Mardi Gras Cupcakes (Free Printable)

Mardi Gras is coming up and what better way to celebrate than with these decadent and vibrant Mardi Gras cupcakes! They are fun and colorful, fluffy and delicious.

These sweet treats are the perfect dessert idea for your Mardi Gras party. This Mardi Gras dessert is easy to make, can be made ahead of time, and is a sure hit with your guests.

It’s that time of year again when we all get together and celebrate in the streets with friends and family! What better way to commemorate than with some delicious Mardi Gras cupcakes?

These cupcakes are not only festive but also taste amazing. They are made with rich, decadent flavors that will make your taste buds jump for joy.

These cupcakes will make your Mardi Gras celebration even more special. They are the perfect way to celebrate Fat Tuesday!

Get into the holiday spirit with this festive Mardi Gras food. 

Why You’ll Love This Mardi Gras Dessert.

• They’re soft, fluffy, and delicious
• They’re vibrant and festive, perfect for Mardi Gras
• You can make them in advance
• Easy to make
• Easy to find ingredients
• Kid-friendly

Looking for a festive and fun way to celebrate Mardi Gras? Look no further than these amazing Mardi Gras cupcakes!

They are colorful, fluffy, and delicious. You can customize the frosting to your liking and top with sprinkles for an extra touch of fun.

You’ll find the specific ingredient amounts and detailed instructions in the printable recipe at the bottom of this post.

Equipment Needed to Make This Mardi Gras Cupcakes Recipe.

For this cupcake recipe, you will need:

• Standard sized muffin/cupcake tin 
• Hand or stand mixer
• Mixing bowl 
• Cupcake liners
• Spatula 
• Measuring cups or spoons
• Cooling rack
• AmeriColor Food Coloring – Electric Kit – Soft Gel Paste 
• 7.75 Ounce Bottles 
• 1-16-inch piping bag
• 3-12-inch piping bags
• 1M, 2D, or tip 836 (you need a large star tip)

Ingredients for Your Mardi Gras Cupcakes.

This dessert recipe yields 24 cupcakes. Prep time takes 10 minutes, while baking time takes 20 minutes. Total: 45 mins

Ingredients needed:

• white cake mix 
• eggs
• cup oil 
• water
• vanilla, optional
• electric gel food color (yellow, green, and purple)

How to Make Your Mardi Gras Cupcakes.

Step 1. Add the cake mix, vanilla, eggs, oil, and water to a mixing bowl. Mix according to package instructions.

Step 2. Separate the mix into three bowls. 

Step 3. Add 1-2 drops of food color per bowl and mix until well incorporated. 

Step 4. Line cupcake tin with cupcake liners.

Step 5. Add one tsp of each color to the liners until 3/4 full. Bake for 15-18 min

Step 6. Let cool.

Frosting:

Step 1. Make your favorite vanilla frosting. Dye it the same 3 colors as the batter.

Step 2. Place each color in a 12-inch piping bag. Drop a 1M tip into a 16-inch piping bag.

Step 3. Add the 12-inch piping bags to the 16-inch bag and pipe a swirl on top of each cupcake. 

Step 4. Add sprinkles and enjoy!

What to Serve with Your Mardi Gras Dessert.

You can pair your cupcakes with chocolate or caramel syrup.

Fruits, nuts, and candy can be served with your cupcake. You can use them as toppings or dessert. 

You can serve your Mardi Gras Dessert with wine. You can also have them with your favorite coffee or tea. 

Popular Substitutions & Additions

• Melted chocolate
• Caramel
• Candy (M&Ms, Snickers, peanut butter cups, etc.)
• Nut butter (specifically peanut butter)
• Jam
• Fresh fruit slices (berries, apples, etc.)
• Cinnamon
• Pudding
• Cream or cream cheese
• Lemon curd
• Meringue
• Buttercream
• Cookie dough
• Cookies (e.g., Oreos)
• Brownies
• Marshmallows
• Sprinkles
• Whipped cream
• Glaze
• Powdered sugar

How to Reheat & Store Mardi Gras Cupcakes

Best Way to Store Your Mardi Gras Dessert Leftover

Once frosted, you can store these cupcakes in the refrigerator. 

How Long Will Mardi Gras Cupcakes Last in the Fridge?

