Description
King cake delights with New Orleans’ festive Mardi Gras tradition, blending sweet dough and colorful sugars. Louisiana bakers celebrate carnival season with this spirited, cinnamon-swirled pastry you’ll adore.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 5 to 5.5 cups all-purpose flour (705–776 grams)
- 1 cup milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup salted butter
- 2/3 cup warm water
- 1 tablespoon active dry yeast
Flavoring and Filling Ingredients:
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1.5 teaspoons salt
- 2/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (68 grams)
- 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons salted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Frosting Ingredients:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 tablespoon salted butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Activate yeast by dissolving in lukewarm water with a pinch of sugar. Allow mixture to become frothy and bubbly, approximately 5-7 minutes at room temperature.
- Combine warm milk and melted butter, then incorporate yeast mixture. Gradually fold in flour, eggs, and vanilla, creating a smooth, elastic dough. Knead thoroughly until texture becomes silky and uniform, approximately 8-10 minutes.
- Transfer dough to lightly greased container, cover with damp cloth. Let rise in warm environment until volume doubles, roughly 1-1.5 hours.
- Prepare filling by blending cinnamon, sugars, and softened butter into homogeneous mixture. Separately, whip cream cheese with powdered sugar until creamy and consistent.
- Divide proofed dough into two equal portions. Roll each section into rectangular shape, spreading selected filling evenly across surface.
- Carefully roll dough into cylindrical shape, then twist together to create braided appearance. Form into distinctive oval ring, ensuring smooth connection points.
- Allow shaped cake to proof again for 30-40 minutes in draft-free location until slightly puffy.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake cake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 190°F.
- Once cooled, conceal plastic baby figurine within cake. Drizzle with vanilla glaze and generously sprinkle with festive colored sugars.
- Let frosting set completely before serving, creating traditional Mardi Gras presentation.
Notes
- Customize Yeast Activation Ensure water temperature is between 100-110°F for optimal yeast performance, preventing killing or under-activation of the yeast.
- Dough Consistency Check knead the dough until smooth and elastic, avoiding over-mixing which can make the cake tough and dense.
- Filling Variations Experiment with alternative fillings like fruit preserves, chocolate, or nutella to create unique flavor profiles while maintaining traditional cake structure.
- Temperature Precision Use a kitchen thermometer to accurately check cake’s internal temperature, guaranteeing perfect baking and preventing underdone or dry results.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Creole/Cajun
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 305
- Sugar: 35g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 4g
- Cholesterol: 40mg