It is officially Mardi Gras Carnival Season , and Fat Tuesday – Mardi Gras – is just around the corner. So I thought Mardi Gras cupcakes were in order!
The King Cake might be the traditional sweet on Mardi Gras, but these fun cupcakes are decorated with traditional Mardi Gras colors: purple represents justice, green represents faith and gold represents power.
Ingredients
- 1 French Vanilla cake mix
- 1 1.75oz (4 serving) instant French vanilla pudding mix
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 4 eggs
- 1tsp vanilla
- 1/2 C cold milk
- 1/2 C melted butter (not margarine)
- 1/2 C rum (I used Capt. Morgan which is a spiced rum)
- 1 stick butter
- 1/4 C water
- 1 C sugar
- 1/2 C rum
- 1 cup real butter (not margarine) *room temperature
- 1 cup vegetable shortening
- pinch of salt
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 4 cups powdered (confectioners) sugar
- 1/4 – 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
- paste food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. Combine all ingredients and beat for 2 minutes. Pour into lined cupcake pans and bake for 22-24 mins. Cool slightly on a rack.
- *these would also be good with a toasted pecan in each cupcake (my family wont eat nuts, so I didn’t put them in mine)
- Melt butter in a saucepan and stir in the water and sugar. Boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat and slowly stir in the rum.
- Let the glaze cool down a little.
- Dip the tops of the cooled cupcakes in the glaze.
- Thoroughly cream butter and shortening . Beat in the vanilla. Add sugar, one cup at a time until blended. When the sugar is completely beaten in and the sides of the bowl are scraped down, add the whipping cream, beating at the highest speed until super fluffy, about one minute.
- If you wish to add color to your frosting, like I did for these Mardi Gras colors, use the gel paste food coloring. It’s stronger and more vibrant.
- Pipe frosting on top of glazed cupcake then drizzle a little more glaze over the butter cream frosting and top with chunky sugar sprinkles.
Notes
**I have to be honest, piping 3 colors was NOT an easy task, only about 1/2 of my cupcakes came out looking good, the others were either missing a color, or the colors started to mix and looked gray or brown……if anyone has any tips on piping 3 colors I’d love to hear them!!
How did I do it?- I divided my frosting into 3 bowls and colored each. I then spooned a big scoop of each color into the bag, trying the best I could to get them side by side. I then squeezed the frosting into another bowl until all three color started to come out—then I piped onto the cupcakes, using my 1M tip.
These were FAN-TAS-TIC!
Seriously… GO…make these… now!! My kitchen smelled SOOOO wonderful even the next day!
I'm linking up with these parties.......please visit them!Made by You Monday, Get Your Craft on , Weekend Wrap Up Party, Pity Party
About TidyMom
Oh Cheryl these look and sound fantastic!!!
Oh Cheryl these look and sound fantastic!!!
I'm guessing the melted butter in the cupcake portion is 1/2 cup??? or stick???
These sound soooo good!
And how do you stay so slim when you're always making these yummy treats?
I'm guessing the melted butter in the cupcake portion is 1/2 cup??? or stick???
These sound soooo good!
And how do you stay so slim when you're always making these yummy treats?
lovely. where is your social networking repost option on your posts? you have no easy way to post to Twitter or Facebook.
lovely. where is your social networking repost option on your posts? you have no easy way to post to Twitter or Facebook.
You are one ah-mazing baker!!! Those not only look perfect but they sound delicious!!!
You are one ah-mazing baker!!! Those not only look perfect but they sound delicious!!!
Kelly- thanks!!?
Lisa- yes 1/2 cup of butter- thanks for pointing that out – I've fixed it! AND I fixed it in the printable version.
Lesa – I used to have social networking buttons – they must have gotten lost – I just re-added them! Thanks for letting me know!!
Robin – they are one of my new FAVS!!!!
Kelly- thanks!!?
Lisa- yes 1/2 cup of butter- thanks for pointing that out – I've fixed it! AND I fixed it in the printable version.
Lesa – I used to have social networking buttons – they must have gotten lost – I just re-added them! Thanks for letting me know!!
Robin – they are one of my new FAVS!!!!
Oh those are amazing for sure.. Go Saints…
Oh those are amazing for sure.. Go Saints…
They are beautiful, Cheryl!
Hope you might stop by today. I have a Giveaway up to celebrate my new look, and Decorating Dilemmas goes up tonight. 
They are beautiful, Cheryl!
Hope you might stop by today. I have a Giveaway up to celebrate my new look, and Decorating Dilemmas goes up tonight. 
Oh my! Those are just amazing! Great job on using the 3 colors! Thanks so much for joining in the fun at Cupcake Tuesday!
~Liz
Oh my! Those are just amazing! Great job on using the 3 colors! Thanks so much for joining in the fun at Cupcake Tuesday!
