I’ve really been into decorating cupcakes lately, so it’s no surprise I decided to make these pot of gold cupcakes!

I almost wanted to call them end of the rainbow cupcakes, but I wasn’t sure everyone would get what I was talking about with that title.

Giving These Cupcakes A Little Kick

These cupcakes are for St. Patrick’s Day, so I decided to use my Baileys cupcake recipe to make them. This means they’re boozy, in all the right ways!!

Baileys is used in both the cupcake batter and the frosting, so these cupcakes have just the right amount of kick.

I love the flavor of Baileys, and think it’s the perfect flavor for these St. Patrick’s Day cupcakes.

Making These Pot of Gold Cupcakes Kid-Friendly / Alcohol-Free

While I may enjoy consuming alcohol ( responsibly of course ?), I know that not everyone drinks. There also are lots of people out there looking to bake with their kids, so don’t worry if that’s you!

These cupcakes can easily be made alcohol free by using my classic chocolate cupcake recipe. Use that recipe as the base, and follow the decoration steps included in the recipe card below.

Decorating These Cupcakes & The Tools You’ll Need

Speaking of the decoration of these cupcakes, I used a few different tools to create this look! You don’t need to have all these tools, but they make it a lot easier.

The tool I used the most is a small offset spatula! It helps you evenly spread the frosting, and stack the cupcakes. If you don’t have one on hand, I suggest using a butter knife instead.

Another important tool is piping bags. They make it way easier get the frosting around the cupcake and to get it smooth.

Piping bags also allow you to add accents around the pot which really make it look like a little pot of gold 🙂

If you don’t have piping bags, you can use ziploc bags! Just be sure they’re the sturdy kind (freezer bags work great) rather than flimsy sandwich bags.

The last tool that you really need to make these pot of gold cupcakes is an acetate sheet! It’s the little plastic sheet I use to smooth frosting on cakes and cupcakes with curved sides.

I get mine in a big pack with large sheets (12 in x 12 in), then cut them down with scissors. This makes them a lot easier to use on small desserts like this.

You can smooth the frosting using an offset spatula if you don’t have a thin piece of plastic like this. However, it makes it more challenging to make the pot look curved.

Finding Out What’s Really at the End of the Rainbow

In my mind, there was no way I could make a batch of pot of gold cupcakes and not make a rainbow. The two go hand in hand, right?!

While the idea seemed super cute, executing it was hard than I thought. I ended up deciding to make a fondant rainbow.

Rather than making 7 different colors of fondant with gel food coloring or buying 7 different colors of fondant, I chose to paint the fondant.

I used a mixture of gel food coloring and vodka to make my edible paint.

If you don’t drink alcohol or are intent on making this child friendly, you can use a few drops of clear extract to make each color. I find that almond and lemon extract work great!

I recommend using either a set of cake paint brushes, or a new paint brush. No matter how much you wash them, paint brushes that have been used always seem to be filled with residual paint.

This is why I strongly advise against using arts and crafts paint brushes that have been used with regular paint.

In most cases no one actually eats the fondant rainbow, but it will be touching the frosting on your cupcake. And none of us want a hint of old paint when we’re trying enjoying these cupcakes.

Tips for Making The Best St. Patrick’s Day Cupcakes:

• Be sure your cupcakes are COMPLETELY cooled before you frost them! If they’re even a little bit warm, the frosting can melt right off and they will crumble when you try to cut them in half.
• Chill these cupcakes in the freezer for 30 minutes to make it easier to stack and frost them. This helps the buttercream stick to them better, and reduces crumbing.
• Use a cookie scoop to easily fill your cupcake liners
• Ingredients at room temp mix together better, so be sure you set out any cold ingredients ahead of time.
• Bang your cupcake pan on the counter before putting it in the oven, to bring any air bubbles that are trapped in the batter to the surface

Making These Pot of Gold Cupcakes In Advance & Storage Tips:

• Make these cupcakes in advance! If stored unfrosted in an airtight container, they can last for 2 days at room temp, up to a week in the fridge, or up to 3 months in the freezer
• Make your frosting ahead of time too, or save any leftover frosting! It can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a month, or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Be sure to give it a good stir once it thaws to get the consistency nice and smooth again.
• Frosted cupcakes can sit out at room temperature overnight in an airtight container, or be stored in the fridge for up to 5 days.

Let Me Know What You Think!

If you try these pot of gold cupcakes, I’d love to hear what think of it! Please leave a rating, and let me know your thoughts by sharing a comment.

Also tag me @chelsweets, and use the #chelsweets on social media so that I can see your amazing creations!

Other Recipes You Might Like:

• Bailey’s Cupcakes
• Baileys Chocolate Cake
• Gluten Free Vanilla Cupcakes
• Oreo Cupcakes
• Funfetti Cupcakes
• Rose Water Cupcakes
• Matcha Cupcakes