Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez Cupcakes

Let the good times roll! As we approach Mardi Gras, that’s the cry that millions of party goers will be yelling in the streets of New Orleans. The parades, the King Cakes and the beads.

Everyone I know has a “story” about the time they visited New Orleans and most of them include Bourbon Street, an alligator, a BAB (Big Ass Beer), a hooker and Pat O’Brien’s. I’ve got a few stories too. I spent Y2K New Year’s Eve in the Big Easy and let me tell you there was nothing easy about that night! But that’s night time.

Catch NOLA in the daytime and the city is very romantic and oozing with history. One of my favorite traditions is visiting Cafe Du Monde in the French Quarter at Jackson Square. Lines wrap around this outdoor coffee stand for days with patrons waiting for a Cafe Au Lait and a Beignet.

A can of Cafe Du Monde chicory coffee has been in my pantry for months. I brewed up a pot awhile back, not remembering how strong the flavor of chicory is/was.

The strong flavor of the chicory I thought would be perfect in a chocolate cupcake with a subtle vanilla buttercream frosting to help the cake not be too overwhelming. What makes this cupcake extra special is the fresh powered sugar covered beignet on top.

Besides the mess from frying the beignet, I think I worked out a great cheat.

Laissez Les Bon Temps Roulez Cupcakes
Original recipe from PrissyCook!

For the cupcake:
Take one box of Devil’s food cake mix and substitute one cup of strongly brewed Cafe Du Monde coffee. Bake according to the directions.

For the frosting:
Take one container of vanilla buttercream prepared frosting and add 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Mix well.

For the beignet:
Fry according to the directions on the box. I prepared a 1/4 of the recipe and more than enough to top each cupcake.

Cupcake Hero January: Coffee