Earlier this year I made some cute Heart Cut-Out Cupcakes. I’ve been waiting for another opportunity to try this simple, yet fun technique and I thought St. Patrick’s Day would be perfect! This concept could be used with any cupcake and frosting combo. I used my favorite Chocolate Cupcake Recipe and American Buttercream Recipe.
How to make Shamrock Cut-out Cupcakes
1. Bake a batch of cupcakes. I used my Chocolate Cupcake Recipe.
(Note- You’ll want the cupcakes to have a bit of a dome above the top edge of the cupcakes liners, so fill the liners about 2/3 -3/4 full. I’ve found that I can not plan to use the whole batch of cupcakes, because due slight inconsistencies, some may rise quite enough to use for this technique. Plan accordingly.)
2. Prepare a batch of frosting (canned will work for these). I used my American Buttercream Recipe. I think adding 1/2 teaspoon of mint extract would be appropriate for these as well. Color the frosting light green.
3. When the cupcakes have cooled, used a small serrated knife to cut off the tops of the cupcakes, using the cupcake liner as a guide. Keep tops matched with their cupcakes.
4. Use a small shamrock cookie cutter (available HERE and HERE) to cut out the shamrock shape from the cupcake tops.
5. Mound a bit of green frosting onto the center of the (now topless) cupcakes. You’ll want the frosting domed a bit so that when you press on the cupcake top, the frosting will come up into the cutout shape a bit.
6. Place the cutout cupcake top, and press down a bit. *If desired, before adding cupcake top, sprinkle cutout top with powdered sugar.
Serve and enjoy!
Cupcakes will keep, covered loosely at room temperature 1-2 days.
How to Make Shamrock Cut-Out Cupcakes
Shamrock Cut-Out Cupcakes
Ingredients
Chocolate Cupcakes
- 2 cups sugar
- 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour
- ¾ cup unsweetened cocoa best quality available
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract best quality available
- 1 cup boiling water
Mint Buttercream
- 1 cup butter 2 sticks, salted, or unsalted
- ¼ teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract best quality available
- ½ teaspoon mint extract
- 2 to 3 drops green gel food coloring optional
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream half and half or milk
Instructions
Chocolate Cupcakes
- Line muffin tin with paper liners. Heat oven to 350*F.
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add eggs, milk, oil and vanilla. Beat on medium speed for one minute.
- Stir in boiling water (the batter will be thin, don’t worry, this is right).
- Fill liners 2/3 full with batter. (I usually put the batter into a large measuring cup with a pour spout, and then pour the batter into the liners.)
- Bake cupcakes for approximately 18-22 minutes.
- Cool completely on wire rack before frosting.
Mint Buttercream
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, fitted with the whisk attachment, beat butter (on medium speed) until completely smooth (30 seconds to a minute).
- Add salt (if needed).
- One cup at time, add 2 cups of powdered sugar, beating after each addition.
- Add vanilla and mint extracts as well as gel food coloring if using, and beat to combine. (Add a few drops of food coloring at first and add more as needed.)
- Add about 1 tablespoon of cream, and continue beating.
- Add the remaining 2 cups powdered sugar, one at a time.
- Add an additional 1-2 tablespoons cream until desired consistency is reached. If you want to pipe the frosting on cupcakes, the frosting should be nice and thick. Continue to beat another minute or so. The frosting should now be smooth and fluffy.
Assembly
- When the cupcakes have cooled, used a small serrated knife to cut off the tops of the cupcakes, using the cupcake liner as a guide. Keep tops matched with their cupcakes.
- Use a small shamrock cookie cutter (available HERE ) to cut out the shamrock shape from the cupcake tops.
- Mound a bit of green frosting onto the center of the (now topless) cupcakes. You’ll want the frosting domed a bit so that when you press on the cupcake top, the frosting will come up into the cutout shape a bit.
- Place the cutout cupcake top, and press down a bit. *If desired, before adding cupcake top, sprinkle cutout top with powdered sugar.
Nutrition
A little leprechaun told me… sharing these cupcakes with family and friends is sure to bring you good luck!
This is such an easy and fun way to dress up a cupcake, I love it! I featured this cute recipe in my blog post today “20 Amazing Desserts for St. Patrick’s Day!”
Here is the link: http://returntothetable.net/recipes/20-amazing-desserts-for-st-patricks-day/
This looks so good, I have to try it!
Jen
Such a fun idea! Just pinned!