With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, it’s time to dust off your green clothes and get into a festive mood! But what could be more festive for this holiday than these delicious Pot of Gold Cupcakes? With their sweet buttercream frosting and candy rainbows on top, they’re sure to make you feel like the luckiest person in the world!

No need to bake your cupcakes from scratch here – unless of course you want to. You’ll find plenty of recipes on the site if you search. But you can buy some plain cupcakes or use a box mix.

The frosting is your choice, as well. Make your own or buy some premade. It’s up to you. Cream cheese frosting or a nice buttercream – it’s all a matter of taste, and there’s no wrong answer.

While these cupcakes are sure to taste great (who doesn’t love cake, frosting and candy, right?), the real joy is in the decorations. They are whimsical and fun and so very perfect for St. Paddy’s Day.

You’ll need a few things to get started here.

Prebaked Cupcakes
Airhead Xtremes Belts Sweetly Sour
Mini Reese Cups
Gold sequin edible sprinkles or gold pearl sugar sprinkles
Frosting, fitted in a piping bag

Decorating the cupcakes is fairly intuitive. The idea is to create an actual pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. I like the idea of it being on a fluffy cloud, so I use a nice fluffy white frosting on a deep emerald green cupcake.

To begin, get your airheads out of their packages and cut them in half. You want them ready to go.

Next, get your frosting in a a piping bag with a 1M or 2D tip. Get your cupcakes together so that you can pipe them all with a nice swirl.

Pipe a small amount of frosting onto your peanut butter cups. Then dip them into the gold sprinkles to create your “Pot of Gold.”

Place your Airhead rainbow into your fluffy white cloud and add the pot of gold at the end of it.

Et Voila! You now have some adorable St Patrick’s Day Pot o’ Gold Cupcakes! They are perfect to take to a party at work or school. Who isn’t going to love them?

You can also add more gold sprinkles if you want to add some more glitz. Edible gold glitter on the buttercream can sometimes look really cute.

If you want another easy edible craft to pair this with, try your hand at making these adorable Leprechaun Houses! They’re great for St Paddy’s Day, too, and they’re great for kids.

For some more St Patrick’s Day recipes, check out

Irish Apple Cake

Copycat Shamrock Shake

Chocolate Guinness Cake with Salted Caramel Sauce

Baileys Irish Latte

St. Patrick's Day Pot o' Gold Cupcakes

Yield: 24

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Additional Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

Delicious cupcakes, topped with buttercream, rainbow candy and a chocolate pot of gold! These are perfect for your St. Patrick's Day party!

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Ingredients

• Prebaked Cupcakes
• Airhead Xtremes Belts Sweetly Sour
• Mini Reese Cups
• Gold sequin edible sprinkles
• Frosting

Instructions

1. Cut the airheads in half
2. Pipe a swirl onto the cupcakes
3. Immediately fit the rainbow into the icing
4. Pipe a small amount of buttercream onto the Reeses cup
5. Dip it into the sprinkles (this is less messy than dumping sprinkles)
6. Place the Reeses Cup at the end of the Rainbow

Notes

Feel free to add extra sprinkles if you'd like!

Recommended Products

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• 
  Muffin and Cupcake Pan
• 
  Silicone Spatulas
• 
  Disposable Piping Bags

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 23Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 15mgCarbohydrates: 4gFiber: 0gSugar: 3gProtein: 0g

This nutrition information is automatically calculated and may not be entirely accurate. Please do your own research if you are overly concerned about specific macros.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

The post St Patrick’s Day Pot o’ Gold Cupcakes appeared first on It's a Mother Thing.

But if there’s something else I love in life, it’s Bailey’s Irish Cream! It’s funny because the first time I ever got truly and overwhelmingly drunk to the point of being sick, it was on Bailey’s. It was New Years Eve, and we were celebrating Hogmanay up in Edinburgh, Scotland. Those Scots are not known for holding back, and every single time I’d take a swig of liquor, it’d be replaced by someone pouring a little more. I was only 19 at the time, not even legally allowed to drink in this country, but over there it was perfectly legal. I overindulged, and ended up… “redecorating” my friend’s flat. His couch was never the same.

