St. Patricks Day Green Cake (Printable version)

Vibrant green layered cake with fluffy vanilla frosting, ideal for St. Patricks Day festivities

# What you need:

→ Cake Components

01 - 2½ cups all-purpose flour (310 g)
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ½ teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (225 g)
06 - 1¾ cups granulated sugar (350 g)
07 - 4 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 cup buttermilk, room temperature (240 ml)
09 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
10 - ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
11 - Green gel food coloring

→ Vanilla Buttercream Frosting

12 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (225 g)
13 - 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted (480 g)
14 - ¼ cup whole milk or heavy cream (60 ml)
15 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
16 - Pinch of salt
17 - Green sprinkles or edible shamrock decorations (optional)

# How to make it:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line three 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
04 - Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in vanilla and almond extract.
05 - Gradually add the flour mixture in three parts, alternating with buttermilk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.
06 - Add green food coloring and mix until the batter reaches your desired shade of green.
07 - Divide the batter evenly among the prepared pans and smooth the tops. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
08 - Allow cakes to cool in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn out onto wire racks to cool completely.
09 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, mixing on low speed. Add milk, vanilla, and salt; beat on high until fluffy and smooth.
10 - If desired, tint a portion of frosting with green food coloring for decoration.
11 - Place one cake layer on a serving plate. Spread with frosting, then top with the next layer; repeat. Frost the top and sides of the cake.
12 - Decorate with green sprinkles or edible shamrocks.

# Expert tips:

01 -
  • The vanilla-almond combo in the cake creates this subtle sophisticated flavor that keeps people guessing what makes it so good
  • Buttermilk keeps the sponge incredibly tender so even though it looks festive and fun, it eats like something from a proper bakery
  • You can tint just a portion of the frosting green for a more understated elegant look that still celebrates the occasion
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are not optional here, cold butter or eggs will ruin the emulsion and create a dense cake no matter how carefully you follow everything else
  • Overmixing once you've added flour develops too much gluten, so stop as soon as you see no dry streaks remaining in the batter
  • Let the cakes cool completely before frosting, even if you're in a rush, otherwise the buttercream will slide right off and create a frustrating mess
03 -
  • Place a dab of frosting on your serving plate before setting down the first cake layer, this anchors it and prevents sliding while you're frosting
  • Freeze any extra egg whites or yolks if you somehow end up with leftovers, they'll keep for months in small containers or ice cube trays

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