How to Make King Cake Cupcakes - A Step-by-Step Guide

If you’re looking for a fun and delicious way to celebrate Mardi Gras, then these King Cake Cupcakes are the perfect recipe for you! These festive treats are inspired by the traditional King Cake, a sweet and colorful pastry that is a staple of Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans and throughout the southern United States. With a fluffy cake base, a cream cheese filling, and a vibrant colored sugar topping, these cupcakes are a delightful way to bring the spirit of Mardi Gras to your own ki...

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Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup butter, softened
  • ¾ cup white sugar
  • 2 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
  • 2 egg whites
  • ⅔ cup buttermilk
  • ½ (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
  • ¼ cup butter, softened
  • 2 teaspoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon lemon zest
  • 2 ¾ cups powdered sugar, or more as needed
  • Gold luster dust and green and purple sanding sugars

Information

  • Prep Time: 30 mins
  • Cook Time: 15 mins
  • Additional Time: 35 mins
  • Total Time: 1 hr 20 mins
  • Servings: 12
  • Yield: 12 cupcakes

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper cup liners.
  • Stir together flour, baking powder, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Cream butter, 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer until well combined. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add half of the flour mixture, all the buttermilk, and remaining flour mixture, beating after each addition until just combined.
  • Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full, and smooth tops with the back of a spoon.
  • Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack, about 30 minutes.
  • Meanwhile, make frosting. Blend cream cheese, butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar to reach a spreading consistency.
  • Frost cooled cupcakes and decorate with luster dust and sanding sugars.
  • Nutrition

    317 cal.

    • Total Fat: 11g
    • Saturated Fat: 7g
    • Cholesterol: 31mg
    • Sodium: 201mg
    • Total Carbohydrate: 53g
    • Dietary Fiber: 0g
    • Total Sugars: 44g
    • Protein: 3g
    • Vitamin C: 1mg
    • Calcium: 40mg
    • Iron: 1mg
    • Potassium: 57mg