Planning a Bluey birthday party and want a showstopping cake without the stress of carving layers or working with fondant?
A pull-apart cupcake cake is the ultimate party hack! Made by arranging individual cupcakes into a character shape and smoothing buttercream across the top, it looks like a custom sculptured cake, but when it's time for party food, guests can simply grab a cupcake and go.
No cake knife or extra plates required! In this step-by-step tutorial (based on our popular video guide), we’ll show you how to transform 8 simple chocolate cupcakes into everyone’s favourite Blue Heeler using buttercream and basic piping tools.
What You’ll Need
Ingredients & Edibles
8 Baked Cupcakes: We used blank canvas cupcakes in pink paper liners.
Buttercream: We used Over The Top Silky Smooth
Batch split into colour with Oil Based Food Colouring:
- Light Blue (Bluey's body) - we used Colour Mill Sky Blue
- Navy Blue (Ears and eye patches) - we used Colour Mill Navy Blue
- Soft Peach/Tan (Muzzle and inner ears) - we used Colour Mill Peach
- White (Eyes) - we used Colour Mill White
- Black (Nose, pupils, and mouth line) - we used Colour Mill Black
Tools & Equipment
- Bluey Paper Template: A simple printed outline of Bluey's head/face.
- Offset Spatula: An Angled Palette Knife / Offset Spatula for smoothing the buttercream canvas.
- Piping Bags: Fitted with large round tips (for quick filling) and small round tips (for facial details).
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Set Up Your Guide & Anchor Place your printed Bluey outline on a flat cake board or turntable. Pipe a few dabs of light blue buttercream directly onto the paper guide, this acts as edible "glue" to keep your cupcakes from sliding around while you frost them.
Step 2: Arrange the Cupcake Foundation Place your 8 cupcakes on top of the guide, fitting them inside the outline of Bluey's head and ears. Keep them nested close together so the gaps between them are as small as possible.
Step 3: Create the Smooth Buttercream Canvas Pipe a generous layer of light blue buttercream over the top of all 8 cupcakes.
Take your **LOYAL offset spatula** and smooth the frosting across the top in long, flat strokes. This bridges the gaps between individual cupcakes, turning 8 separate cakes into one seamless cake surface.
Step 4: Map Out Bluey's Features
1. Dark Blue Eye Patches & Ears: Pipe navy blue buttercream over the top third of the head and the outer ears. Smooth gently with a small palette knife.
2. Snout & Inner Ears: Pipe soft peach/tan buttercream for Bluey’s muzzle and the inside of her ears.
3. Eyes: Pipe two large white oval shapes right in the middle of the face.
Step 5: Add the Black Details & Outline Using a small round tip with black buttercream: Pipe Bluey's dark nose right on top of the snout.
* Add two black oval pupils inside the white eyes.
* Outline the muzzle and ears with a delicate line to make the character pop!
Step 6: Clean Up the Silhouette Run your palette knife gently around the outer edges of the cupcakes to sharpen Bluey’s ears and cheeks.
Scatter some SPRINKS Blue Dog Sprinkles around the base of the board for an extra pop of birthday magic!
Pro Tips for Pull-Apart Cake Success
1. Don't Skimp on the Base Layer: The secret to hiding the gaps between cupcakes is a thick enough layer of buttercream. Don't worry about using too much, it all eats the same!
2. Use Oil-Based Colours for Deep Blues: Dark blues like navy can fade or bleed if you use water-based food dyes. We recommend Colour Mill Oil Blends for smooth, streak-free shades.
3. Make Bingo Next: You can use this exact same 8-cupcake template for Bingo, just swap the Light Blue and Navy for Orange and Terracotta buttercream!
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance can I make a pull-apart cupcake cake? You can bake the cupcakes 1-2 days in advance and keep them sealed in an airtight container. Assemble and frost the cake up to 24 hours before the party, keeping it stored in a cool room or cake box.
Do I need a special cake board? A 14 or 16 inch square or rectangle masonite cake board works perfectly to hold an 8-cupcake character layout.
Looking for more Bluey birthday inspiration?
Explore our full range of Bluey Cake Toppers & Decorations at Baking Pleasures!