Recipe

Hide a Shamrock in Your Cake With This St. Patrick's Day Recipe

By Sheridan Rhee at Loyola Marymount University

With St. Patricks Day around the corner, this cake is the perfect dessert. It may appear to be just an ordinary vanilla pound cake, but hidden inside each slice is a green shamrock. After trying it myself, I can assure you that it is easier than it looks, and it will surely impress any lucky leprechaun. 

Hidden Shamrock Pound Cake

  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 1 hr 30 mins
  • Total Time: 2 hrs
  • Servings: 8
Ingredients
  • For the green cake:
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter softened
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk
  • For the white cake:
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter softened
  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk

Sheridan Rhee

Step 1

Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray a 13x9" pan with nonstick spray.

Sheridan Rhee

Step 2

To make the green cake: In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.

Sheridan Rhee

Step 3

In a large bowl, beat the sugar and butter until fluffy and light. Add oil and vanilla extract, and mix to combine. Add eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly and scraping down the sides. Add half of the flour mixture until incorporated, then stir 1/4 cup of the buttermilk. Repeat to use the rest of flour and buttermilk.

#SpoonTip: Instead of using buttermilk, mix 1/2 cup of regular milk with 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice. Let sit for about five minutes, or until slightly thick with small curdles.

Sheridan Rhee

Step 4

Add 10-12 drops of food coloring, or until your desired color. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes—or until the top springs back when you gently press it.

Sheridan Rhee

Step 5

Let green cake cool and refrigerate until firm. Use a shamrock cookie cutter (or make your own) to shape out cake pieces.

#SpoonTip: Instead of using a cookie cutter, cut out a shamrock on a piece of paper and use it as your stencil.

Sheridan Rhee

Step 6

To make the white cake: repeat steps 2 and 3.

Step 7

Spray a 9x5" loaf pan with nonstick spray. Pour a 1/2 inch layer of white batter on the bottom of the loaf pan. Align the cut out shamrock pieces in a row along the bottom.

#SpoonTip: Make sure they are aligned together as close as possible to get the best result.

Step 8

Carefully add the rest of the white cake mixture over the shamrocks. Use a spoon to fill in the hard to reach pieces.

Step 9

Bake the cake for 1 hour, until the top turns a golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 15 minutes, before removing it out of the pan.

Sheridan Rhee