St. Patricks Green Velvet Cupcakes (Print Version)

Moist green velvet cupcakes with cocoa and creamy cream cheese frosting for a festive St. Patricks Day indulgence.

# What You'll Need:

→ Green Velvet Cupcakes

01 - 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 cup granulated sugar
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1/2 cup buttermilk, room temperature
09 - 1/4 cup sour cream
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - 1 tablespoon green gel food coloring
12 - 1 teaspoon white vinegar

→ Cream Cheese Frosting

13 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
14 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
15 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
16 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
17 - Pinch of salt

# Steps to Follow:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for approximately 2 minutes until light, fluffy, and pale in color.
04 - Add eggs one at a time to the butter mixture, beating well after each addition to ensure proper emulsification.
05 - Mix in buttermilk, sour cream, vanilla extract, green food coloring, and white vinegar until fully combined.
06 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until incorporated without overmixing.
07 - Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners, filling each approximately two-thirds full.
08 - Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.
09 - Allow cupcakes to cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
10 - Let cupcakes rest on the cooling rack until completely cooled to room temperature before frosting.
11 - In a medium bowl, beat softened cream cheese and butter together on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
12 - Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt to the cream cheese mixture, beating on medium speed until fluffy and well combined.
13 - Once cupcakes are completely cooled, apply cream cheese frosting using a piping bag for decorative swirls or a spatula for smooth coverage. Garnish with green sprinkles if desired.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • They're moist and tender with just enough cocoa depth that you never mistake them for ordinary vanilla cakes.
  • The cream cheese frosting is tangy and silky, cutting through the sweetness in the most satisfying way.
  • They look impressive with that jewel-tone green, but honestly, they're simple enough that even beginner bakers nail them on the first try.
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are non-negotiable here—cold eggs and buttermilk won't emulsify properly and you'll end up with a grainy, separated batter that bakes up dense.
  • The gel food coloring makes all the difference between a pale mint green and that jewel-toned emerald that stops people in their tracks.
03 -
  • Weighing your dry ingredients instead of using cup measurements removes so much guesswork and creates consistency that's impossible to achieve otherwise.
  • The secret to cloud-like frosting is beating the cream cheese and butter until absolutely smooth before adding sugar, which aerates it and prevents grittiness.
Return