Looking to wow your friends and family this St. Patrick’s Day? This Green Velvet Cake is the ultimate festive treat! With its rich, moist texture, eye-catching emerald color, and classic cream cheese frosting, it’s the perfect dessert to add a little luck (and sweetness) to your celebration.
Table of Contents
Toggle🎉 Why You’ll Love This Green Velvet Cake
✅ Festive and vibrant – the perfect St. Paddy’s Day dessert centerpiece
✅ Classic velvet texture – soft, moist, and tender crumb
✅ Easy to make – no fancy ingredients or skills required
✅ Crowd-pleaser – kids and adults alike will love it!
🍰 Ingredients You’ll Need
For the Green Velvet Cake:
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1½ cups granulated sugar
1½ cups vegetable oil
3 large eggs, room temp
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup buttermilk
1 tbsp green food coloring (liquid or gel – gel gives richer color)
For the Cream Cheese Frosting:
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp kosher salt
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
🧁 How to Make Green Velvet Cake (Step-by-Step)
✅ Step 1: Prep Your Oven & Pans
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and line two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
✅ Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together:
Flour
Baking soda
Baking powder
Salt
Set aside.
✅ Step 3: Combine Wet Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl:
Beat sugar and oil together until smooth
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each
Stir in vanilla extract
✅ Step 4: Add Color and Buttermilk
Add buttermilk to wet mixture
Mix in green food coloring until evenly colored (start with 1 tbsp, add more for vibrancy)
✅ Step 5: Combine Wet & Dry
Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, stirring until just combined. Don’t overmix.
✅ Step 6: Bake the Cake
Divide batter evenly between pans
Bake for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean
Cool for 10 minutes in pans, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely
🎂 Make the Cream Cheese Frosting
In a large bowl:
Beat butter and cream cheese until creamy
Add vanilla and salt
Gradually beat in powdered sugar until fluffy and spreadable
🍀 Assembling the Cake
Place one cooled cake layer on a serving plate
Spread a thick layer of frosting on top
Add second layer and frost the top and sides generously
Optionally decorate with:
Green sprinkles
Gold dust
Shamrock-shaped candies
📌 Tips for Success
Room temp ingredients make smoother batter and frosting
Use gel food coloring for a bold green hue without thinning the batter
For extra flair, bake the cake in a shamrock-shaped pan or decorate with gold coins
🥄 Variations to Try
Mini Cupcakes: Make bite-sized green velvet cupcakes for a party
Add Chocolate Chips: Mix in ½ cup mini chocolate chips for extra flavor
Leprechaun Layers: Alternate green and white cake layers for a striped look
❄️ How to Store It
Room Temp: Up to 2 days (if cool and dry)
Fridge: Up to 5 days, covered
Freezer: Wrap unfrosted layers tightly, freeze up to 2 months
🇮🇪 More Irish-Inspired Desserts
Irish Cream Cheesecake
Bailey’s Chocolate Mousse
Shamrock Sugar Cookies
Guinness Chocolate Cake
✨ Final Thoughts
This Green Velvet Cake is a delightful twist on the classic red velvet—rich, colorful, and topped with creamy frosting. Whether you’re hosting a big St. Patrick’s Day bash or just want a fun dessert to enjoy at home, this cake is sure to impress.
Bake it. Share it. And don’t forget to wear green! 🍀