Description
Celebrate Mardi Gras with this easy and delicious King Cake recipe featuring a soft, cinnamon-swirled dough topped with a sweet glaze and colorful sprinkles. Perfect for festive gatherings, this traditional New Orleans treat combines a tender yeast dough with cinnamon-sugar filling and a simple powdered sugar glaze.
Ingredients
Dough
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
- 1 cup warm milk (about 110°F/43°C)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 large eggs
Filling
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
Frosting and Decoration
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2-3 tbsp milk or cream
- Colored sprinkles for decoration
Instructions
- Activate Yeast: In a large bowl, combine warm milk and active dry yeast; let sit for about 5 minutes until the mixture becomes frothy and bubbly, indicating the yeast is activated.
- Make Dough: Add melted butter, granulated sugar, salt, eggs, and half of the flour to the yeast mixture. Mix well, then gradually incorporate the remaining flour until a soft dough forms that is slightly sticky but manageable.
- Knead Dough: Transfer dough to a floured surface and knead for about 8 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let it rise in a warm place for approximately 1 hour until doubled in size.
- Prepare Filling: While the dough rises, mix brown sugar with ground cinnamon in a small bowl to create the filling mixture.
- Shape Dough: Once the dough has risen, punch it down gently to release air. Roll the dough into a large rectangle on a floured surface. Spread softened butter evenly over the dough, then generously sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top. Roll tightly from one long side to form a log.
- Form Cake and Second Rise: Shape the rolled dough into an oval shape and place it on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover loosely and let it rise again for 30 minutes while preheating the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake: Bake the King Cake in the preheated oven for about 25 minutes or until the top is golden brown and the cake sounds hollow when tapped.
- Prepare Frosting: Allow the cake to cool slightly. Meanwhile, mix powdered sugar with milk or cream until smooth and pourable to create the glaze.
- Decorate: Drizzle the glaze evenly over the cooled cake and decorate with colorful sprinkles to complete the traditional Mardi Gras look.
Notes
- Make sure the milk is warm, not hot, to avoid killing the yeast.
- For best flavor, use fresh active dry yeast and check expiration dates.
- Allow the cake to cool before glazing to prevent the frosting from melting.
- You can add a small plastic baby figurine inside the dough before the final rise for a fun Mardi Gras tradition.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or freeze for longer storage.
