Beach Pull-Apart Cupcake Cake

Everyone loves a day at the beach, but if you can’t make it to the beach, why not bring the beach to you with this adorable and delicious Beach Pull-Apart Cupcake Cake recipe?

Gone are the days of slaving over a giant cake for birthday parties. Ok, those days aren’t completely gone. 😉

BUT, the new hottest thing (which will also make your life easier) is to make pull-apart cupcake cakes! These “cakes” are simply a group of cupcakes placed next to each other and decorated as one larger entity (like a full cake).

Then when you go to serve them, all you have to do is pull them apart instead of cutting off slices of cake. It’s genius – and SO much easier to manage when you’re hosting a party full of kids grabbing for their slice!

It’s really the best of both worlds because it’s easier to bake and manage than cake. AND it’s easier and faster to decorate than cupcakes!

Pair this treat with some Ice Cream Cakesicles for a fabulous beach or pool-themed birthday party idea!

If you want more themed cupcake recipes, try my Cupcake Bouquet for Special Occasions, Encanto Movie-Themed Cupcakes, or Quick And Easy Sunshine Cupcakes.

Ingredients Needed For Beach Pull-Apart Cupcake Cake

• Cake Board – cover with aluminum foil or waxed paper
• Offset Spatula or Spoon
• Piping Bags – 12 or 16-inch bags
• Piping Tip – use tip 5 if writing on the cake
• Royal Blue Gel Food Color
• American Buttercream – see the homemade recipe down below if you need it
• Cupcakes – any flavor, prebaked
• Brown Sugar – light or medium

How To Make Beach Pull-Apart Cupcakes Cake

Here’s the process of making this gorgeously irresistible dessert!

Step 1

Prepare the cupcake batter and bake according to the instructions on the box.

Step 2

Allow the cupcakes to cool completely.

Step 3

Whip up a batch of buttercream icing.

Step 4

Next, line up the cupcakes in desired design or pattern on a cake board.

Step 5

With a knife or piping bag, add a small dollop of buttercream to the bottom of each cupcake to hold it in place on the board.

Step 6

Add blue food coloring to a portion of the buttercream icing. Fill a piping bag with the blue buttercream. Cut off the tip of the piping bag.

Pipe rows of buttercream on the cupcakes in zig-zag rows.

Step 7

With an offset spatula or larger spoon, create ‘waves’ in the buttercream on the cupcakes.

Step 8

If you are going to write a message on the pull-apart cake, fill a piping bag with white buttercream. You will want to use a #5 tip to do this.

Be sure to write the message before adding any toys or decorations.

Step 9

Using a bigger piping bag tip, pipe on a thick line of white buttercream around all four sides of the pull-apart cupcakes on the cake board.

Step 10

Spread out the white buttercream border using the offset spatula or a spoon.

Step 11

Next, to create the illusion of ‘sand’, carefully spread brown sugar around the cupcakes. Carefully press the brown sugar sand into the buttercream to make sure it will not fall off when pulling the cupcakes apart.

Step 12

Finally, add the beach-themed topper or decoration to the top of the cupcakes or board.

Homemade Buttercream Recipe

If you want to make your own buttercream, use this recipe.

• 1.5 cups unsalted butter – softened to room temperature
• 6 cups powdered sugar – also called confectioner’s sugar
• 3-4 Tbsp heavy cream – milk works too but the frosting won’t be as creamy
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• dash of salt
• food coloring 

Buttercream Instructions

• Beat the butter with a mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes until it’s creamy. Add powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract and mix on low until it begins to come together. Then increase to high speed for 3 full minutes.
• If the frosting is too thick, add another Tbsp of heavy cream. 
• Add a dash of salt if the frosting is too sweet.

Beach Pull-Apart Cupcake Cake Recipe Notes And Tips

• You can finely crush cookies in the food processor to use as sand instead of graham cracker crumbs if you choose.

• All the beach-themed decorations you need.

• Use your favorite flavor of cupcakes or make several batches of different flavors and use a variety of flavors together.

Variations Of Pull-Apart Cupcake Cake To Try

• Place the cupcakes in the shape of a fish bowl. Use blue icing for the water and white icing for the rim of the bowl. Use gummy fish as the decorations.

• The skies are the limit regarding the shapes and designs you want to make with the cupcakes. Place the cupcakes in the shape of a football, fish, butterfly, ice cream cone, baseball, or a number. Decorate accordingly with appropriate icing and themed decorations.

• Change up the beach theme to a shark theme if you are a Shark Week lover. 😉

FAQs

Here are some common questions I see from readers about this Beach Pull-Apart Cupcake Cake – and their answers. If you don’t see your question below, please leave it in the comments so I can answer it!

More Summery and Delicious Cake Recipes To Try

• Red, White and Blue Poke Cake
• Summer Berry Cream Cake
• Homemade Banana Pudding Poke Cake
• Rainbow Unicorn Cake
• Fresh Berry Chantilly Cake