Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Originally posted in 2019.
Happy early Fat Tuesday, everyone!
Did you know? Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras) is the day before the Christian Lenten fasting season (Ash Wednesday) begins. "Because Lent is a time of fasting for Christians, the days leading up to Ash Wednesday provide the last opportunity for feasting (including simply eating forbidden items) until Easter. Traditionally it is a time dedicated to eating large quantities of sweets, cakes, and other meals usually not eaten during Lent". -https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat_Thursday.
"The cake" (the King Cake) for Mardi Gras is usually a ring-shaped, yeasted confection with cinnamon and sugar swirled throughout the batter, white icing on top, and sprinkles of gold (power), purple (justice), green (faith) colored sugar as garnish (mardigrasneworleans.com). And, "each king cake has a tiny plastic baby inside. The lucky person who receives the slice of cake with the baby has the next king cake party (or brings the next cake for the office)".-https://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/history/king-cakes.
Pretty cool, huh?
I tend to "bend the rules" in cooking, and my "take" on this New Orleans classic confection, is a cinnamon-swirled vanilla cupcake filled with apple butter, dolloped with a creamy buttercream frosting, and adorned with the traditional colors of Mardi Gras (gold, purple, and green). In our version, the apple butter filling (Cherchies® Apple Butter Spread) replaces the baby. (However, if you plan on bringing these tasty treats to a Mardi Gras party, by all means, add a plastic baby to one of the cupcakes! Or, for Easter, add a jelly bean and create a new tradition).
To celebrate Fat Tuesday in style, make this tasty Mardi Gras King Cupcake Recipe, a delightfully moist vanilla cupcake filled with cinnamony apple butter and topped with creamy buttercream icing. Change the decorations, and you have the perfect cupcake to celebrate any occasion*.
Thanks for stopping by:) Comment below if you have made this delicious recipe. Come back again for more family-tested recipes, entertaining ideas, and cooking tips using all our favorite Cherchies® gourmet products.
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*Note: Try this recipe with any of our Butter Spreads or Preserves in the middle if you want to mix things up.
Ingredients- "Perfect Vanilla Cupcakes"- Recipe adapted from Glorious Treats
Yields- 15-16 cupcakes
1 1/4 cups cake flour*
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup oil (vegetable or canola oil)
1/3 cup milk (whole or low fat, but avoid fat-free)
1/3 cup sour cream (full fat or light, but avoid fat-free)
1/2 jar Cherchies® Apple Butter Spread
Ground cinnamon
Yellow, green, and purple sprinkles (optional for decoration)
*Note- if you do not have cake flour, use this simple substitution; for every cup of flour, remove 2 Tablespoons (Tbsp) of flour, substitute with cornstarch, and sift together several times.
*Another Note- You could substitute any yellow boxed cake mix for the cupcakes, using the ingredients mentioned in the box and following the directions. If you go this route, use the ingredients listed on the box, skip down to the “Preparation for cupcakes” directions below, and add the Apple Butter and cinnamon, as indicated below.
Ingredients for Icing
1/2 cup butter-flavored shortening
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 teaspoon (tsp.) almond extract
1/2 teaspoon (tsp.) vanilla
4 Tablespoons half & half (milk is fine too)
1 lb. powdered sugar
Preparation
Preheat oven to 325*F.
Prepare the icing. Cream together shortening, butter, extracts, and milk. Gradually add powdered sugar. Mix until blended. Set aside.