St. Patrick’s Day Cupcakes are a fun and delicious way to celebrate the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. Simple to make and wonderfully festive, these cupcakes are an easy party treat that look impressive with just a few finishing touches.
Top each cupcake with mini marshmallows, Airheads strips, and a Golden Oreo painted with gold food paint for an adorable St. Patrick’s Day display. They pair nicely with a shamrock shake or other green treats for a themed spread.
St. Patrick’s Day Cupcakes Ingredients
Gather the following ingredients to make these pot-of-gold cupcakes. Exact amounts are listed in the recipe card below.
- Boxed white cake mix (15.25 oz)
- Vegetable oil
- Eggs
- White frosting (16 oz)
- Xtreme Airheads candy
- Mini marshmallows
- Golden Oreo cookies
Special Tools Needed
- Gold mist food paint (for the Oreo “gold coins”)
- Toothpicks (to secure decorations while assembling)
- Cupcake pan
- Green cupcake liners
- Piping bag and piping tip (for frosting)
How to Make St. Patrick’s Day Cupcakes
This decorating project is quick and kid-friendly once the cupcakes are baked and cooled.
- Prepare the cake batter according to the box directions.
- Line a cupcake pan with green liners. Fill each liner about halfway with batter and bake per package instructions. Allow cupcakes to cool completely before decorating.
- Fill a piping bag with white frosting and fit it with your chosen tip. Pipe a swirl starting in the center and working outward and upward to create a fluffy cloud of frosting.
- Paint the Golden Oreos with gold mist food paint to resemble coins. Let the paint dry, then carefully insert a toothpick through the center of the cream filling and position the cookie toward the back of the cupcake to look like a pot of gold.
- Thread four mini marshmallows onto a toothpick to form a cloud and place them on top of the frosting.
- Cut Xtreme Airheads into one-third length sections. Pair two sections together and gently curve them between the marshmallow cloud and the cupcake to form a rainbow.
- Remove all toothpicks before serving. If toothpicks are used only for assembly, make sure they are fully removed so cupcakes are safe to eat.
What Is the Pot of Gold at the End of the Rainbow?
The pot of gold is a familiar piece of Irish folklore tied to leprechauns. In stories, leprechauns guard hidden treasure, often described as a pot of gold at the rainbow’s end. Since rainbows have no actual end, the tale emphasizes the trickiness of finding that treasure without the help of a leprechaun.
In these cupcakes, the concept is playfully represented: the cupcake is the pot, a painted Golden Oreo acts as a gold coin, and Airheads form a rainbow with marshmallows as clouds. It’s a cute, edible nod to the legend.
More Rainbow Recipes
- Rainbow Bundt Cake
- Sheet Pan Rainbow Pancakes
St. Patrick’s Day Cupcakes
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Equipment
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Wilton cupcake pan
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Green cupcake liners
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Piping bags and icing set with tips
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Gold mist food paint
Ingredients
- 15.25 oz box white cake mix
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 3 eggs
- 16 oz white frosting
- 16 Xtreme Airheads (pieces)
- 10 oz bag mini marshmallows
- 24 Golden Oreo cookies
Instructions
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Prepare cupcake batter following the box instructions. Line a cupcake pan with green liners, fill each liner halfway, and bake as directed. Cool completely before decorating.
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Pipe white frosting onto each cupcake, starting at the center and spiraling outward and upward to create a cloud of frosting.
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Paint Golden Oreos with edible gold mist and allow them to dry.
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Once dry, insert a toothpick through the Oreo’s cream and place it at the back of the cupcake to mimic coins in a pot of gold.
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Thread four mini marshmallows onto a toothpick to form a cloud and set it on top of the frosting.
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Cut Airheads into one-third sections.
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Pair two candy sections and curve them between the marshmallow cloud and the cupcake to form a rainbow. Remove toothpicks before serving.
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are estimated and provided as a general guide only.
The recipe and photos are the property of their respective owner and provided here for reference.