carefully remove from the mold. Continue until you have as many as you need. Store candy tails in the fridge until ready to use.

STEP 3: While the cupcakes cool, make the frosting. Combine room temperature butter, room temperature cream cheese and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Using the electric hand mixer, beat on low speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar 2 cups at a time and continue to beat on low speed until smooth. Add the blue and green food coloring and mix until the color is evenly incorporated into the frosting. For every 3 teaspoons of blue, add 1 teaspoon of green to make a teal color. Add more food coloring as needed to create your desired shade of teal. I used about 6 teaspoons of blue and 2 teaspoons of green. Pink frosting and purple frosting would also be pretty.

STEP 4: Select the piping tip you'd like to use and secure it to the piping bag. Fill the piping bag halfway with frosting. You may need to frost the cupcakes in batches depending on the size of the piping bag. Twist the top where the frosting ends and hold securely while squeezing the frosting onto each cupcake. Use a generous amount of frosting or a small amount- it's up to you!

STEP 5: Decorate the cupcakes- the fun part! Take one candy tail and push it into the center of the cupcake, so that it pushes down into the cupcake itself and not just the icing. The tails are quite heavy and will fall down if they are only inserted into the icing. Once the tails are in place, add more icing around them if needed. Create a foamy wave look with the white sprinkles around the base of the tail and sprinkle the mermaid sprinkles around the frosting in any pattern you'd like.

Transfer decorated cupcakes to the fridge to chill and set the frosting. Serve within a few hours or within 2 days for the best results.

mermaid cupcake with a purple tail blue icing and mermaid sprinkles on a cake stand

Tips For Making Mermaid Party Cupcakes

  • Make the tails the night before to save time. The cupcakes can also be made the night before.
  • If you want to make super easy mermaid cupcakes, buy frosting and scoop it into the piping bag rather than make the homemade frosting.
  • Don't buy white candy melts and try to dye them with food coloring. Doing this will change the texture and make them unusable. Liquid cannot be added to candy melts.
  • If using fondant, plan for extra time. It will take about 10-15 minutes in the freezer for the fondant to harden enough to remove from the molds.
  • Insert the mermaid tail into the cupcake about ยฝ inch to secure it and make sure it doesn't tip over.
  • For best results, let the frosted and decorated cupcakes chill in the fridge for a few hours before serving. The frosting will cool and harden slightly, keeping the tails and other decorations nice and secure.
mermaid cupcake with a purple tail blue icing and mermaid sprinkles on a cake stand

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Recipe

mermaid cupcake with a purple tail blue icing and mermaid sprinkles on a cake stand

Mermaid Cupcakes

These beautiful and easy Mermaid Cupcakes are perfect for a little girl's mermaid party. Mermaid cupcakes are the cutest party treat and a must-make for your next summer party!
5 from 58 votes
Pin Share Tweet SaveSaved! Print
Prep Time 2 hours hrs
Cook Time 15 minutes mins
Total Time 2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 24
Calories 218 kcal

Equipment

  • mermaid tail silicone molds
  • piping bag and piping tips
  • electric hand mixer
  • standard size muffin tin
  • 20 cupcake liners

Ingredients
  

  • 1 box of cake mix
  • 3 cups candy melts, pink or purple
  • white shimmer sprinkles
  • mermaid sprinkle mix

For Frosting

  • 1 cup butter, room temperature
  • 16 oz cream cheese, room temperature
  • 2 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 8 cups confectioner's sugar
  • 6 teaspoon blue gel food coloring
  • 2 teaspoon green gel food coloring

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to the temperature indicated on the box of cupcake mix (usually 350ยฐ Fahrenheit). Line the muffin tin with the liners. Make the cupcake batter as indicated on the package and fill each liner ยฝ full. Bake for the time indicated on the box, usually 15 minutes. Remove cupcakes from the oven when done and place on your decorating workspace. Let the cupcakes cool for at least 15 minutes before frosting.
  • I recommend doing this the night before (or in advance the day of) because it will take time. Each mermaid tail takes about 5 minutes to harden, so if you're making 20 tails using the 2 molds that is about an hour or more of time needed.
    Make the candy mermaid tails using the candy melts. Prepare the candy melts according to the instructions on the package and fill each mold. If you're using edible shimmer, use your finger to coat the inside of the molds before filling with the melted candy. Let cool for about 5 minutes in the fridge then carefully remove from the mold. Continue until you have as many as you need. Store candy tails in the fridge until ready to use.
  • While the cupcakes cool, make the frosting. Combine butter, cream cheese and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl. Using the electric hand mixer, beat on low speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the powdered sugar 2 cups at a time and continue to beat on low speed until smooth. Add the blue and green food coloring and mix until the color is evenly incorporated into the frosting. Add more food coloring as needed to create your desired shade of teal.
  • Choose your piping tip and secure it to the piping bag. Fill the piping bag halfway with frosting. You may need to frost the cupcakes in batches depending on the size of the piping bag. Twist the top where the frosting ends and hold securely while squeezing the frosting onto each cupcake.
  • Decorate the cupcakes. Take one candy tail and push it into the center of the cupcake, so that it pushes down about ยฝ inch into the cupcake. Once the tails are in place, add more icing around them if needed. Create a foamy wave look with the white sprinkles around the base of the tail and sprinkle the mermaid sprinkle mix around the frosting in any pattern you'd like.
  • Transfer decorated cupcakes to the fridge to chill and set the frosting. Serve within a few hours or within 2 days for the best results.

