Mardi Gras King Cake Cupcakes (Printable)
Festive cinnamon swirl vanilla cupcakes with colorful icing and sugars, perfect for a celebratory occasion.
# What You 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
# Directions:
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 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - 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 -
- They capture all the nostalgic cinnamon sweetness of traditional King Cake but bake up in 20 minutes flat
- The marbled cinnamon sugar running through each cupcake creates those surprise moments of spice that make people pause and ask what you did differently
02 -
- The toothpick swirl should be gentle, just one or two quick motions, or youll lose the distinct marbled effect
- Work quickly once you start icing because the colored sugar only sticks while the icing is wet
03 -
- Room temperature ingredients prevent the cinnamon sugar from sinking to the bottom during baking
- If you cant find colored sugar, mix a few drops of food coloring with regular sugar and let it dry overnight