~Liz
Yum…those look great too! Butter Cream Frosting…good stuff.
Yum…those look great too! Butter Cream Frosting…good stuff.
These look so pretty – and they sound delicious too!
These look so pretty – and they sound delicious too!
Oh. My. Word. These look amazing. And are SO beautiful!! Rock on girl!
Blessings-
Amanda
Oh. My. Word. These look amazing. And are SO beautiful!! Rock on girl!
Blessings-
Amanda
I don't keep vegetable shortening on hand… could I use 2 cups butter in the frosting instead?
I found this butter cream frosting recipe on the foodnetwork website; think it will work well with the cupcakes? (Can you tell I'm trying to avoid going to the store?!)
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream
I don't keep vegetable shortening on hand… could I use 2 cups butter in the frosting instead?
I found this butter cream frosting recipe on the foodnetwork website; think it will work well with the cupcakes? (Can you tell I'm trying to avoid going to the store?!)
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons whipping cream
Perfect for Mardi Gras!
I feel a BUSINESS comin on!!!
You go girl!
XXOOXX
Delighted to see my fave…inkOBSESSIONdesign as one of your sponsors! yeah! xxooxx
Perfect for Mardi Gras!
I feel a BUSINESS comin on!!!
You go girl!
XXOOXX
Delighted to see my fave…inkOBSESSIONdesign as one of your sponsors! yeah! xxooxx
Yum! Love your pics too!
Yum! Love your pics too!
They are so pretty and sound yummy!! Thanks for linking to TMTT.
Enjoyed watching your "flat" TidyMom Blissdom adventures via Twitter.
They are so pretty and sound yummy!! Thanks for linking to TMTT.
Enjoyed watching your "flat" TidyMom Blissdom adventures via Twitter.
Rachel – there are many variations for Butter Cream – you can make it with only butter….the shortening makes it hold up a little better – I actually used an only butter recipe when I made the Sweetheart Cherry Cake.
Here's that recipe…I would just not add the almond extract for this one:
Butter Cream Icing (from Lucky Leaf)
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
4 cups (1 pound) confectioners' sugar, sifted
2-4 tablespoons milk
food coloring (optional)
Rachel – there are many variations for Butter Cream – you can make it with only butter….the shortening makes it hold up a little better – I actually used an only butter recipe when I made the Sweetheart Cherry Cake.
Here's that recipe…I would just not add the almond extract for this one:
Butter Cream Icing (from Lucky Leaf)
Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
4 cups (1 pound) confectioners' sugar, sifted
2-4 tablespoons milk
food coloring (optional)
WHOA! I don't usually do recipes, but I consider these pretty essential baking. These should be illegal they sound so good.
Fleur
xx
WHOA! I don't usually do recipes, but I consider these pretty essential baking. These should be illegal they sound so good.
Fleur
xx
Wow these look great! I love mardi gras season, and last year I even made a king's cake!
I blogged about it here if your interested:
http://www.newlyweds-blog.com/2009/02/24/mardi-gras-kings-cake/
Wow these look great! I love mardi gras season, and last year I even made a king's cake!
I blogged about it here if your interested:
http://www.newlyweds-blog.com/2009/02/24/mardi-gras-kings-cake/
Yummy! These look delicious. I can't wait to make them for my family and eat them all myself.
I know that's probably what I'll do!
Yummy! These look delicious. I can't wait to make them for my family and eat them all myself.
I know that's probably what I'll do!
Splendid! Just splendid! Well done!
Splendid! Just splendid! Well done!
oooh! can you just email me one of those please? They look awesome.
oooh! can you just email me one of those please? They look awesome.
They look fantastic! I can just imagine how wonderful they smell
They look fantastic! I can just imagine how wonderful they smell
Hi Cheryl.
I am hosting a tunkables giveaway on my blog and would love for you to enter if you haven't already.
http://www.mooreminutes.com/2010/02/unique-tunkables-giveaway-vintage-knife.html
And you are the cupcake QUEEN! You make the most beautiful and delicious-looking desserts! I love seeing these posts.
Hi Cheryl.
I am hosting a tunkables giveaway on my blog and would love for you to enter if you haven't already.
http://www.mooreminutes.com/2010/02/unique-tunkables-giveaway-vintage-knife.html
And you are the cupcake QUEEN! You make the most beautiful and delicious-looking desserts! I love seeing these posts.
What a fabulous idea! I was thinking of trying to make a king cake with the kids, but I might just have to make cupcakes instead.
What a fabulous idea! I was thinking of trying to make a king cake with the kids, but I might just have to make cupcakes instead.
Oh my …Oh my…Oh my!
I JUST HAVE to make those!
Oh my …Oh my…Oh my!
I JUST HAVE to make those!