Description
Celebrate Mardi Gras with this classic King Cake recipe, featuring a soft, cinnamon-spiced dough filled with creamy cream cheese and topped with vibrant purple, green, and yellow sugars symbolizing the festive spirit of New Orleans.
Ingredients
Scale
Dough
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup warm milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 4 large eggs
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
Filling
- 1 cup cream cheese, softened
Topping
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 cup purple sugar
- 1/2 cup green sugar
- 1/2 cup yellow sugar
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk and let it sit for 5 minutes until foamy, indicating the yeast is active.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, combine granulated sugar, softened butter, salt, ground cinnamon, and eggs thoroughly until well incorporated.
- Combine Mixtures: Add the yeast-milk mixture to the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix well to blend all components.
- Incorporate Flour: Gradually add all-purpose flour to the wet mixture, stirring continuously until a soft dough starts to form.
- Knead Dough: Transfer the dough to a floured surface and knead for approximately 5 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- First Rise: Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover it with a cloth or plastic wrap, and allow it to rise in a warm place for 1 hour until it doubles in size.
- Preheat Oven: Set the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking.
- Shape Dough: Roll the risen dough into a rectangle and evenly spread the softened cream cheese filling over the surface.
- Form Ring: Roll the dough tightly into a log and then shape it into a ring, pinching the ends to seal.
- Second Rise: Place the ring on a baking sheet and let it rise for an additional 30 minutes, allowing the dough to puff up.
- Bake: Bake the king cake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes until the exterior is golden brown.
- Cool and Decorate: Allow the cake to cool completely before icing with a mixture of powdered sugar and milk, then sprinkle the colored purple, green, and yellow sugars over the top for a festive finish.
Notes
- Ensure the milk is warm but not hot to prevent killing the yeast.
- Kneading the dough properly develops gluten for a soft, fluffy texture.
- Use a light hand when spreading the cream cheese to avoid leaks during baking.
- Colored sugars represent the traditional Mardi Gras colors: purple for justice, green for faith, and gold (yellow) for power.
- Allow the cake to cool before icing to prevent the glaze from melting.
- You can hide a small plastic baby or charm inside the cake to follow tradition.
