.
“Laissez les bon temps rouler”
Let the good times roll!
It’s Fat Tuesday, the traditional day to feast to the max before the period of Lent when many of us give up something as well as spend time giving to others through ‘good works’. This is also the week of Mardi Gras in the U.S. and Carnival in Italy, Brazil, and other countries.
Now I’ve only been to one Mardi Gras party in my entire life and it was a huge hoot of fun! The host of the party was a Louisiana native and had fresh crawfish flown in for a gumbo. However, before those little critters met their stew, we held a crawfish race!
It was ridiculous and lasted quite a long time, if you can imagine. All the more time to drink more bourbon and rum-based concoctions.
At the end of the evening I enjoyed my first taste of the traditional Mardi Gras King Cake and was also the lucky winner of the piece of cake that had the baby Jesus figurine inside! The cake was superb and someday I’ll get my hands on a great recipe (there’s 100’s out there) and scratch it off my cooking and baking ‘bucket list’.
I’ve just joined another foodie blog group and we’re currently celebrating . . . you got it: Mardi Gras! This group obviously focuses on cooking for holidays, but each time we come together, we are given 3 ingredients that everyone must select from for their recipe while embracing the holiday theme. Bourbon, bananas, and andouille sausage were the options and I chose to do something new with bananas.
Bananas and New Orleans just scream Bananas Foster, a traditional flaming dessert. After googling this theme, I found some wonderful Mardi Gras Bananas Foster Muffins! Except for a few changes, I prepared the muffins according to the recipe, but used my own cream cheese frosting recipe. The addition of more butter flavoring to the frosting really adds some New Orleans ‘bam’ to ordinary cream cheese frosting.
I decided to drizzle the rum-sugar-cinnamon glaze on only 3 muffins and left the rest of the batch un-glazed. Both Mr. M. and P. and I were glad because we didn’t care for the overpowering rum flavor that dominated the deliciously light and flavorful muffins. The glaze idea was fine, but the dark rum is something I’ll leave out in the future. I’ll certainly make these muffins again . . . guaranteed! They rival a family recipe and quite honestly, I like these banana muffins much better than the recipe we’ve always made!
There’s a bit of rum flavor in the muffins too, but since they’ve were baked, the flavor is very, very subtle with the alcohol evaporating out. I imagine that one could also simply add rum flavoring if they are opposed to alcohol.
I couldn’t find any sugar crystals/glitter to sprinkle on top of the cream cheese, but found some tiny little sugar balls that fit the bill of the traditional purple, yellow, and green colors of Mardi Gras. Their delicacy mirrors the taste of these muffins!
Mardi Gras Bananas Foster Muffins
Ingredients
For the Muffins
For the Rum Glaze (optional)
For Roz's Cream Cheese Frosting
Instructions
Prepare Cream Cheese Frosting
I think Fat Tuesday has got to be one of the “holiday” we Canadians envy you most for! These cupcakes look wonderful.
Roz, this is such a lovely post with a story of craw fish “hunt”. I love it! And the muffins are perfect, colors are pretty, finally away from pink-red zone of the last week.
This is such a fun recipe, Roz. Those muffins look so festive and colorful and I love all those flavors.
Oh Mercy Roz! I’m sharing this at the Mardi Gras Party! xoxo
I think the diet’s going bye-bye tomorrow. I am not ready to make a “King’s Cake” – but these cupcakes – hello Fat Tuesday! You never looked so good!
What a great idea! I love bananas Foster and I love the hand-held muffins. Great way to let the good times roll.
Our forefathers had the insight to make an overtop celebration right in the middle of winter!!! Let’s celebrate Roz!!!
oh what a wonderful rendition of a bananas foster desert and a mardi gras holiday! i love this idea- so creative and I can only imagine just how delicious they taste!
The last time I had bananas foster was at Brennans in the French Quarter. It was delicious!
Your muffins are nothing but beautiful! I’ve got to try them.
Do I have to wait til Lent is over?
Mmmm, my Hubs would love these! What a great idea! Thank you for sharing!
Welcome to the club! : D You certainly picked a winner for your first go-round! They look delicious!
this looks fabulous, I just fisnished my savory lunch…I would love one of these right now.
Oh my goodness I bet cream cheese frosting on these is incredible!
Fun muffins! I have never been to Mardi Gras or a themed party 🙁
These muffins look amazing and adding rum to it, oh ya! Looks tasty, tasty!!
Roz, I’m so glad you’ve joined us! Your muffins look amazing…and I love your festive sprinkles 🙂
I’ve been to NLO a few times, and I have to say that I’ve indulged in Bananas Foster. So good! Great idea to turn these into muffins! I hear you on the rum, as I’m not a fan of it if it’s too overpowering. These look moist and I love that you found the Mardis Gras colors for the muffins. I’m hoping to make my first King Cake, now that I’ve chosen the recipe I want…and have the colored sugar. Can’t wait!
What a great indulgence on Fat Tuesday! I will bet it tasted wonderful with all those flavors! Thanks for sharing with us.
I’ve never been to Mardi Gras, but it does look like a good excuse to enjoy some good food! 🙂 These muffins sound delicious, and I love the sprinkles on top of that delicious cream cheese frosting!
Your muffins are gorgeous! I love the sprinkles 🙂 I am a huge fan of bananas foster so I bet I would love your muffins! I too still need to attempt king cake…one day I will get around to it. Thanks for participating in the hop! 🙂
Perfect for Mardi Gras!
Thank you for thoughtfully linking to my original recipe for Bananas Foster Muffins! Really glad you enjoyed it. 🙂
You’re welcome Heather. These are my favorite banana muffins now!