I honestly don’t think I am capable of letting a holiday go by without making cupcakes. When I was a kid, on St. Patrick’s Day my family didn’t do much to celebrate, not anything really – aside from avoiding getting pinched at school. When my kids were little, I always did the corned beef and cabbage for dinner, but it wasn’t until I had grandchildren that I really got the spirit of the holiday. Who knew Leprechauns could be so much fun? The mischievous little fellows get into all sorts of trouble on St. Patrick’s Day doing things like turning our favorite foods green and making messes everywhere they go.
These St. Patrick’s Day Rainbow Cupcakes are certainly not original. I can’t remember where I first saw them, but when I cam across some rainbow striped Sour Power candy strips at Dollar General the other day, I knew it was a sign that these cupcakes just had to be made. I believe that the AirHeads brand makes a similar rainbow striped candy.
St. Patrick’s Day Rainbow Cupcakes
ingredients and supplies:
a batch of your favorite cupcakes
1 recipe Buttercream Frosting, tinted green with food coloring
miniature marshmallows
gold sprinkles
Sour Power or AirHeads rainbow candy strips
pastry bag fitted with a grass tip (Ateco #133 or Wilton #233), optional
directions:
1. Bake cupcakes according to package directions. Meanwhile, prepare buttercream frosting and tint with green food coloring.
2. Spread frosting over cooled cupcakes. Optionally, pipe grass onto the top of each cupcake.
3. Cut about 1 to 1/2 inches from each rainbow strip – otherwise they will be a little too long. This also provides a great snack while you are making the cupcakes. Press each end of the rainbow into the top of the cupcake, as pictured. Gently press a few miniature marshmallows into the frosting around the ends of the rainbow, to form the clouds. Sprinkle on the gold.
Tip: I recommend adding the rainbows no more than 2 hours before serving, or they may begin to droop and loose their shape.
How does your family celebrate St. Patrick’s Day?

St. Patrick's Day Rainbow Cupcakes
Instructions
- 1. Bake cupcakes according to package directions. Meanwhile, prepare buttercream frosting and tint with green food coloring.
- 2. Spread frosting over cooled cupcakes. Optionally, pipe grass onto the top of each cupcake.
- 3. Cut about 1 to 1/2 inches from each rainbow strip - otherwise they will be a little too long. This also provides a great snack while you are making the cupcakes. Press each end of the rainbow into the top of the cupcake, as pictured. Gently press a few miniature marshmallows into the frosting around the ends of the rainbow, to form the clouds. Sprinkle on the gold.
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I like these awesome Rainbow Cupcakes and think that they will be fun to make with the Kids for St. Patricks Day. My kids love Cupcakes and the rainbow on these cupcakes are so pretty!
How cute and simple! I’m making these.
These cupcakes are so cute and creative. I will be making these this St. Patrick’s Day!
Love the rainbow
Those are so cute! I love how you made the rainbow!