Mardi Gras King Cake Cupcakes (Print View)

Cinnamon-infused cupcakes adorned with colorful icing and sugars for a festive New Orleans flavor.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cupcakes

01 - 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 cup whole milk
09 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ Cinnamon Sugar Swirl

10 - 2 tablespoons brown sugar
11 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ Icing

12 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
13 - 2-3 tablespoons milk
14 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Decoration

15 - Purple, green, and gold/yellow colored sugars

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
03 - In a large bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in vanilla extract.
04 - Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with milk, beginning and ending with flour. Mix until just combined.
05 - Gently fold in ground cinnamon.
06 - In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and cinnamon for the swirl.
07 - Fill cupcake liners halfway with batter. Sprinkle about 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon sugar swirl over each, then top with remaining batter. Gently swirl with a toothpick for a marbled effect.
08 - Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - For the icing, whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and pourable.
10 - Spoon or drizzle icing over cooled cupcakes. Immediately sprinkle with colored sugars in alternating stripes (purple, green, and gold/yellow). Allow icing to set before serving.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The cinnamon swirl running through each cupcake creates those classic King Cake flavors in every single bite
  • That traditional purple green and gold sugar topping makes even a Tuesday feel like a parade
  • You can hide the baby in just one cupcake and keep the guessing game alive without anyone fighting over slices
02 -
  • Room temperature ingredients blend together more easily creating a smoother batter
  • The cinnamon sugar sinks to the bottom if you add it too early which is why layering matters
  • Icing needs to be pourable but not thin so start with two tablespoons milk and add more only if needed
  • Colored sugar sticks best when the icing is still slightly wet so work quickly once you start decorating
03 -
  • Hide the baby or almond after baking by gently pressing it into the bottom of a cooled cupcake
  • If your icing thickens up while you are working add just a drop of milk to get it pouring again
  • These freeze beautifully undecorated so you can have Mardi Gras magic any time of year

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