St. Patrick’s Day Green Matcha Cupcakes
Add Preferred SourceSoft, fluffy, and perfectly festive, these St. Patrick’s Day Green Matcha Cupcakes bring just the right amount of fun to any Irish celebration. They’re easy, tasty, and green!
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Need a green dessert for St. Patrick’s Day? These cupcakes bake up light and tender with a bright green color, while a smooth vanilla frosting keeps the flavor classic and crowd-friendly. Use green food coloring for a bold pop of color, or matcha powder for a more natural green hue with a subtle earthy note.
These cupcakes are easy to make with simple pantry ingredients and turn out beautifully every time. The vanilla frosting balances the cake without overpowering it, letting the festive color shine. Perfect for classroom treats, parties, or holiday dessert tables, they’re playful without being over-the-top and polished enough to feel special.
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- All-purpose flour – No sifting needed!
- Baking powder – Watch the expiry date on your baking powder. If it’s expired, your cupcakes won’t rise properly.
- Baking soda – Keep one box of baking soda to deodorize your fridge, and another for baking.
- Salt – Table salt.
- Unsalted butter – If you use salted butter, don’t add salt to the batter.
- Granulated sugar – Just regular white sugar.
- Eggs – Extra large eggs will also work.
- Vanilla extract – Artificial vanilla is just fine.
- Buttermilk – Buttermilk helps balance the sweetness. If you don’t have buttermilk, mix sour cream with milk as a substitute.
- Milk – Whole milk.
- Green gel food coloring – Gel food color works much better than liquid food color; you can find it online or at a craft store.
- Matcha powder
For the Frosting
- Unsalted butter – For the best frosting, butter should be very soft but not melting.
- Powdered sugar – Don’t worry about the little lumps.
- Vanilla extract – Artificial extract is fine.
- Heavy cream – Or milk, as needed to thin the icing so it’s spreadable.
- Salt – A touch of salt balances the sweetness.
- Optional: chocolate shavings or sprinkles
How To Make St. Patrick’s Day Green Matcha Cupcakes
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl until evenly combined. Set aside.
In a large mixing bowl, beat the melted butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract.
In a measuring cup, combine the buttermilk and milk. Add the dry ingredients to the batter in alternating additions with the milk mixture, mixing gently just until smooth and no dry streaks remain.
Stir in green food coloring until the desired color is reached. If using matcha powder, add it at this stage and mix just until fully incorporated.
Divide the batter evenly among the cupcake liners, filling each about ¾ full. Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely before frosting.
Beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing on low speed until incorporated.
Add the vanilla extract, salt, and 2 tablespoons of cream or milk. Increase the mixer speed to medium and beat until light and fluffy. Add additional cream as needed to reach a smooth, pipeable consistency.
Pipe or spread the frosting onto the cooled cupcakes. Finish with chocolate shavings, sprinkles, or festive decorations if desired.
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Gel food coloring gives the most vibrant green without thinning the batter.
- Matcha adds natural color, but keep it light to avoid bitterness.
- Room-temperature butter and eggs help the batter mix evenly and bake more uniformly.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.
Serving Suggestions
Serve these cupcakes at room temperature for the best texture, they’re perfect for St. Patrick’s Day parties, classroom treats, bake sales, or dessert tables. For more green treats, check out Green Pea Hummus with Mint, or my favorite way of preparing kale. I love serving these after a meal of Roasted Leg of Lamb and Barley Salad, to keep with the Irish theme.
Storage
Store frosted cupcakes in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 4 days. Bring chilled cupcakes to room temperature before serving for the best flavor and texture.
St. Patrick’s Day Green Matcha Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the Cupcakes
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup milk
- Green gel food coloring as needed
- 1 teaspoon matcha powder
For the Frosting
- ¾ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
- Pinch of salt
- chocolate shavings or sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl until fully combined.
- Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition, then stir in the vanilla extract.
- Alternate adding the dry ingredients and the buttermilk and milk mixture to the batter, mixing gently just until smooth.
- Stir in the green food coloring until the desired color is reached. Add the matcha powder and mix just until incorporated.
- Divide the batter evenly between the cupcake liners, filling each about three-quarters full.
- Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the cupcakes from the oven and allow them to cool completely.
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Gel food coloring gives the most vibrant green without thinning the batter.
- Matcha adds natural color, but keep it light to avoid bitterness.
- Room-temperature butter and eggs help the batter mix evenly and bake more uniformly.
- Let the cupcakes cool completely before frosting to prevent melting.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.
