St. Patrick's Day Cupcakes with Buttercream Frosting are a cute, fun idea for school parties or after dinner dessert for the kids! Make the batter or icing white or green and decorate with rainbow sprinkles and gold coins.
Following the instructions on the cake mix box, preheat the oven and make the batter.
Mix in 3-4 drops of green food coloring, adding more if desired to reach the shade of green batter you'd like. Alternatively, you can make half of the batter green and half white. To do this, just reserve half in a bowl while dying the other half green.
Line 24 standard muffin cups with cupcake liners. Fill ⅔ of the way with the batter. Bake for the amount time on the package and until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
While the cupcakes cool, make the frosting. Cream the butter and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl or a stand mixer. Add the confectioner's sugar one cup at a time, beating on low. It will be crumby by the time you are finished. Add the milk and beat on low until it's thick and smooth. Add 3-4 drops of green food coloring, using more until you reach the green that you want. Alternatively, reserve half of the icing to have some white cupcakes too.
Fill a piping bag to the maximum line and tie with a rubber band. If using a plastic baggie, cut a slit in the corner large enough for a piping tip to fit. Insert the piping tip and fill the bag with frosting, sealing with a rubber band.
Squeeze the frosting over each cooled cupcake. Add St. Patrick's Day themed or rainbow sprinkles immediately. Decorate with gold coins or other St. Patrick's day cupcake decor.
Notes
How To Store: store in an airtight container or covered with plastic wrap for up to 3 days. Unfrosted cupcakes will keep a few days longer. If you make them ahead of time, store in the fridge and make the icing and frost them the day you serve them.