Description

This Mardi Gras King Cake recipe offers a festive and traditional New Orleans treat featuring a soft, sweet yeast dough filled with either cinnamon or cream cheese filling. Braided and baked to golden perfection, it is topped with a pourable vanilla-lemon glaze and colorful purple, green, and gold sugar, perfect for celebrating Mardi Gras and sharing with friends and family.

Ingredients

Scale

Dough

1 cup milk
1/4 cup salted butter
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup warm water
1/2 cup granulated sugar divided
1 Tablespoon active dry yeast
2 large eggs beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 to 5 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (705g to 776g)

Cinnamon Filling

2/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour (68g)
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons salted butter melted

Cream Cheese Filling

8 ounces cream cheese softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2 Tablespoons salted butter softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Frosting

2 cups powdered sugar
3 Tablespoons milk
1 Tablespoon salted butter melted
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

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Instructions

Prepare Dough: Heat the milk and butter together in a microwave-safe bowl for 60-90 seconds until melted and warm. Stir in the salt, and let the mixture cool until just warm, about 120° to 130°F.
Activate Yeast: In a separate bowl, combine the warm water, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and active dry yeast. Stir and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until the yeast becomes foamy, indicating it is active.
Mix Dough: Once the yeast is foamy, add the milk and butter mixture, remaining sugar, beaten eggs, vanilla extract, and 1 cup of the flour. Mix well. Gradually add the remaining flour while kneading with a dough hook or by hand, being careful not to add more than 5 1/2 cups total unless necessary to reduce stickiness. Knead for 5 minutes with a mixer or 8-10 minutes by hand until the dough is soft and starts pulling from the sides of the bowl.
First Rise: Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead briefly to form a smooth ball. Lightly oil a clean bowl and place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours until doubled in size.
Prepare Fillings: For cinnamon filling, mix brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon, and melted butter until combined. For cream cheese filling, beat together softened cream cheese, powdered sugar, softened butter, and vanilla extract until smooth. Use half the quantity of fillings if making only one cake.
Shape the Cakes: Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Punch down the risen dough and divide it in half. Roll each half into a roughly 10×16-inch rectangle on a floured surface. Cut each rectangle in half lengthwise to make two long strips. Spread or crumble your chosen filling evenly over each strip. Roll each strip into a long cylinder, then twist the two cylinders together to form a rope braid. Shape each braided rope into an oval and pinch the ends to seal. Transfer to the baking sheets. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let rise for 30-45 minutes until puffy.
Preheat Oven and Bake: While the dough is rising, preheat your oven to 350°F. Bake the risen king cakes for 25-30 minutes, until they are golden brown and an internal temperature of 190° to 195°F is reached. Remove from oven and cool completely on a wire rack.
Prepare Frosting: Beat together powdered sugar, milk, melted butter, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until smooth and pourable but thick enough to spread.
Decorate and Serve: Insert a plastic baby figurine into each cooled cake, hiding it inside. Drizzle the frosting over the cakes and spread as needed for coverage. Sprinkle with purple, green, and gold sugar while the frosting is still wet. Slice and serve, celebrating the tradition that whoever finds the baby is king or queen for the day.

Notes

If the dough feels too sticky, add up to 1 cup more flour gradually to achieve a workable but still soft dough.
King Cake is best enjoyed fresh but can be stored at room temperature for 2-3 days or refrigerated up to 1 week, covered tightly.
Freeze finished King Cake wrapped well for up to 2-3 months; thaw at room temperature 2-3 hours before serving.
Use a pizza cutter for neat dough division; a rolling pin and parchment paper are essential for rolling and baking.
For instant yeast, mix the yeast with 3 cups of flour and sugar first, then add other ingredients, knead, and refrigerate dough for a 1-hour rise.
Refrigerate dough overnight for make-ahead convenience, then bring to room temperature before shaping and baking.
Try different fillings such as strawberry, cherry, blueberry pie fillings or German chocolate frosting for variety.
Colored sugar can be homemade by shaking granulated sugar with a few drops of food coloring in a sealed jar if unavailable in stores.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 slice (approx. 1/20 of cake)
Calories: 320
Sugar: 18g
Sodium: 210mg
Fat: 12g
Saturated Fat: 7g
Unsaturated Fat: 4g
Trans Fat: 0g
Carbohydrates: 45g
Fiber: 1.5g
Protein: 5g
Cholesterol: 45mg