Sasha's Kitchen: Mardi Gras King Cake Cupcakes

Just in time for Fat Tuesday, I made these Mardi Gras themed King Cake cupcakes. King Cakes are associated with Mardi Gras, and I have had them in the past (usually brought by a co-worker or what not) as a large round nutmeg flavored cake, dyed with tricolored purple, green and yellow icing.  The cake usually has a small trinket of a plastic baby hidden somewhere inside.  Last year for Mardi Gras I made some New Orleans beignets reminiscent of the Big Easy.  But this year, King Cakes, made into cupcakes it was! I am excited to report that I am going to be taking my first Saturday class at the Brooklyn Kitchen in a couple weeks - and New Orleans brunch is the theme of the first class I signed up for (the second will be on pickling, I have decided). 

For these Mardi Gras Fat Tuesday cupcakes, I made a nutmeg King Cake flavored cupcake. The frosting is just vanilla frosting dyed Mardi Gras colors, with some green sugar as well.

Sasha's King Cake Cupcakes (1 dozen)
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp nutmeg
3 large egg whites
3/4 cup skim milk
1 stick of butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 tsp lemon juice

Frosting
1 stick of butter
4 oz cream cheese
3 cups of confectioner's sugar
1 tsp vanilla
food coloring

Preheat the oven to 350. Line a cupcake tray with cupcake liners. Combine the dry ingredients and set aside in a bowl. In the basin of your stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar for about three minutes until smooth. Whisk in the egg whites. Beat while alternating between adding the milk and the dry ingredients. Mix until combined and smooth. Fill cupcakes about 3/4 of the way full and bake at 350 for about 30 minutes until done and a toothpick comes clean out of the center.  Allow to cool completely before frosting.

Beat the ingredients for the frosting on high for about three minutes until if forms a nice frosting.  Dye one portion purple and the other portion yellow using gel food colors. Use a spatula to spread on the cupcakes and put some green sugar in the middle.

Happy Fat Tuesday!