Notes

Make the tails the night before to save time. The cupcakes can also be made the night before.

Nutrition

Serving: 6ozCalories: 218kcalCarbohydrates: 68gProtein: 2gFat: 11gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.4gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 232mgPotassium: 53mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 18gVitamin A: 270IUCalcium: 77mgIron: 0.4mg
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Comments

    5 from 58 votes (41 ratings without comment)

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Jerika says

    July 06, 2022 at 12:22 pm

    Wow! These mermaid cupcakes look so spectacular!:) Perfect for kiddie parties. What I like is that its super easy to make it. I'm sure my kids will love it. Thanks!:)

    Reply
  2. Nancy says

    July 06, 2022 at 2:07 pm

    5 stars
    My niece is obsessed with mermaids and I'm going to surprise her with your adorable cupcakes. Thanks so much for sharing.

    Reply
  3. Kara says

    July 06, 2022 at 3:30 pm

    5 stars
    My daughter absolutely loved these! She's obsessed with all things mermaid and screamed in excitement!

    Reply
  4. Swathi says

    July 06, 2022 at 3:38 pm

    5 stars
    These mermaid cupcakes are so cute, they are delicious too. perfect for any birthday party.

    Reply
  5. Amy says

    July 06, 2022 at 8:26 pm

    5 stars
    AAAHHH these are adorable! What a great party idea!

    Reply
  6. Lilly says

    July 07, 2022 at 7:16 am

    5 stars
    My younger sister and I had a blast making these cupcakes! Our favorite part, outside of eating them, was decorating them with the shimmery sprinkles!

    Reply
  7. Deb says

    July 30, 2022 at 10:24 am

    5 stars
    So pretty! My grandkids will love these!

    Reply
  8. Dennis says

    July 25, 2023 at 12:13 pm

    5 stars
    These cupcakes were a big hit at my granddaughter's party. Everyone loved them and commented on how cute (and delicious) they were.

    Reply
  9. Sharon says

    July 25, 2023 at 3:56 pm

    5 stars
    These mermaid cupcakes are what I call 'fun and fantastic'! Easy to make but so much fun for birthday parties or tea parties.

    Reply
  10. mikayla says

    July 25, 2023 at 6:29 pm

    5 stars
    The most adorable cupcakes ever, so easy to make with all your step by step directions too. Thanks!

    Reply
  11. Veronika says

    July 26, 2023 at 10:37 pm

    5 stars
    These are so beautiful! I love that everything on the cupcakes is edible. I gotta get those molds so I can make these for my cousin's birthday thats coming up! Thanks for the great idea!

    Reply
  12. Kathryn says

    July 27, 2023 at 11:27 am

    5 stars
    My daughter absolutely LOVED these adorable mermaid cupcakes! They were easy to make and almost too cute to eat. Loved everything about these.

    Reply
  13. Jessica says

    July 28, 2023 at 10:40 am

    I haven't seen cupcakes lately that have caught my eye, but these...wow! Great idea to use the molds for the tail and they are so beautiful while still being totally do-able for us beginner baking types ๐Ÿ˜‰ Thanks for the cute idea!

    Reply
  14. Veronika says

    July 28, 2023 at 3:08 pm

    5 stars
    What a fun idea for cupcakes! They look so beautiful, I cannot wait to try this recipe ๐Ÿ˜‰

    Reply
  15. Sangeetha says

    July 30, 2023 at 2:27 am

    I absolutely loved making these Mermaid Cupcakes! ๐Ÿงœโ€โ™€๏ธ๐Ÿง They were not only adorable but also super easy to create. Perfect for my niece's mermaid-themed birthday party! ๐ŸŽ‰

    Reply
  16. Enriqueta E Lemoine says

    July 30, 2023 at 9:08 pm

    5 stars
    These mermaid cupcakes are the cutest thing ever. I love the color palette you choose, the confetti, everything. I bet your girls were extremely happy with this recipe.

    Reply
  17. Giangi Townsend says

    April 14, 2024 at 8:03 pm

    5 stars
    What a wonderful idea! I shared your recipe with my friend, and her daughter jumped on it for her upcoming birthday party. We did a test try, sweet tooth over here, and we love them.
    Thank you for your recommendation of doing the tail the day before. We made 18, and it took some time, and I am glad we did not leave it to the last minute.
    Delicious and so much fun, thank you.

    Reply
  18. Sharon says

    April 29, 2024 at 8:09 am

    5 stars
    I made this fun and adorable recipe as a surprise for my granddaughter when she was here for Easter, and to say she was enchanted is an understatement. She was so excited. It is a win on so many fronts. Not only is it creative, but the cupcakes are moist and tender, and everyone loved them. Thank you for sharing!
    Sharon

    Reply
  19. Kristin says

    May 01, 2024 at 7:20 pm

    5 stars
    These are so adorable! Thanks for the clear and easy to follow directions. These were a hit at my niece's party!

    Reply
  20. CAZ says

    May 09, 2024 at 12:09 pm

    5 stars
    Cutest cupcakes in ages!! Saw these and printed this out for my SIL who made them for her youngest daughters Communion - A total hit with the girlies of all ages!

    Reply

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