Shamrock Shake Cupcakes
These shamrock shake cupcakes are so adorable, and perfect for St. Patrick's Day!
Can you believe it's March already? We've had a few sunny days in Portland this week, after a long and dreary winter, and it finally feels like spring is on the way! This is our first spring in our new house, and it has been really fun watching the bulbs push up in my backyard over the last few weeks. The previous owner of our house was quite the gardener, and so far we've identified tulips, crocuses, and daffodils peeking up. I can't wait for warmer days, fresh air, and sunshine!
St. Patrick's Day always feels like the beginning of spring to me. My family didn't do much to celebrate when I was a kid, but after I got married, my husband and I decided to make it a special (albeit low key) day every year. We always cook a fun Irish dinner together (this Guinness beef stew and split pea and bacon soup are two of our favorites), and make a delicious Irish dessert like this Irish lemon pudding or Irish apple cake. We usually buy each of our kids a new green t-shirt or dress, and if I'm feeling extra energetic, sometimes I hide some gold coins somewhere in the house and tell them a leprechaun stopped by. It's fun to add a little extra celebration to an otherwise ordinary day!
I made these shamrock shake cupcakes for our St. Patrick's Day dessert last year, and my whole family loved them! Just like their namesake, they're basically vanilla flavored, with just a hint of mint, and some green food coloring to make them festive. I used my favorite light and airy marshmallow frosting to top them, and then added some festive sprinkles and a little striped straw to make them extra adorable. They turned out so cute!
Shamrock Shake Cupcakes
for the cupcakes:
3/4 cup cake flour
3/4 cup all purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, cold
2 eggs
3/4 cup sour cream
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
green food coloring
for the frosting:
1/2 cup butter, softened
7 ounce container marshmallow cream
3 - 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
paper straws
Preheat the oven to 350. Line a muffin tin with paper liners. In a large bowl or a the bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flours, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Grate the cold butter into the bowl, and mix until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Combine the sour cream, vanilla, and mint extract in a measuring cup, and add about half of the sour cream mixture to the flour mixture. Beat until well blended and smooth. Add the other half of the sour cream mixture, and beat until smooth. Add 4-5 drops of food coloring to turn the batter a pale green. Fill the paper liners 2/3 full and bake 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in the tin for a few minutes and then remove to a cooling rack to cool completely.
To make the frosting, beat together the butter and marshmallow cream until light and fluffy. Add the powdered sugar,and vanilla, and beat until light and fluffy. Add additional powdered sugar or milk as needed to make a smooth, pipeable frosting. Frost cupcakes as desired and top with sprinkles. Add half of a paper straw to each cupcake for decoration.
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
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