Green Velvet St Patricks Day (Print version)

Moist green velvet cupcakes topped with creamy vanilla frosting and festive green sprinkles.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cupcakes

01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
06 - 2/3 cup buttermilk, room temperature
07 - 1/2 cup vegetable oil
08 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 - 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
11 - 1 tablespoon green gel food coloring

→ Frosting

12 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
13 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
14 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
15 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 - Green sprinkles or shamrock candies, optional for garnish

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
02 - In large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In separate bowl, whisk buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, vanilla extract, vinegar, and green gel food coloring until completely blended.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Mix gently until just combined; avoid overmixing to maintain tender crumb structure.
05 - Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners, filling each approximately two-thirds full.
06 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted into center emerges clean.
07 - Allow cupcakes to cool in tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack for complete cooling.
08 - Beat softened cream cheese and butter together until smooth and fluffy. Gradually add powdered sugar, then vanilla extract, and beat until light and creamy.
09 - Once cupcakes have cooled completely, apply frosting generously using spatula or piping bag.
10 - Decorate with green sprinkles or shamrock candies if desired.

# Tips from the pros:

01 -
  • The cocoa powder keeps them tender and slightly chocolatey while the green transforms them into something memorable.
  • Cream cheese frosting cuts through the sweetness in a way that feels sophisticated, not saccharine.
  • They're genuinely easy to pull off—no fancy techniques, just honest baking.
02 -
  • Gel food coloring is non-negotiable here—liquid coloring adds water that throws off the batter's chemistry and you'll taste the difference.
  • Don't skip letting ingredients come to room temperature; it changes how the batter emulsifies and how the frosting whips up.
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are not a suggestion—they're the difference between smooth frosting and grainy frosting, between moist cupcakes and dense ones.
  • If your frosting breaks or looks greasy, it usually means the cream cheese was too cold or you beat it too long; start with fresh room-temperature ingredients and beat on medium, never high.
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