Rainbow St. Patrick’s Day Cupcakes Recipe
If you’re like me and love making fun treats for the holidays, these rainbow St. Patrick’s Day cupcakes are so cute and easy to surprise kids with. They can be a special gift left from the leprechaun or an adorable treat for the class party.
This is also my all-time favorite homemade vanilla cupcake recipe that you can use for any decorated cupcakes.
You can add a few drops of green food coloring to the cake mix if you want the cake to be as festive as the decorations.
How To Make The Rainbow St. Patrick’s Day Cupcakes
Ingredients You’ll Need
For the cupcakes:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 medium eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk (or non-dairy alternative)
- 12 cupcake liners
For the green icing:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3-4 tablespoons milk (or non-dairy alternative)
- Green food coloring (gel or liquid)
For the rainbow decoration:
- Rainbow candy strips
- Edible gold sprinkles
- Edible gold flakes (optional)
- Black Licorice Coins (optional)
1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
4. Add the eggs mixing well to incorporate to the mixture. Stir in the vanilla extract.
5. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, starting and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined.
6. Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about ⅔ full.
7. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.
9. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until smooth.
10. Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and beat until fully incorporated.
11. Stir in the vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons of milk. Add more milk, one tablespoon at a time , until you reach a spreadable consistency.
12. Add green food coloring until you achieve the desired shade of green.
13. Once the cupcakes are cooled, frost them generously with the green icing. Use a spatula or palette knife for better results.
14. Take rainbow candy strips and cut them into pieces long enough to form a small arch on top of each cupcake.
15. Gently press both ends of the rainbow strip into the icing to create a rainbow arch.
16. Sprinkle gold flakes and sprinkles at the end of the rainbow. You can also use licorice coins to resemble a pot of gold and add sprinkles and/or gold flakes on top. If using the licorice coins, you may need to add a drop of water to get them sticky so the sprinkles will stick.
Rainbow St. Patrick’s Day Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 medium eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup milk or non-dairy alternative
- 12 cupcake liners
For the green icing:
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3-4 tablespoons milk or non-dairy alternative
- Green food coloring gel or liquid
For the rainbow decoration:
- Rainbow candy strips
- Edible gold flakes
- Edible gold sprinkles (optional)
- Black Licorice Coins (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a cupcake pan with 12 cupcake liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes).
- Add the eggs mixing well to incorporate to the mixture. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, starting and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined.
- Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about ⅔ full.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until smooth.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and beat until fully incorporated.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons of milk. Add more milk, one tablespoon at a time , until you reach a spreadable consistency.
- Add green food coloring until you achieve the desired shade of green.
- Once the cupcakes are cooled, frost them generously with the green icing. Use a spatula or palette knife for better results.
- Take rainbow candy strips and cut them into pieces long enough to form a small arch on top of each cupcake.
- Gently press both ends of the rainbow strip into the icing to create a rainbow arch.
- Sprinkle gold flakes and sprinkles at the end of the rainbow. You can also use licorice candy to resemble a pot of gold and add sprinkles and/or gold flakes on top. If using the licorice coins, you may need to add a drop of water to get them sticky so the sprinkles will stick.
Don’t miss my other cupcake recipes!
- Cookie Dough Frosted Christmas Cupcakes
- Penguin Cupcakes
- Strawberry Milk Cupcakes
- Abominable Snowman Cupcakes
- Fudgy Cosmic Brownie Cupcakes
- Chocolate Raspberry Cupcakes
Other St. Patrick’s Day Posts You Might Like
- Leprechaun Bait Bag Toppers And Tags
- Green Andes Chocolate Mint No Bake Cheesecake Cups
- Chocolate Mint Brownies
- Leprechaun Cheesecake Dip
- Free Printable Leprechaun Trap
- St. Patrick’s Day Printables
- St. Patrick’s Day Shamrock Rice Krispie Treats
