Are you ready for Mardi Gras?
One of these years, I really would love to go to Mardi Gras in New Orleans, see the parades and the parties, and of course, eat! Back home in Dallas, we had friends from Louisiana and every year they threw a wonderful party for Mardi Gras, complete with some amazing Cajun dishes. Personally, I’m a little partial to King Cake. One really cannot go wrong with butter cake, yummy icing and pretty sugared sprinkles.
We received this recipe from Zatarain’s (make sure to come back later for Mardi Gras tips and other Cajun recipes from them) and knew it just had to be shared. Even better for me? The husband’s birthday is on Wednesday, so it’s the perfect reason to make extra cupcakes!
Zatarain’s King Cake Cupcakes with Creole Cream Cheese & Root Beer Frosting
Yellow Butter Cake
Ingredients:
1/4 pound butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 large eggs
1 1/4 cup cake flour
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Directions:
In a mixer at medium speed, cream butter, sugar, and salt together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time while the mixer is running, making sure each egg is totally mixed in before adding another. Beat mixture until light and fluffy, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl carefully.
In a separate mixing bowl, combine flour and baking powder using a wire whisk to sift and combine them. In another separate bowl, mix the milk and vanilla.
Alternate adding wet and dry ingredients to butter mixture, starting and ending with the dry ingredients. Do not over mix, as batter should be thick and fluffy. Spoon into lined cupcake pans, filling each cup about 2/3 full. Bake at 350° for 12-14 minutes or until done.
Creole Cream Cheese Filling with Root Beer
Ingredients:
1 pound softened Creole or regular cream cheese 1/2 cup shortening
1/4 pound powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon Zatarain’s Root Beer Extract Dried fava beans (set aside)
Directions:
Combine shortening and cream cheese in mixer at medium speed and whip with paddle until smooth.
Add powdered sugar and whip until fluffy, mix in Zatarain’s Root Beer extract until well combined.
Root Beer Frosting
Ingredients:
1 pound powdered sugar
1/4 pound butter
1/2 cup shortening
1/4 cup All-Purpose flour
1/4 cup water
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon Zatarain’s Root Beer extract
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in bowl of mixer. Beat together at medium speed until light and fluffy.
Cupcake Assembly:
- After baking the cupcakes and allowing them to cool completely (about an hour), use a 1′4 tsp measuring spoon to scoop out the center of the cupcake from the top to about half-way down.
- With a piping bag, or plastic bag with the corner snipped off, fill the hole with the filling.
- Insert a dried fava bean into the filling of each cupcake. Note fava bean is for decoration only and should not be eaten.
- Using a star tip and separate piping bag, pipe the frosting starting on the outside, working your way to the center in one continuous motion. Top with green, purple and yellow or gold sprinkles or decorative sugar like on a traditional King Cake.
What are you cooking this week? Link up and share!
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