March 17th is one of our favorite days for desserts. Not only do we get to deck all our treats out in plenty of green and gold, we also get to bake them in fun shapes like shamrocks or rainbows—and infuse them with rich, chocolatey stout or sweet Irish cream. What could be better than that? And, while we just as gladly celebrate traditional Irish desserts on St. Patrick’s Day, there’s something deliciously joyful and light-hearted about the American take on this holiday. Rainbow cookies, gilded cakes resembling a pot of gold, stout sundaes—with so many fun ideas, where do you start? You can’t go wrong with these green velvet cupcakes. Grouping three together will make them look just like shamrocks—and we’re pretty sure that triple the cupcakes is a sign of good luck!

Guinness stout is a very dark beer that boasts notes of coffee and caramel, two ingredients that pair naturally well with chocolate. For this recipe, the Guinness is reduced to a syrup to intensify the flavors and really make the chocolate stand out. The brownies are a nice marriage of fudgy and cakey and are intensely chocolatey, thanks to the bittersweet chocolate and cocoa powder.

This sparkling cake may look ordinary, but cut into it and you’ll find a show-stopping surprise: an overflowing sea of golden M&Ms.

The name of this candy is misleading: There are no potatoes included in the dish. Instead, it’s a beloved sweet treat meant to resemble adorable little potatoes. Irish potato candies are traditional seasonal confections found at candy stores and groceries around St. Patrick’s Day, particularly in the Philadelphia area. The Philly version consists of a smooth, sweet mixture studded with shredded coconut and then rolled in ground cinnamon for a two-bite treat that looks just like a mini potato.