Description
Celebrate St. Patrick's Day with these festive and colorful cupcakes featuring a fluffy vanilla base with rainbow sprinkles baked inside. Topped with creamy green buttercream frosting and decorated with marshmallows, rainbow strip candy, and Rolo chocolates representing a pot of gold, these cupcakes are perfect for a fun and delicious holiday treat.
Ingredients
Cupcake Batter
- 1 ½ Cups all-purpose flour
- ½ Teaspoon baking powder
- ½ Teaspoon baking soda
- ½ Teaspoon sea salt
- ½ Cup unsalted butter (1 Stick, softened)
- 1 Cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ Cup buttermilk
- ½ Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3 Tablespoons rainbow sprinkles (jimmies)
Frosting
- 1 Cup salted butter (2 Sticks, softened)
- 2 Cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons whole milk
- 1 Teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 or 6 Drops green food coloring
Decorations
- 5 Pieces rainbow strip candy (cut into 3-inch strips)
- 36 mini marshmallows
- 18 Rolos
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a muffin tin or cupcake pan with paper liners to prepare for baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt. Set this mixture aside for later use.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In another large bowl or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar. Beat on low speed, then increase to medium for 3-5 minutes until the mixture is pale yellow and fluffy. Stop occasionally to scrape the bowl's sides and bottom.
- Add Eggs: Incorporate eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully mixed in before adding the next. Crack eggs into a separate bowl first to avoid shells in the batter.
- Incorporate Wet Ingredients: Add buttermilk and vanilla extract to the mixture and beat on low speed for about 20 seconds until combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients and Sprinkles: Add half of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture on low speed, mixing until just combined. Scrape the bowl, then add the remaining dry ingredients along with the rainbow sprinkles, mixing gently to incorporate.
- Fill Cupcake Liners: Fill each cupcake liner about halfway full with batter; you will have enough for approximately 18 cupcakes.
- Bake Cupcakes: Bake in the preheated oven for 12 to 14 minutes. Perform the toothpick test by inserting it into the center of a cupcake; it should come out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.
- Cool Cupcakes: Transfer cupcakes to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely for about an hour; this prevents the frosting from melting upon application.
- Prepare Frosting: In a large bowl or stand mixer with a whisk attachment, add softened salted butter, powdered sugar, whole milk, vanilla extract, and green food coloring. Whip with an electric mixer for 2-3 minutes until light, fluffy, and almost doubled in size.
- Pipe Frosting: Transfer the frosting to a piping bag or a resealable plastic bag with the tip cut off. When cupcakes are fully cooled, pipe a swirl of frosting onto each cupcake.
- Decorate Cupcakes: Add two mini marshmallows on one side of each cupcake. Then, arch a strip of rainbow candy from one side to the other, pressing ends slightly into the frosting to secure. Finally, place a wrapped Rolo candy on the opposite side to represent a pot of gold.
Notes
- Ensure cupcakes are completely cooled before frosting to prevent the buttercream from melting.
- Cracking eggs into a separate bowl helps avoid shells in the batter.
- Use a toothpick test to confirm cupcakes are perfectly baked.
- Adjust food coloring drops to achieve your desired shade of green frosting.
- Decorate creatively with the marshmallows and candies to enhance the St. Patrick's Day theme.
