St. Patrick’s Day Cupcakes
The cream cheese frosting on these St. Patrick’s Day Cupcakes is every bit as delicious as the cupcakes themselves. Made from scratch, these cupcakes are moist, tasty, and above all…they’re green. All good Leprechauns know green is the color for St. Patrick’s Day.
Have fun this St. Patrick’s Day by sharing these festive green cupcakes with your family and co-workers.
The cupcake has pistachio pudding and mini chocolate chips for a delightful flavor, and the cream cheese frosting is outstanding. In fact, keep the frosting recipe to go with other desserts, as well.
Ok, then, let’s get to makin’ some cupcakes.
Making St. Patrick’s Day Cupcakes
This recipe makes 20 cupcakes, so line 2 muffin pans with 20 liners, then set aside for now. Also, preheat the oven to 350°.
Next, in a medium-sized bowl, mix the dry ingredients; flour, pudding mix, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk together and set aside.
Then, in a large bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Once combined, add the flour mixture with the beaters on LOW speed so you don’t end up with a flour cloud over your entire kitchen.
Don’t over mix the flour mixture, just mix until everything is incorporated, then turn the beaters off.
Fold in the mini chocolate chips.
Now, take a look at the green color of the batter. If it’s green enough for you, great, time to bake.
If you prefer and deeper, more solid color green, add a little green food coloring to the mix, then bake.
Divide the batter evenly into the liners, approximately 2/3 full, then bake for 18 – 20 minutes.
You’ll know they’re done by inserting a toothpick into the center of a cupcake. If it comes out clean or with tiny crumbs, they’re done. If the toothpick looks at all wet, set the timer for another 2 minutes, then test again.
Once out of the oven, let the cupcakes cool in the pans for about 10 minutes, then remove them to cool completely on a wire rack.
While the cupcakes are cooling, you can start the frosting.
Making Cream Cheese Frosting
In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and salt until light and fluffy.
Next, reduce the beater speed to LOW, then add half the powdered sugar. Once combined, add the rest. Keep the beaters on LOW until incorporated, then turn it up to at least MEDIUM for a couple minutes. And, of course, scrape the sides as needed.
Adjusting the consistency of the frosting.
If you plan on piping with this frosting and need an even stiffer consistency, add one tablespoon of Wilton’s meringue powder. I piped these cupcakes without it, and they were fine.
I would have needed the meringue powder, however, if I were piping something more elaborate, like roses, for example.
On the other hand, if the frosting is a little too stiff, add a tablespoon at a time of milk until you have the creamy consistency you’re looking for.
More St. Patrick’s Day dessert ideas:
I just made some Homemade Funfetti Cupcakes where you could substitute the rainbow sprinkles for strictly green. Additionally, you could add a few drops of green food coloring into the batter and/or frosting. Yummy!
Christmas Coin Cookies and Christmas M&M Cookies could both be made using only green additions, such as green sanding sugar and only green M&Ms.
Make Chocolate Cutout Cookies using a little green food coloring in the vanilla drizzle, or leave it white and add green sprinkles. I love those cookies!
Add some green food coloring to these quick and easy White Cake Mix Cookies for a festive St. Patrick’s Day treat. Sprinkle some green Jimmies or other sprinkles on for a festive look.
Lastly, here’s a cupcake with a pudding filling: St. Patrick’s Day Puddin’ Filled Cupcakes. One change I would make, however, is to use this recipe’s frosting with a bit of green food coloring.
If you tried and love this recipe, please leave a 5-star rating on the recipe card and consider leaving a comment below. Thank you so much.
St. Patrick’s Day Cupcakes
Ingredients
Cupcakes:
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3.4 oz. box instant pistachio pudding mix
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup miniature chocolate chips
- OPTIONAL: additional green food coloring for a darker green color
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 4 cups powdered sugar
Sprinkles:
- sprinkle on green sanding sugar, Jimmies, or candy shamrock sprinkles for a festive look.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° and line 2 muffin pans with 20 cupcake liners.
Cupcakes:
- Mix dry ingredients together in medium bowl: flour, dry pudding mix, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In large bowl, mix together wet ingredients: eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla until combined. With beaters on low, add the flour mixture. Beat until thoroughly mixed, do not over mix. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Divide batter evenly into liners (approx. 2/3 full). Bake cupcakes for 18 – 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with dry crumbs. If the toothpick is still wet, continue cooking for 2 minutes at a time, then re-check.
- Let cupcakes cool in pans for 10 minutes, then remove them to cool completely on wire racks. Meanwhile, make the frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- In large bowl, beat together the cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and salt until light and fluffy. With beaters on LOW, add half the powdered sugar, scraping sides as necessary. Once combined, add the remaining powdered sugar. Increase speed on beaters for 2 minutes. Spread or pipe onto cooled cupcakes. Sprinkle on green colored sanding sugar or St. Patrick's Day inspired sprinkles. Enjoy!
Nutrition
St. Patrick’s Day Cupcakes
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