Description
These festive Shamrock Cupcakes are the perfect treat for St. Patrick’s Day! With soft, fluffy vanilla cupcakes topped with a vibrant green buttercream and decorated with shamrock designs, they’re as fun to make as they are to eat.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cupcakes:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup whole milk
For the Green Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp milk (or as needed)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- Green food coloring (gel or liquid)
- Shamrock sprinkles or edible glitter (optional, for decoration)
Instructions
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- Make the Cupcake Batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream the Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the Eggs and Vanilla: Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Add the Dry Ingredients and Milk: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Fill the Cupcake Liners: Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about 2/3 of the way full.
- Bake the Cupcakes: Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cupcakes cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the Buttercream Frosting: While the cupcakes cool, beat the butter in a large bowl until creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the milk, vanilla extract, and salt, and continue to beat until smooth and fluffy. Add green food coloring to achieve your desired shade of green.
- Frost the Cupcakes: Once the cupcakes have cooled completely, frost them with a generous swirl of the green buttercream.
- Decorate the Cupcakes: Using a piping bag, pipe small shamrock shapes on top of each cupcake, or decorate with shamrock sprinkles, edible glitter, or small candy decorations.
- Serve and Enjoy: Let the frosting set for a few minutes, then serve and enjoy your festive Shamrock Cupcakes!
Notes
- You can use any type of food coloring to tint the frosting, but gel food coloring provides a more vibrant color with less liquid.
- These cupcakes are also great for parties! Add extra decorations like rainbow sprinkles or gold edible glitter for a lucky touch.
- Store leftover cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 18-20 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cupcake
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 32g
- Sodium: 180mg
- Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 9g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 35mg