Cupcakes with filling or frosting last 3 to 5 days in the fridge. 

Can I Freeze This Mardi Gras Food?

Yes, you can freeze your Mardi Gras cupcakes. Place them individually in a separate sturdy, airtight containers, and put them in the freezer. They can last up to 3 months in the freezer. Do not put your frosted cupcakes in plastic bags. Use glass or plastic containers so the frosting can hold its shape. 

How to Reheat These Delicious Desserts

This is easy. Just remove them from the freezer. Still, in their airtight containers, leave them at room temperature for a couple of hours. They will be ready to serve. 

Cupcake Recipes FAQs

Is it better to freeze cupcakes with or without frosting?

If you plan to consume your cupcakes within 2 days, you can leave them at room temperature. This includes cupcakes with frosting or filling. But if you have no plans of eating them immediately, you can freeze them for at least 3 to 5 days. 

Is there a difference between cupcakes and muffins? 

Cupcakes generally have a lighter and fluffier texture than muffins, while the latter has a denser texture. The cupcake batters are smooth and soft, while the muffins’ batter is thicker. 

Can I make cupcakes the day before? 

Yes, you can make your cupcakes 2 days ahead. You can store them at room temperature (unfrosted), wrapped in plastic wrap. You can frost them before serving. Should you prefer freezing them (unfrosted) when made in advance, you can wrap them in plastic wrap then with foil.

What makes the perfect cupcake?

You can make perfect, consistently-shaped cupcakes by using an ice cream scoop. Use a 3-tablespoon scoop, which makes the cupcake liner 2/3 full. This is the perfect amount of cupcake batter in the liner. 

Do you spray cupcake liners before baking?

Yes. Give your liners a quick spritz of nonstick cooking spray. This will prevent your cupcakes from sticking. 

Check out this Kitchen Toolbox! It has cheat sheets that will help you cook easier and faster.

Printable Cupcake Toppers

I made these really cute Mardi Gras Cupcake toppers for you to use when you are having your celebration. Below is a list of items you might need.

• Cricut Cutting Machine
• Sticker Paper
• Tooth Picks
• Card Stock
• Cupcake Topper PDF

This is just a friendly reminder, as with all my printables on Kelly’s Thoughts On Things, that these are for personal use only. You may not sell them, mass-produce them or claim the design as your own (Sadly, I see this happen all too often!). If you have questions about the design, feel free to email me.

Other Cupcake Recipes You’ll Love

• Fresh Strawberry Cupcakes
• Fluffy Red Velvet Cupcakes
• Banana Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Easy Chocolate Cupcake
• Lemon Cupcakes
• Easy Vanilla Cupcake
• Dulce de Leche Mocha Cupcakes
• Carrot Cake Cupcakes
• Harry Potter Butterbeer Cupcakes
• Wedding Cake Cupcakes
• Chocolate Cupcakes with Oreo Buttercream
• Lemon Cupcakes with Raspberry Buttercream Frosting
• Easy Mini Cheesecakes
• Moist Vanilla Cake 
• Strawberry Cupcakes with Fresh Strawberry Buttercream Frosting
• Browned Butter Frosting
• Salted Caramel Chocolate Cupcakes
• Out of This World Cinnamon Roll Cupcakes
• Lemon Raspberry Cupcakes with Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting
• Easy Chocolate Caramel cupcake
• Churro Cupcakes
• Lemon Blueberry Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting
• Pink Velvet Cupcakes
• Almond Amaretto Cupcakes
• Strawberry Crunch Cupcakes
• Vanilla Cinnamon Sugar Cupcakes
• Caramel Apple Cupcakes with Homemade Caramel Sauce
• Pumpkin Cupcakes

Mardi Gras is a festive holiday that celebrates the last day before Lent.

The tradition of wearing costumes and eating colorful, yummy cupcakes makes it extra fun!

These Mardi Gras Cupcakes are fluffy, delicious, and perfect for any occasion.

Mardi Gras Cupcakes Recipe

WHAT’S NEXT?

Don’t forget to come back and let me know how your Mardi Gras Cupcakes turned out!

If you get a chance to try it, let us know! Leave us a comment below, or share it with a picture on Instagram or Facebook! Don’t forget to tag us @kelly_reci_ and use the hashtag #Kellysthoughtsonthings so we can see what amazing meals you are cooking up!