I like a little silliness in the Mardi Gras season. Lots of sprinkles and glitter and fun. I have taken a classic recipe for what I have always called French puffs (I hear they are now sometimes called duffins for donut/muffin) and added a Mardi Gras twist with colored sanding sugar. The muffin is simple, vanilla scented and not too sweet, but a dip in cinnamon sugar gives a punch of sweetness and flavor. The vanilla and cinnamon combination is nod to classic king cake and perfect for a lovely brunch or Mardi Gras morning.
I find colored sanding sugar at most grocery stores, but you can also order them online. I bought a set that came with some plastic babies for king cake! I mix mine up for a confetti of color, but you could easily do separate colors for a rainbow of muffins. And for other occasions like Easter or Christmas, you can use different colors with the same recipe. You can dip the whole muffin in butter and roll completely in the sugar, but I find too much sugar sticks to your fingers when eating them! Serve these warm from the oven or at room temperature, but make them the day you will eat them.
Ingredients
- For the Muffins
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg, room temperature
1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup buttermilk
- For the Topping
1/4 cup granulated sugar
¼ cup mixed purple green and gold sanding sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
Directions
- For the Muffins
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 24- cup mini muffin tin with baking spray.
- Beat the butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy, scraping the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla and egg and beat until smooth and creamy, scraping the bowl. With the mixer on low, add the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon in three additions, alternating with the buttermilk and scraping the bowl. End with the buttermilk. The batter will be thick, bit still scoopable. Use a small cookie scoop to fill the muffin cups mostly full. Use clean, damp fingers to press the batter into the cups. Bake for 16 – 18 minutes until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. When baked through, remove the muffins from the pan to a wire rack and cool just until you can pick them up. Proceed with the topping.
- For the Topping
- Mix the sugar, sanding sugar and cinnamon together in small bowl until the colors are evenly distributed. Melt the butter in a small, shallow bowl in the microwave (I use an 8-ounce ramekin). Dip the top of each muffin in the butter, then in the sugar mixture, rolling it around to coat the top. Return to the wire rack. These are lovely warm, but also delicious at room temperature.
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