If you love a fun twist on a classic recipe this green velvet cake recipe is for you! You’ll love the chocolatey richness of this cake, and it gets downright magical with the best cream cheese frosting.
Need more fun cake recipes? Try these adorable Groundhog Day cupcakes, This delectable pink champagne cake, and don’t forget Valentine’s cake pops.
I love mixing up classic recipes and making them something new and unique. Like green velvet instead of a red velvet cake recipe, or other velvet cake recipes. But the great thing about this recipe is that you get all the delicious perfection of the classic cake, but now you can serve it up at a St. Patrick’s Day party, or a grinch-themed one. Or any time you’re feeling like green suits your purposes better!
Need more fun St. Patrick’s Day recipes? You’ll love these green Christmas drinks. And don’t forget about adding a rainbow theme with this rainbow fruit platter or a rainbow charcuterie board.
You’re going to love this rich, dreamy, green cake! And did I mention how satisfying and fun it is to bake and assemble? Layer cakes seem so sophisticated and fancy, and it’s surprisingly easy to make!
I hope you love baking this gorgeous cake as much as I do!
Why you’ll love this recipe
- The bright green color of this cake makes a delectable and fun St. Patrick’s Day treat
- This recipe is so good you won’t be able to get enough
- You can find all the ingredients you need at your local grocery store or in your pantry
- This cake is easier than it appears and turns out gorgeous
Ingredients Needed
- Eggs – We want your cake to stay together, right? This emulsifying ingredient will do just that. Also, I prefer large eggs.
- Oil – Just a little vegetable oil does wonders for this tasty treat to add moisture.
- Butter – This yummy ingredient will go into the cake and the frosting to create a delicious base for your dessert. You will melt the portion you use in the cake.
- Sugar – Of course we need some sugar. Wouldn’t be a cake without it!
- Sour cream – This makes for a perfectly moist cake. Don’t worry, it won’t make your cake sour.
- Water – This will add a little extra moisture to your batter.
- Vanilla extract – You’ll use this ingredient in the frosting and the cake to add that little dash of flavor that’s so perfect in baked goods.
- White vinegar – This handy ingredient will enhance the flavors and textures of your cake while also giving it a slightly longer shelf life.
- Green food coloring – This is what gives this cake the fun and festive color to serve on St. Patrick’s day. You can use liquid or green gel food coloring.
- Flour – You can use whatever kind of flour you have on hand for this cake. All-purpose flour is fine. No need to buy fancy cake flour unless you’d like to.
- Cocoa powder – You can use any unsweetened cocoa powder that tickles your fancy. For me the richer the better. I love dutch cocoa powder.
- Baking soda – All about the chemistry here. You want this in your cake to add those helpful little air bubbles to the batter and create a delicious crumb.
- Salt – You’ll use this little ingredient in both the cake and the frosting to help wake up the other flavors.
- Cream cheese – Does it get any better than cream cheese frosting? Mmm, this ingredient elevates this cake from great to magical.
- Powdered sugar – This not only helps you thicken up the frosting, but add that delectable sweetness.
- Milk or heavy cream – You’ll only need this if you're frosting becomes too thick.
How to make Green Velvet Cake
Prepare and begin mixing
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease three seven-inch, round cake pans with oil or butter. Line the bottoms of the pans with a circle of parchment paper, then grease the paper as well.
In a medium bowl, whisk the dry ingredients. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set the dry ingredients aside.
More mixing!
In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, melted butter, and sugar until the ingredients are well combined. Next, whisk in the eggs. Then add the sour cream, water, white vinegar, and vanilla extract. Keep mixing until everything is combined well.
After all the wet ingredients are well mixed, add the cocoa powder and incorporate it into the batter. Finally, you’ll mix in the green food coloring.
Save this post for later!
We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later!
Combine and bake
Fold half of the dry flour mixture into the batter until nearly combined. Then fold in the rest of the dry ingredients.
