FAQs -
"Can I use a color other than green?"
ABSOLUTELY! Just replace the green gel color in the recipe below with literally any other color you want.
I mean I'll have questions if you choose something like brown – that's easier to pull off with chocolate. But what you choose is up to you! 😉
Never done anything like that sprinkle stripe before...any tips?
First off - PLEASE please don't stress about them! Seriously. Especially if you've ever done a striped cake before! (I tried a buttercream striped cake before I made this one - this one was a walk in the park by comparison!)
- All you have to do is make a few passes around the cake with a cake comb made for stripes. (It'll look block-ridged like the one in the video). Whether or not you scrape down to the cake layers for a bit of that 'semi-naked cake' look is up to you, but I liked being able to see the cake color a bit!
- After that, all that's left is to add the sprinkles! And if you've ever done a sprinkle drip before, this is also a cinch by comparison. Press the sprinkles into the empty spots between the stripes! If the sprinkles aren't sticking to your finger well - vegetable shortening. A bit of vegetable shortening will help them stick to your finger and then transfer to the cake.
- (Quick note if you decide to use store-bought or canned frosting. It's almost always thinner than my recipe. Add a 1/4 cup of extra powdered sugar at a time until you reach a consistency that spreads and stays in place on the cake well. This will help a lot with the stripes.)
How should I store this cake?
If you have leftover cake, make sure to cover it well to keep it from drying out. Because of the cream cheese in the frosting, I recommend keeping it in the fridge. It will keep for 3-4 days, as long as it's protected from any airflow in the fridge. (The leftovers probably won't last that long, but hey.)
And I think that's everything! On to the recipe!
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Don't forget to pin this recipe for later!
Green Velvet Sprinkle Stripe Cake
A favorite St. Patrick's day bake - Green Velvet cake! Make this Green Velvet Sprinkle Stripe cake, covered with cream cheese frosting!
Equipment
- Ridged cake scraper (linked is a set that contains a ridged and straight scraper)
- cake scraper or pastry cutter (not needed if your ridged scraper has a straight back edge)
- small piping bag + star tip (linked is a set that contains both)
- large piping bag + star tip (linked is a set that contains both)
Ingredients
Green Velvet Cake Layers
- 3 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup cocoa powder
- 1 cup unsalted butter (or 2 sticks, room temperature)
- 1 cup egg whites (about 7 eggs, or you can use whites from a carton to avoid wasting the yolks!)
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk (room temperature)
- 2 teaspoons clear vanilla extract
- ⅛ cup 28 grams vegetable oil
- 5-6 large drops green gel food coloring (I used Americolor Leaf Green)
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese (one package, softened)
- 1 cup butter (or 2 sticks, softened)
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- 2-4 Tablespoons milk
- 1 Tablespoon clear vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (if using unsalted butter)
- 6 large drops green gel food coloring (divided; add half first and half later! I used Americolor Leaf Green)
Decorations
- 1 Tablespoon Crisco / vegetable shortening (this helps the sprinkles stick to your finger so you can add them to your stripes!)
- 3-4 Tablespoons Green sprinkles of your choice (I used green sugar pearls and a seasonal ‘Meadow’ mix by Sweetapolita - this mix is very similar!)
Instructions
Green Velvet Cake Layers
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare three 8-inch cake pans with baker's floured cooking spray, or grease and line with parchment rounds.
- Mix together all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder) in a stand mixer with a paddle until fully combined. Mix chunks of room-temperature butter slowly into the dry mix, on a low speed. Continue to mix until no large chunks of butter remain, and the mixture looks crumbly.
- Pour in egg whites and mix on low until just incorporated. Mix in the buttermilk on a low speed. Add in vanilla, oil, and green food color, and mix at a low speed until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, then beat on medium speed for about 30 seconds.
- Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans (I find a kitchen scale helpful for this part). This guarantees your layers will bake to be the same height.
- Bake for 34-37 minutes (or until a toothpick comes out clean). Allow cake layers to cool for 10-15 minutes on a wire cooling rack before removing from pans – it helps to run an offset spatula or knife around the perimeter of the pan first. Cool completely before frosting. Set in the fridge or freezer to accelerate the cooling process if desired.
- Once the layers have fully cooled, they can be leveled and any caramelized bits can be trimmed from the sides / top of the cake using a serrated knife if desired. Be sure the layers are completely cooled or chilled before trimming. If you try to trim the layers while they’re still warm, they will crumble apart. (This is a great time to make your frosting!)
Cream Cheese Buttercream Frosting
- Beat together softened cream cheese and butter; slowly add in powdered sugar alternating with milk until frosting reaches desired consistency. Add vanilla and salt if needed and beat until well combined. Stir in 2-3 drops of gel food color to make a light green frosting.
Assembly
- Place a smear of frosting on your cake circle (to keep the cake from sliding while you decorate it) and center your first cake layer in the center of the circle.
- Spread the first layer with frosting. Add your next cake layer on top, and repeat the process with your remaining cake layers.
- Now you're ready to crumb-coat. If you're unfamiliar with crumb-coating, it's just what it sounds like – spreading a thin layer of frosting over the entire outside of the cake to keep crumbs out of your final layer.
- Once your crumb coat has set (this takes about 5-10 minutes in the fridge), add your final layer of frosting and smooth into stripes with your cake comb! I scraped to the cake layers at the base of the stripes, letting a bit of the deep green cake color show through.
- Now you’re ready to make your sprinkle stripes! Spread a bit of vegetable shortening on your finger, and transfer sprinkles to the deep stripes of the cake – I found it the easiest to re-Crisco my finger every 2-3 passes with the sprinkles.
- Once you’re happy with your stripes, add 3 more drops of green gel coloring to make the rest of your frosting a deeper shade of green. (I also added a sprinkle of cocoa powder to get the green really deep).
- Transfer frosting to a small piping bag fitted with a small star tip (or tip of your choice). Add small stars of green icing to your sprinkle stripes.
- Transfer frosting to a large piping bag fitted with a large closed star tip. Pipe a rope border along the top edge (or a different piping pattern if you prefer ;) Rope borders use a lot of frosting!) I also added some small icing stars and sprinkles to cover the top of the cake.
- And you're done! Cut and serve – and if you eat this cake on St. Patrick’s Day your green-tinged tongue may save you from a pinch! ;)
Video
Notes
Please note nutrition information is an estimate and may not be exactly accurate.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice (1/16th cake)Calories: 765kcalCarbohydrates: 101gProtein: 9gFat: 39g
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