Looking for cupcakes that are perfect for Mardi Gras? These cupcakes a fun twist to the traditional King’s Cake but are the perfect serving size. Cupcakes are just more fun to eat. You are going to LOVE these Mardi Gras Cupcakes!
If you are looking for the perfect easy to make Mardi Gras desserts for your Mardi Gras parties, then you are going to want to add these awesome colored cupcakes to your list!
Mardi Gras Cupcakes
When it comes to Mardi Gras, I am always looking for interesting ways to enjoy the day and bring some fun. I love to find great tasting dessert ideas that are perfect for Mardi Gras that I can also make any time of year. These cupcakes feature a cinnamon taste, that brings the traditional flavors associated with Mardi Gras. Most people love to have King’s Cake for Mardi Gras, and with these cupcakes, you get a great tasting cupcake that reminds you of King’s Cake. But it is better.
After living in New Orleans for a few years, Mardi Gras has become something we look forward to.One of my favorite things about Mardi Gras is the New Orleans desserts. They are amazing!
I love making my easy king’s cake and my Kings Cake Cheesecake Dessert cheeseball when ever we going to have a get together to celebrate Mardi Gras with our friends.
This year I wanted to make something that was a single serve treat and came up with these fun Mardi Gras Cupcakes.
What Sprinkles do I use for Mardi Gras Cupcakes?
When making these Mardi Gras cupcake, I make my own sprinkle mixture. I like to use fun Mardi Gras colors like gold, purple and green sprinkles. I based the sprinkle mix on sprinkles that I saw at Walmart. If you choose to buy a premade sprinkle mixture, I would recommend these from Amazon.
What Icing Do I Use for Mardi Gras Cupcakes?
When I make these cupcakes, I like to use vanilla buttercream. It is one of my favorite icing recipes. In addition to tasting great, it is easy to make, affordable and it is very versatile. Once you know how to make a buttercream icing, you can use the recipe to make so many other types of desserts. If you are wanting to change the flavor up a bit, you can also use Marshmallow Fluff Frosting, Vanilla Whipped Frosting or Almond Buttercream.
If you are new to making cupcakes and decorating them, be sure to check out how to fill a pastry bag and how to make an icing swirl. It is so easy to use a piping bag to frost cupcakes, and using one makes them look super fancy!
How to Store Mardi Gras Cupcakes?
Cupcakes should be stored at room temperature unless it has something in the frosting that needs refrigerations like cream cheese. When you store cupcakes at room temperature they stay fresh longer. Be sure to keep them stored in an airtight container.
How to Make Mardi Gras Cupcakes
To make these homemade colored cake cupcakes you will need cupcake pans, cupcake wrappers, mixing bowls, food coloring and a spatula.
Ingredients for Mardi Gras Cupcakes
- self-rising flour
- cups cake flour
- granulated sugar
- unsalted butter, at room temperature
- milk – You can use 2%, full fat or 1% milk. Personally I prefer to bake with whole milk.
- vanilla extract – Store bought or homemade vanilla
- cinnamon
- eggs
Buttercream Frosting Ingredients
- Butter
- Shortening
- Vanilla Extract
- Confectioners sugar
- hot water
- Food Coloring – gel or liquid food coloring will work
Decorative Ingredients
- mardi gras sprinkle mix
How to Make Colored Cupcakes
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line your cupcake pans with white cupcake wrappers.
Place your self-rising flour, cake flour, and sugar in the bowl of your mixer.
Mix them together for a minute or two until they are well combined.
Cut your butter into tablespoon pieces.
Slowly add your butter into the flour mixture one piece at a time continue mixing until you have reached the texture of sand.
Pour half of your milk into the flour mixture and mix just until the milk is incorporated. Use your rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of your bowl. Add your remaining milk and the vanilla to your batter and mix until combined.
Slowly add in one egg at a time to the cake batter, making sure each egg is incorporated before adding the next egg.
Divide the batter into three separate bowls. Color one bowl purple, one bowl green, and one bowl yellow.
Scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake pan, filling them 1/4 of the way full with the green batter. Then top them with the purple batter filling them another 1/4 full. Finally, top them another 1/4 with the yellow batter.
Bake for 10 minutes then rotate the cake pans so the pan that was on the top rack is now on the bottom and the pan that was on the bottom is now on the top rack. Continue to bake for another 10-13 minute until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cupcake.
Transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack until they have reached room temperature.
How to Make Buttercream Frosting
In the mixer bowl mix butter and shortening and mix until combined.
Turn the mixer to the lowest speed and add in the confectioners sugar and mix it little bit little until the sugar is incorporated into the butter/shortening mixture.
Once all the powdered sugar is added in, add the hot water and vanilla extract.
Then turn the mixer speed to medium and continue to mix for 10 minutes until the buttercream frosting is fluffy.
How to Assemble Cupcakes
Color the buttercream to a mice soft purple color and place it in a piping bag with a large straight piping tip.
Swirl the buttercream onto your cooled cupcakes and top with the sprinkles
Mardi Gras Cupcakes
Ingredients
Colored Vanilla Cupcakes
- 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
- 1 1/4 cups cake flour
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 4 large eggs
- green purple, yellow food coloring
- 1 cup mardi gras sprinkle mix
vanilla buttercream
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup shortening
- 2 pounds confectioners sugar
- 1.5 tablespoons hot water
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
Colored Vanilla Cupcakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line your cupcake pans with white cupcake wrappers.
- Place your self-rising flour, cake flour, and sugar in the bowl of your mixer.
- Mix them together for a minute or two until they are well combined.
- Cut your butter into tablespoon pieces.
- Slowly add your butter into the flour mixture one piece at a time continue mixing until you have reached the texture of sand.
- Pour half of your milk into the flour mixture and mix just until the milk is incorporated. Use your rubber spatula to scrape down the sides of your bowl. Add your remaining milk and the vanilla to your batter and mix until combined.
- Slowly add in one egg at a time to the cake batter, making sure each egg is incorporated before adding the next egg.
- Divide the batter into three separate bowls. Color one bowl purple, one bowl green, and one bowl yellow.
- Scoop the batter into the prepared cupcake pan, filling them 1/4 of the way full with the green batter. Then top them with the purple batter filling them another 1/4 full. Finally, top them another 1/4 with the yellow batter.
- Bake for 10 minutes then rotate the cake pans so the pan that was on the top rack is now on the bottom and the pan that was on the bottom is now on the top rack. Continue to bake for another 10-13 minute until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of the cupcake.
- Transfer the cupcakes to a cooling rack until they have reached room temperature.
Buttercream Frosting
- Place your butter and shortening together in the bowl of your mixer. Mix them together on medium speed until they are nice and creamy.
- Turn the mixer down to the lowest setting and slowly incorporate the powdered sugar into the shortening mixture.
- Once you have added all the powdered sugar in to your mixture, add in the vanilla extract and then the hot water.
- Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and continue mixing for 10 minutes until light and fluffy.
How to Assemble cupcakes
- Color the buttercream to a nice soft purple color with food coloring and place it in a piping bag with a large straight piping tip.
- Swirl the buttercream onto your cooled cupcakes and top with the sprinkles.
Nutrition
These cupcakes before the buttercream icing are 5 Weight Watcher SmartPoints on the Weight Watchers Freestyle Program.
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