Kim’s Mardi Gras Cupcakes With King Cake Frosting

A woman screamed my name across a crowded room tonight.

These things happen.

But this time?  It was because of my cupcakes.

No, I’m not speaking metaphorically.  Those ‘cupcakes’ fell flat about 6 years ago, and the only screaming over them is in horror.

This screaming was in delight.  She was announcing to everyone at the Mardi Gras party I was at, that my Mardi Gras cupcakes were the best cupcake she has ever had. Three times she did this.

And she’s done her research.

Without further ado, this is my Mardi Gras Cupcake recipe.

So you, too, can have women screaming your name.

Kim’s Mardi Gras Cupcakes With Cinnamon “King Cake” Frosting Cupcakes

2 Boxes Betty Crocker Super Moist Butter Yellow Recipe Cake Mix

1 Cup Water

1 Cup Buttermilk (light is fine)

2/3 Cup Butter, Softened

6 Eggs

1 tsp Butter Flavoring

1. Preheat oven to 350*F

2.  Beat butter until creamy.

3. Beat in water, buttermilk, eggs, butter flavoring until well mixed.

4. Beat in the 2 boxes of dry cake mix on medium for 3 minutes.  Scrape sides of bowl a few times to ensure everything is evenly mixed. It must be yellow, and this is the best of them all: Betty Crocker Super Moist Butter Recipe Yellow Cake Mix:

5. Separate the batter evenly into 4 bowls.  Add desired food coloring colors.  Make sure they are bright/intense. Not drippy, nice and bright, easy to mix: Betty Crocker Classic Gel Food Colors:

 

6. Line Non-stick muffin pan with white or plain paper baking cup paper liners (these are my favorite).

7. Using an iced tea spoon or regular teaspoon, drop 3 colors per cupcake liner.  Cupcake batter is thick, so if you move quickly, you can get each one filled fairly evenly with 3 different colors.

 

8. Make sure each is filled 1/3-1/2 full, being consistent throughout the pan.

9. Bake 48 cupcakes for 20 minutes, until toothpick/cake tester comes out clean from center.  (Do not overcook, or they will dry out)

10. Allow to cool completely.

 

Cinnamon “King Cake” Frosting

3/4 Cup Butter, Softened

2 Pounds Powdered Sugar

1/2 Cup Milk (I prefer 2%)

1 TBL Vanilla

2 tsp Cinnamon

Gold Sprinkles

1. Beat Butter until smooth.

2. Add 2-3 cups of the sugar, beating well.

3. Add the milk, vanilla, and cinnamon beating well.

4. Slowly beat in the rest of the sugar, scraping the bowl and beating well until you have the consistency you want.  I prefer it not get runny, because then it won’t hold its shape when you use a frosting/icing tube.

5. Drop your frosting tip in a frosting bag (this is a great starter set), use a skinny spatula to fill the bag with the frosting, twist it and squeeze the frosting out into a circular pattern (outside to inside) to create the swirl effect and evenly frost the cupcakes.

6. Sprinkle with gold sprinkles.

These are unbelievably moist cupcakes without feeling heavy.  They are buttery and perfect with the cinnamon frosting.  They were inspired by this recipe I found on Pinterest, but Heaven Forbid I actually follow a recipe without changing it up…then I used my infamous cinnamon frosting, making it a bit extra cinnamony for the occasion, in honor of the King Cake.

I made 36 regular-sized Mardi Gras Cupcakes for the party, and even though there were no less than 4 other trays of store-bought fancy cupcakes, 32 of mine were devoured within 2 hours.  (The other 6 extra-large ones I made, I set aside for the hostess & her family.)

Enjoy, and Happy Mardi Gras!

Want more of my recipes?  Try my Maple Brown Sugar Peach Cobbler recipe or my Butterscotch Cookie Bakes.

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