Mardis Gras Cupcakes

Merry Mardis Gras! 

(Fat Tuesday in French)

I thought I'd share this fun recipe for cupcakes using the official colors of Mardis Gras, 

with their roots in Catholicism.

Purple=Symbol of Justice

Green=Faith

Gold=Power

*Idea inspired by Family Fun Rainbow Cupcakes*

Ingredients:

~White cake mix

~Food Coloring (red, blue, yellow, green)

~Baking Cups

~Frosting or Whipped Cream

Instructions:

1. Prepare your favorite white cake mix, then divide the batter evenly among three small bowls.

2. Add food coloring to the 3 bowls. (purple, green and yellow)  Combine red and blue food coloring to make purple. 

3. Line approximately 15 muffin pan wells with baking cups.  Evenly distribute the green batter among the cups, then the yellow, then the purple.  As you go, gently spread each layer of batter with the back of a spoon to cover the color underneath.

4. Bake the cupcakes according to your recipe directions.  Before serving, you may remove the paper wrapping to better view the color scheme.  This is what they look like inside!

5.  We added both chocolate and whipped cream frosting to please different palates and to see how both frosting colors reflected the colors.

6.  We made these Fleur-de-lis cupcake toppers from a google image, toothpicks and tape.  I reduced the image to 30% for printing.  You may find it here: http://fineartamerica.com/images-medium/3-mardi-gras-fleur-de-lis-karen-conine.jpg  Or you can google images for "Mardis Gras Fleur de lis" to find other beautiful ideas.

~There is much Christian/Catholic symbolism here~

Enjoy your feasting with this beautiful prayer:

~Fat Tuesday Prayer~

Blessed are you, Lord God of all creation, for it is from your goodness that we have this day to celebrate on the threshold of the Season of Lent.

Tomorrow we will fast and abstain from meat. Today we feast. We thank you for the abundance of gifts you shower upon us. We thank you especially for one another. As we give you thanks, we are mindful of those who have so much less than we do. As we share these wonderful gifts together, we commit ourselves to greater generosity toward those who need our support.
Prepare us for tomorrow. Tasting the fullness of what we have today, let us experience some hunger tomorrow. May our fasting make us more alert and may it heighten our consciousness so that we might be ready to hear your Word and respond to your call.

As our feasting fills us with gratitude so may our fasting and abstinence hollow out in us a place for deeper desires and an attentiveness to hear the cry of the poor. May our self-denial turn our hearts to you and give us a new freedom for generous service to others. We ask you these graces with our hearts full of delight and stirring with readiness for the journey ahead. We ask them with confidence in the name of Jesus the Lord.