Looking for fun St. Patrick's Day dessert ideas? You'll love these adorable Mini St. Patrick's Day Cakes! These cute cakes are super easy to make and a total crowd pleaser!
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Do you go all out for St. Patrick's Day? I have to admit that I usually don't go overboard celebrating this holiday. My decorating is minimal (at best), I usually forget to wear green, it's pretty much the last day you'll see me in a bar. Let's just say, I'm not exactly going around pinching people!
I do have Irish ancestry though, and I love cooking, so I always celebrate by making a few treats (both sweet and savory). And after baking these Mini Ombre Cakes for Valentine's Day, I couldn't help but think about other holidays they'd be perfect for ... like St. Patty's Day.
You are going to love these fun St. Patrick's Day Cakes! These mini green layer cakes are super cute, taste delicious, and they're so easy to make with just a few ingredients. If you can put together a cake mix, you can make these colorful ombre cakes!
Ready to get started? You'll find all the details below ... just keep scrolling!
Ingredients
These mini green cakes are made with simple, easy to find ingredients! Here's what you'll need:
- Cake Mix - You will need a vanilla cake mix (or a white cake mix), plus the ingredients to prepare it. One mix makes seven mini cakes. Of course, you can also use homemade cake batter if you prefer. Tip: If you're making this recipe for a crowd, buy three cake mixes and bake each one on a sheet pan.
- Frosting - This recipe is made with store bought frosting, as well. I used this whipped cream cheese frosting, but any flavor of white frosting will work. If you'd prefer to make your own frosting, try my easy Cream Cheese Frosting without Butter ... it will make these ombre cakes extra delicious!
- Food Coloring - You'll also need some green food coloring. I recommend using gel food coloring, because you only need a little bit to get intense colors.
- More - You'll also need nonstick spray and all-purpose flour to prepare your baking pans.
Tip: You can customize this recipe for any holiday or occasion by switching up the colors! Check out my Mini Red, White, and Blue Cakes, Mini Easter Cakes, and Mini Funfetti Cakes for ideas.
You'll Also Need
You will also need a large measuring cup to measure the batter (plus, measuring cups for the cake ingredients), along with three mixing bowls to prepare and color the batter, three nine-inch cake pans, and a 2.5-inch circle cutter to cut out the cake layers.
How to Make St. Patrick's Day Cakes
This delicious St. Patty's Day dessert couldn't be easier to make! You'll find a detailed recipe card below, but here's an overview of the steps:
- Prepare the cake mix. Start by preparing the cake batter according to the package directions.
- Color batter. Next, you'll measure the batter, then divide it into three equal portions in three separate bowls. Color the batter in each bowl with green food coloring in three shades, ranging from light to dark. I recommend doing the darkest green batter first so you have a reference point. Then, do the lightest color (you'll probably only need a touch of color). Finally, do the middle green last, adding just enough food coloring to create a color halfway between the lighter and darker batter.
- Bake layers. Transfer the batter to three nine-inch cake pans, then bake for about 10 minutes (or until done).
- Cut out circles. Once the cake has cooled, use a 2.5-inch circle cookie cutter to cut 7 circles from each layer.
- Frost cakes. Spread a generous amount of frosting between the layers. When you're finished, use the flat edge of a knife to remove any excess frosting. That's the trick to making the cakes look perfect!
And that's all there is to it ... you're adorable mini cakes are ready to enjoy!
Cake Topper Ideas
To make these cakes extra cute, add a fun topper:
- Candy Melts - Use green candy melts to create mini shamrocks to decorate the top layer! Check out the toppers I created for these Valentine's Day cakes for tips.
- Sprinkles - You could also top the cakes with these fun St. Patrick's Day sprinkles!
- Decorative Toppers - Another easy idea, is to top the mini cakes with premade cupcake toppers. You can find lots of fun ideas from glittery shamrocks, to Happy St. Patrick's Day phrases, and more.
Whether you add a topper or not, these St. Patrick's Day Mini Cakes are the perfect addition to your holiday festivities!
Storage
Store any cakes you do not eat right away in an airtight container (I usually store them in my refrigerator). They will stay fresh for about two to three days.
Related Recipes
Looking for more St. Patrick's Day recipe ideas? Try one of these delicious treats next:
- Shamrock Cookies
- Green Burgers
- Sweet Potato Shepherd's Pie
- Broccoli Rabe Grilled Cheese
- Irish Stew (Vegan)
- Irish Coffee (or Iced Irish Coffee)
- Green Beer
- Green Veggie Pizza
St. Patrick’s Day Cakes
Ingredients
- nonstick cooking spray
- all-purpose flour
- 1 box cake mix, plus ingredients to prepare mix
- green food coloring
- 3 (14-ounce / 397 gram) containers cream cheese frosting (or your favorite flavor)
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray three 9-inch cake pans with nonstick spray or butter, then lightly coat with flour. Set aside.
- Prepare cake mix according to package directions.
- Measure batter, then divide it into 3 equal portions in 3 separate bowls.
- Add varying amounts of green food coloring to each bowl to create light, medium, and dark colored green batter.
- Transfer batter to cake pans and bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Remove cake pans from oven. Let cool slightly, then remove cake layers from pans and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cake layers have cooled completely, use the 2.5-inch cutter to cut each cake layer into 7 circles.
- Cover a dark colored circle generously with frosting, then add a medium colored circle, and add more frosting. Finish with a light colored layer, topping with more frosting.
- Use the flat edge of a knife to remove excess frosting from the sides of the cake.
- Serve cakes immediately or store in a cool place. Enjoy!
Notes
What type of cake mix can i use? Could i use a homade cake recipie too?
Hi, Cora! You can use any kind of boxed cake mix, like Pillsbury, Duncan Hines, etc. A homemade cake recipe will work great, two ... look for one that makes a two layer cake. Happy St. Patrick's Day!
I forgot to mention ... the colors will show up best with a white or vanilla mix. 🙂
Ok thanks so much im going to try doing a homeade recipie. And one more question, should i use food coloring or gel?
Thanks!
You're welcome! I used gel coloring, but regular food coloring works, too. Just add it a little at a time until you get the colors you like.
I love these Mini Ombre Cakes and all of your St. Patrick's Day recipes. Thank you for sharing cake cookbooks.
Thanks, Rebecca! Hope you have a Happy St. Patrick's Day!
They are super cute and look super yummy! I'd love to make them too!
Thank you so much, Carolann! They are so fun to make ... hope you give it a try! 🙂
Adorable enough that I may have to get in the St. Patty's spirit too! I bet my kids would love making these mini ombre cakes. Added to my Pinterest queue.
Thanks, Stephanie! I bet your kids would have so much fun making them!