Divide the batter between the three prepared cake pans. Bake the cakes in your preheated oven for about 25 to 30 minutes. When a toothpick poked into the middle of the cake comes out clean, they’re done! Make sure the cakes are cooled on a wire rack before frosting.
Frosting!
Using a hand electric mixer or stand mixer, beat the softened (to room temperature) butter and cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl until smooth. Mix in the vanilla and salt. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the powdered sugar a little bit at a time so it doesn’t burst everywhere. Once the sugar is incorporated, turn the mixer to medium speed and mix until smooth. If the frosting is too thick, add a splash of milk or heavy cream. If it’s too thin add in a little more powdered sugar. Pause occasionally to scrape the sides of the bowl.
Assemble by frosting the top of the first layer, then stack on another layer. Frost the top of that layer and add the third cake to the top. Spread a layer of frosting over the top of the cake and down the sides. Then serve your delicious, festive treat!
Variations
- Red velvet – The only difference here is the food coloring to make this a traditional red velvet cake instead of green.
- Swiss meringue buttercream – If you prefer a more marshmallow-y frosting, try a Swiss meringue buttercream for a lighter and delicious twist on this recipe.
- Cupcakes – Pour the cake batter into cupcake cups in a muffin tin. Lower the bake time to about 20 minutes. And frost with the yummy cream cheese frosting. You'll have green velvet cupcakes instead!
Storage and Freezing
Storing – Store the leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about five days.
Freezing – Cake freezes well. You can store this in the freezer in an airtight container for about three months. I like to store in separate slices so I can just pull what I need out of the freezer to thaw and gobble it up!
FAQ
Can I make this cake gluten free?
Yes! Just know that not all gluten-free flour blends are not created equal, so I recommend using a gluten-free cake flour to keep it light and fluffy. Or use one that you trust for cakes.
Can I make it dairy free?
Yes, you can. Though, the textures may turn out slightly different, so be ready for that. The cream cheese frosting is a little trickier, but there are substitutes for every ingredient in this cake. I might recommend a dairy-free buttercream like Swiss buttercream (with Earth Balance butter), to make it a little easier. You will need dairy-free substitutes for the butter, sour cream, cream cheese, and milk.
More Yummy Holiday Desserts:
- Red Hots cookie recipe
- Dessert nachos
- 4th of July fruit pizza
- Groundhog Day cookies
- Easy Christmas popcorn
- Bubbly champagne frosting
Soft & Rich Green Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting
Ingredients
Cake
- 2 eggs
- 3/4 cup oil
- 1/2 cup butter (melted)
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons green food coloring
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese at room temperature
- 3/4 cup butter, unsalted at room temperature
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 1/3 cups powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream (if necessary)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F, and grease 3 7-inch pans with oil or butter. Line the bottoms of the pans with a circle of parchment paper, and grease the parchment paper.
- Into a bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt, and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oil, butter, and sugar. Mix until everything is well combined.
- Next whisk in the eggs, and add the sour cream, water, vinegar and vanilla extract.
- Mix until everything is well combined. Add the cocoa powder and mix until incorporated.
- Finally mix in the food coloring.
- Fold in half of the dry ingredients, just until almost combined. Then fold in the rest of the dry ingredients.
- Divide the cake batter between the pans and bake the cakes for 25 to 30 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean.
- Let the cakes cool down before frosting.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Beat the butter and cream cheese in a medium mixing bowl until smooth.
- Beat in the vanilla and salt. With the mixer on low, gradually beat in the powdered sugar.
- Once all the sugar is incorporated, turn the mixer to medium and mix until the frosting is smooth. If the frosting is too thick, add a splash of milk or heavy cream. If it’s too thin, add in more powdered sugar.
- To assemble, stack the cakes, fill with cream cheese frosting, and spread a layer of frosting on top.
Chandice Probst says
This cake is so fluffy and perfect for St Patricks Day with it's vibrant green color!