Green Velvet Shamrock Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

cake with ornate piping reading "happy st. patrick's day" on top of cake on upside down white plate.

Green Velvet Shamrock Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Indulge in a slice of luck with our Green Velvet Shamrock Cake! This decadent dessert features three layer of moist velvet cake and a rich cream cheese frosting, making it the perfect treat for any St. Patrick's Day celebration.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 25

Total Time: 50

Servings: slices

Calories: 637kcal

Ingredients

Cake

1½ cups all purpose flour
3½ Tablespoons natural process cocoa powder sifted
1 teaspoon baking powder
⅜ teaspoon baking soda
⅓ tsp salt
6 Tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs room temperature
1 cup buttermilk room temperature
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
2 teaspoons distilled vinegar
¾ teaspoon green food coloring

Frosting

16 ounces cream cheese room temperature
4 Tablespoons salted butter room temperature
1½ cups powdered sugar sifted
¾ teaspoon vanilla extract
⅛-½ teaspoon green food coloring if desired, depending on desired shade of green

Instructions

Cake

Heat oven to 350℉/77℃.
Spray three 6-inch pans with baking spray. Set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Combine butter and sugar in a large bowl.
Beat with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Add eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition.
Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour mixture.
Mix in vanilla, vinegar, and food coloring.
Divide among prepared pans.
Bake for 25 minutes, or until cakes test done.

Frosting

Combine cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl.
Beat with an electric mixer until creamy, about 1-2 minutes.
Add powdered sugar.
Beat until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Stir in vanilla.
If you want different colors of frosting to decorate, divide frosting in half. Divide one half into half again. Add food coloring to each of the smaller amounts until you achieve the shades you want. (If you want to color the whole thing green, add 2 drops of food coloring, or as much as you want to get your desired color.)

Assembly

Level cakes, if needed.
Place one layer on serving plate or cake circle and place on turntable.
Spread about ¼ cup of frosting on cake layer. (If you are not planning on decorating the cake, you can use more, if desired.)
Top with second layer and repeat.
Add last layer.
Frost sides first and then top.
Decorate, if desired.

Notes

Room temperature is about 70℉/21℃.
Use an oven thermometer to ensure accurate cooking temperatures.
To substitute salted butter for the unsalted in the cake, reduce salt to 1/8 teaspoon.
If you want to substitute unsalted butter for the salted, just add a pinch (about 1/16 teaspoon) salt.

Nutrition