Mardi Gras Cupcakes

Mardi Gras, also called Carnival in some countries, is celebrated internationally. It is the day before Ash Wednesday and Lent symbolizing for a lot of people the last hurrah before a forty day fast. When I think of Mardi Gras, I think of New Orleans. Mardi Gras, Nawlins' style, makes me think of celebration, music, vibrant colors, and decadent Cajun and Creole food.


No Mardi Gras celebration is complete without a King Cake, also known as Twelfth Night Cake. This cake is actually a sweetened yeast bread with cinnamon filling, and usually baked in a ring shape. It is frosted with gold, green, and purple icing representing power, faith, and justice, respectively.

Mardi Gras Cupcakes are a loose interpretation of King Cake with a yellow cupcake base and a cinnamon frosting. I didn't have a lot of time last night and was running low on powdered sugar, so I went with a boxed cake using the high altitude directions and a great frosting recipe that uses regular sugar.
















Mardi Gras Cupcakes
Preheat oven 350 degrees

1 box Moist Deluxe Duncan Hines Yellow Cake Mix
1/3 cup of all purpose flour
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cups of water
3 eggs


purple food coloring

1. Add ingredients into a bowl of an electric stand mixer. 
2. Mix on low for 30 seconds. 
3. Add food coloring. Beat for 2 minutes on medium high speed. Do not over mix.

Fill liners to just about 1/2 full, these suckers will rise! Makes 24 cupcakes. Bake for about 15 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Set aside to cool.


Cinnamon Best Frosting I've Ever Ate

adapted from Best Vanilla Frosting I've Ever Had

5 tbsp flour 

1 cup whipping cream 

1 tsp vanilla bean paste 

1 tsp vanilla 

1 tsp Vietnamese cinnamon

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup sugar (not powdered sugar)

salt to taste

1. In a small saucepan, whisk flour into cream and heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens. About 8 minutes. Do not burn or boil.
2. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature. Stir in vanillas and cinnamon. This mixture must be completely cooled in order for the frosting to work.
3. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Then add the cooled cream mixture and beat until it all combines and resembles whipped cream.
4. Add salt if desired.

Mardi Gras Cupcakes were chosen to take to a Mardi Gras Potluck that I had at work. It was a lot of fun and the cupcakes were well received. Beware, the cupcakes with added coloring may leave your tongue purple!