Description
A festive and delicious King Cake filled with sweet cinnamon swirls, perfect for celebrating Mardi Gras.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup warm milk (about 110°F)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ½ cup granulated sugar, divided
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for dough)
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar (for filling)
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon (for filling)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted (for filling)
- 1 cup powdered sugar (for icing)
- 2 tablespoons milk or water (for icing)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for icing)
- Purple, green, and gold sanding sugar (for decoration)
- 1 small plastic baby (optional)
Instructions
- Activate the yeast by combining warm milk, yeast, and 1 tsp of sugar; let it froth.
- Mix the remaining sugar, eggs, softened butter, and salt in a large bowl.
- Add the frothy yeast mixture and 3 cups of flour, mixing until a shaggy dough forms.
- Knead the dough for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth and elastic, incorporating the cinnamon.
- Transfer the dough to an oiled bowl, cover, and let it rise for 1 to 1.5 hours until doubled.
- Prepare the filling by mixing brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter.
- Punch down the risen dough, roll it into a rectangle, and spread the filling.
- Roll the dough from one side to form a log, pinch to seal, and shape into a ring.
- Cover and let the shaped cake rise again for 30 to 45 minutes.
- Bake at 375°F for 25 to 35 minutes until golden brown.
- Make the glaze by whisking powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
- Decorate the cooled cake with glaze and sanding sugars.
Notes
Make-ahead tips: Prepare dough and filling the night before and let it rise in the fridge.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Cajun
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 300mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 51g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 5g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
Keywords: King Cake, Mardi Gras, New Orleans dessert, festive cake, cinnamon cake