Ahem.

Anyway, it was many many years before I could even stand the smell of Bailey’s after that. But eventually I learned to hold my liquor and appreciate the awesomeness that is Irish Cream. I now drink it often, mixed with root beer, and it sounds disgusting but tastes amazing.

But one of the best ways to partake, if I may be so bold as to suggest it, is in a Bailey’s Irish Latte.

This is the perfect drink to celebrate St Patrick’s Day and let your Irish heritage show. I’ve even made green whipped cream at times! But it’s perfect any time of year, and it’s super simple to make.

Ingredients 

5oz brewed dark coffee
2 tsp sugar
1 oz Irish Whiskey (Jameson)
1 oz Baileys Irish Cream liquor
2 tbsp heavy cream
Whip cream

I really love making this in a clear glass mug, but it tastes the same no matter how you do it!  I also think it’s best if you make sure to brew your coffee strong, though I wouldn’t use espresso. You need about 5oz of coffee, which would be 5 shots of espresso, and that would be crazy!  

Fill your mug with the brewed coffee, and stir in your sugar. Add your whiskey and the Bailey’s Irish Cream.

Now, pour your heavy cream into a mason jar, close the lid and then shake it like a polaroid picture! It should be really frothy. You could also use a whisk to do it, or even skip this step and just go with some whipped cream, but I love this way best.

Now, pour the frothy cream gently onto the top of your coffee, allowing it to sit on top. Now add your favorite whipped cream!

If you’re feeling frisky, you can add some shaved chocolate on top, or (my favorite) some chocolate covered espresso beans. However, you choose to serve it, lemme tell ya, it packs a punch! I know it’s coffee, but don’t be driving anywhere after you’ve had one of these!

Always drink responsibly.

Bailey's Irish Latte

Yield: 1 latte

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Total Time: 5 minutes

This is the perfect drink to celebrate St Patrick's Day and let your Irish heritage show. 

Print

Ingredients

• 5oz brewed dark coffee
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 oz Irish Whiskey (Jameson)
• 1 oz Baileys Irish Cream liquor
• 2 tbsp heavy cream
• Whip cream

Instructions

1. Fill your mug with strongly brewed coffee, and stir in your sugar. Add your whiskey and the Bailey's Irish Cream.
2. Now, pour your heavy cream into a mason jar, close the lid and then shake it like a polaroid picture! It should be really frothy. You could also use a whisk to do it, or even skip this step and just go with some whipped cream, but I love this way best.
3. Now, pour the frothy cream gently onto the top of your coffee, allowing it to sit on top. Now add your favorite whipped cream!

Notes

If you're feeling frisky, you can add some shaved chocolate on top, or (my favorite) some chocolate covered espresso beans  

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 1 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 420Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 38mgSodium: 15mgCarbohydrates: 21gFiber: 0gSugar: 21gProtein: 1g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

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But have you ever tried to spread the magic around? St Patrick’s Day will be here very soon, and I’m ALL ABOUT these fantastic little Leprechaun Houses! Similar to the gingerbread homes, these little shacks are made from graham crackers, so there’s no baking involved. Just a lot of creativity! Plus, it’s the perfect chance to talk to your kids about their Irish roots and the legend of St Patrick.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Green Candy Melts
Spice Drops
Mint m&ms
Skittles
Air Heads Xtreme Bites (rainbow gummies)
Spearmint Leaves
Apple Licorice
Wilton Sparkle Gel in black, green & white
Green Colored Sugar
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons water
graham crackers

Hint: You will need four crackers to make one house. Buy extra because they often break in the package.

You can also make royal frosting for these.

Directions:

For each house, you need four graham crackers. Break two in half so you have four squares to make the roof and sides. Using a bread knife, gently saw two large graham crackers as shown to create the sides of the house. Repeat until you have the desired number of house parts.

