Saint Patrick's Day Rainbow Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 medium eggs
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup milk (or non-dairy alternative)
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the icing
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3-4 tbsp milk (or non-dairy alternative)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- green food coloring (gel or liquid)
For the rainbow decoration
- edible gold flakes/strips, dazzle dust or gold sprinkles (for the ends of the rainbow, optional)
- rainbow candy strips
Instructions
Cupcakes
- Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to preheat. Place 12 cupcake liners into a cupcake pan.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt, and whisk them together.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, which should take about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the eggs and mix thoroughly to combine them into the batter. Then, stir in the vanilla extract.
- Slowly incorporate the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Stir until just combined.
- Spoon the batter into the cupcake liners, filling each about two-thirds of the way.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- Allow the cupcakes to cool completely on a wire rack before adding any decorations.
Icing
- In a large bowl, whip the softened butter until it becomes smooth.
- Slowly add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, and beat until it is fully mixed in.
- Mix in the vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons of milk. Add more milk, one tablespoon at a time, until the frosting reaches a spreadable consistency.
- Add green food coloring until you reach your preferred shade of green.
- After the cupcakes have cooled, spread a generous amount of green frosting on top. For the best results, use a spatula or palette knife.
Rainbow decoration
- Cut rainbow candy strips into pieces that are long enough to create a small arch on top of each cupcake.
- Carefully press both ends of the rainbow strip into the frosting to form a rainbow arch.
- Add gold flakes and sprinkles at the end of the rainbow. For an extra touch, you can use licorice candy to mimic a pot of gold, and top it off with more sprinkles and/or gold flakes.
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