5 St. Patrick’s Day desserts

Get lucky with these sweet St. Patrick’s Day desserts that are sure to earn you a kiss! From truffles to a cake made with Irish ale, you’ll find the perfect recipe (or try them all). Don’t just wear green this year, whip it up in the kitchen for this lucky holiday.

Green Velvet Cake

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups oil
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 teaspoon green food coloring
• 1 tablespoon vinegar
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:

Combine eggs, sugar, oil, and vinegar in a bowl; mix well. Sift flour and soda together and add to egg mixture alternately with buttermilk, mixing well after each addition; blend in vanilla and food coloring.

Pour into 3 greased and floured 8-inch cake pans; bake at 350? F for 25 minutes. Cool. Top with vanilla frosting and sprinkle with pistachio nuts.

Chocolate Mint Brownies

Brownie Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 4-ounces unsweetened chocolate
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Frosting Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup softened butter
• 2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 1/2 to 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
• Green food coloring

Directions:

Heat the oven to 350?F and grease a 9-inch square baking pan.

For the brownies: place the butter and chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl; microwave on high for 1 minute, stir, and microwave for 1 minute more; stir until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar and eggs; stir in the chocolate and the vanilla extract; stir in the flour and salt until thoroughly combined.

Pour into the prepared pan, then bake for 25 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Cool for at least 1 hour.

For frosting: cream the butter and confectioners’ sugar; add the milk 1 tablespoon at a time, beating until it is smooth and spreadable; beat in the peppermint extract and tint to the desired shade with green food coloring; frost the cooled brownies, cover, and chill for 1 hour; top with sprinkled chocolate chips.

Irish Cream Milkshake

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons Baileys Irish Cream
• 2 scoops vanilla ice cream
• 1 1/4 cups milk
• 1/2 cup ice
• Chocolate sauce for garnish

Directions:

Crush ice in a blender; add Irish cream, ice cream, and milk; pulse until thoroughly mixed and desired thickness is reached. Pour into two tall glasses and drizzle with chocolate sauce.

Chocolate Stout Cake

Ingredients:

• 2 cups stout (such as Guinness)
• 2 cups unsalted butter
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa powder (preferably Dutch-process)
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking soda
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 4 large eggs
• 1 1/3 cups sour cream
• 2 cups whipping cream
• 1 pound bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350? F and grease 3, 8-inch round cake pans.

Bring 2 cups stout and 2 cups butter to simmer in a heavy, large saucepan over medium heat; add cocoa powder and whisk until mixture is smooth; cool slightly.

Whisk flour, sugar, baking soda, and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt in a large bowl to blend. Using an electric mixer, beat eggs and sour cream in a separate bowl; add stout-chocolate mixture to egg mixture and beat just to combine; add flour mixture and beat briefly on slow speed; fold batter until completely combined.

Divide batter equally among prepared pans and bake cakes until tester inserted into center of cakes comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Let cakes cool 10 minutes; turn cakes out onto a rack and cool completely.

For frosting: bring cream to simmer in a heavy, medium saucepan; remove from heat; add chopped chocolate and whisk until melted and smooth. Refrigerate until icing is spreadable, stirring frequently, about 2 hours. Frost cake between layers and top with remaining frosting.

Baileys Lucky Truffles

Makes about 5 dozen truffles

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup whipping cream
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 8-ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 1/4 cup Baileys Irish Cream

Directions:

Combine cream, butter, and sugar in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil over medium heat; remove from heat; add chocolate, stirring until completely melted; stir in Baileys; chill mixture until firm, about 4 hours or overnight.

Shape into balls and roll in desired coatings to cover thoroughly. Consider drizzling green candy melts from the bakery aisle of a craft store for a touch of the lucky color! Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.