Mix 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of water and stir well to remove any lumps. Spoon into a piping bag and seal. Cut the tip, pretty small and begin to assemble your houses. Place a short square graham cracker on a flat surface. Pipe frosting on each side and affix the longer sides of the houses. Finally, affix another square side to create a cube shape. You may need to wait a minute for the sides to set to continue and add another. Or, prop the graham crackers up with something for about a minute.

Set half assembled house on a plate. Affix roof with remaining two square pieces. Let set for a few minutes for icing to harden.

Attach to the plate using icing. This step is strongly recommended to prevent the house from moving.

Decorate as desired and wait for your little leprechaun to move in!

How stinkin’ cute are these?? I love them so much. I think it is important to keep the leprechaun theme by using LOTS of green and LOTS of rainbow colors. They are such adorable little houses, and your kids are going to ADORE putting them together and decorating.

You can really let your imagination loose with these, creating not just the house itself, but bushes, trees and even grass! This is the perfect edible craft for schools, daycares or for parents to do with their kids on a rainy weekend.

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Despite living in close proximity to Ireland for a third of my life, and despite my many tries, I’ve never quite found a taste for Guinness. Something about its deep earthy taste reminds me of blood. Appetizing, no? Maybe that’s why they say its so good for anemia. Who knows? But I can tell you that I’ve offended a lot of people with my distaste for the beverage, and I keep trying to find a way to make it delicious.

One St Patrick’s Day not so long ago, as I was with a very young baby Dexter searching for rainbows and leprechauns in the English countryside, we worked up quite a hunger together. We decided to meet daddy at the local pub and have dinner together in the early spring sunshine. When we arrived, it was my least favorite barman – the mean Irish one who was constantly threatening to throw me out every time I ordered a lager rather than a traditional stout. I can’t count the number of times I heard, “It’ll help yer milk come in, love. Give it a go!” If I refused, he’d grumble and curse under his breath. He was charming.

Anyway, since it was the Irish holiday of choice, I decided to preempt him and ordered myself a Guinness. He seemed overly chuffed with my decision and went about pouring me a whole pint (I’d asked for half) of the thick liquid and said it was “on the house.” Brilliant. Now I would have to drink the whole thing. He stood there drunkenly beaming at me as I closed my eyes, smiled tightly and tipped up my glass. I wound up with a mouth full of foam and started to choke. His smile quickly disappeared, and he started grumbling. “Ah, yeh toite floosie! Quit acting the maggot! Yeh make me head roar!” Right then.

I went back to my table with my tail between my legs and never ordered a Guinness again.

So what does this story have to do with the cake? Well, nothing, really. I just thought it was funny. Ahem.

Anyway, I eventually found a recipe for Chocolate Guinness Cake online, and I thought it sounded worth a try. I’ve kind of mixed and matched until I found what works for me, and it’s a pretty rad chocolate cake. And at least now I can say there’s ONE way I’ll take my Guinness.

Here’s what you’ll need for the cake.

2 C Guinness
4 sticks Butter
1 1/2 C Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
2 C Flour
2 C Sugar
1 Tbsp Baking Soda
1 ½ tsp Salt
4 large Eggs
¾ C Sour Cream
1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Preheat your oven to 350°.  Spray or butter a bundt pan and set aside.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring to a light boil the Guinness and butter. Add in the cocoa powder and whisk until smooth. Remove from the heat and then set aside.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.  In another bowl, beat together the eggs, sour cream and vanilla.

Add the butter/Guinness mixture to the sour cream and then mix on medium speed for about 1 – 2 minutes until full combined. Slowly add in the flour mix and beat until just combined. Use a rubber spatula to lightly fold the batter and make sure there are no flour lumps.

Pour the whole mix into your bundt pan and bake for about an hour until a toothpick  stuck in the center of the cake comes out clear. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes and then remove from the bundt and cool on a rack.

Now you can make the Salted Caramel Sauce. Here’s what you’ll need.

5 Tbsp Butter
½ C packed Dark Brown Sugar
⅓ C Heavy Cream
Pinch Salt
¼ tsp Vanilla Extract
⅔ C Powdered Sugar,sifted

In a medium saucepan, add the butter, brown sugar, heavy cream and salt and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Keep boiling for exactly one minute.

Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract. Then add in about 1/2 C powdered sugar and whisk until smooth. Keep whisking in the powdered sugar little by little until it reaches your desired consistency.

Finally, simply drizzle the sauce over the top of the cake until it looks pretty. It’s now ready to serve.

How amazing does that look? Next time someone asks if you like Guinness, you can tell them you like Chocolate Guinness Cake!

The post Chocolate Guinness Cake With Salted Caramel Sauce appeared first on It's a Mother Thing.

This cake is one I used to eat at my favorite tea room in England. It isn’t too awfully sweet – more of a spicy, deep and elemental flavor that gets your tastebuds tingling. It can be served with a nice sauce or some ice cream, and it won’t be TOO rich. But it is quite dense and just all around really pleasing.

Here’s what you’ll need.

3 C all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp of ground ginger, nutmeg, and allspice
3/4 C unsalted butter, cold, diced into small pieces
1 C and 2 Tbsp sugar, divided
1 1/2 lbs of granny smith apples, diced into chunks
3/4 C milk
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

I find this is best to be made in a nice spring form pan, which you have buttered and floured well. You can make it in whatever pan you have, but it can get quite sticky and is best if you can make sure you can get it out easily!

First of, preheat your oven to about 375°.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, ginger, nutmeg and allspice for about 20 seconds.

Add the cut butter pieces and rub them into the mixture using your fingertips until it looks like fine crumbs. Stir in 1 C sugar and then add in your diced apples.

Toss well to evenly coat, work to separate any apples that have stuck together.

In another bowl, whisk the milk, eggs and vanilla together until they are well combined. Pour the milk mixture over the apple and flour mixture. Use your hands or a wooden spoon to toss together the whole mixture. It will be slightly lumpy, which is fine. Don’t over mix.

Now pour your batter into the prepared baking dish, spreading in an even layer.

In a small bowl, stir 2 Tbsp sugar plus 1/2 tsp cinnamon to sprinkle evenly over the cake.  Bake the cake in a preheated oven 45-50 minutes until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Cool the cake for about 5 minutes on a wire rack.  Remove the ring from the spring form pan allowing the cake to cool to your desired temperature.

That’s all there is to it! It does dirty a lot of dishes, so be prepared for that! But it is so worth it when you cut into the spongy cake and come back with something that tickles your taste buds so amazingly.

I like to serve it a la mode with a bit of Caramel Sauce poured on top! But however you eat it, you won’t be disappointed.

The post Irish Apple Cake appeared first on It's a Mother Thing.

There’s something about St Paddy’s Day that really makes me happy every year. Maybe it’s my Irish ancestry (though doesn’t EVERYONE claim Irish ancestry on St Patrick’s Day??). Maybe it’s that I really like the color green. But whatever the reasons, one thing is for sure – the day is steeped in tradition. And I love me some tradition.

One of our big traditions is to have at least one Shamrock Shake per season. Something about that minty green shake gets me all happy inside. Ya dig? But when I lived in England for over a decade, I found that they didn’t actually DO Shamrock Shakes! WHAT!? I guess it was their proximity to Ireland or something, but every year I’d make the trek to our local McDonalds and sigh in frustration that they didn’t serve my treat of choice. Woe was me.

Anyway, it meant that I had to get creative and come up with my own recipe! Not that it’s that difficult, to be honest. So easy a kid could do it. In fact, mine DID do it. And this is the result.

Here’s what you’ll need.

2 C Vanilla Ice Cream
1 C of Milk
Mint Extract
Green Food Coloring
Whipped Cream
Air Heads Rainbow Candy (optional)

And okay, it’s not rocket science to make this. Just take a blender and add in your ice cream, milk and ½ teaspoon of mint extract. Then just add a few drops of green food coloring and blend away until its creamy and smooth.

Then, just transfer the whole lot to a pretty glass and add a dollop of whipped cream on top. I kept trying to add our rainbow candies to the top to make it look like rainbows on a cloud, but the kids just kept stealing them. Ah well!

If you like the original, you’ll love this Copycat Shamrock Shake.

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