King Cake
User Reviews
5
44 reviews
Excellent
King Cake
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King Cake is a traditional festive sweet bread characterized by a spiced dough enriched with eggs, butter, and milk, filled with a cinnamon-sugar-butter mixture, then glazed and decorated with colored sprinkles. It’s a yeast-leavened cake featuring flavors of cinnamon and optional nutmeg, shaped and baked to a tender, slightly sweet bread with a filling swirl and a festive finish.
Description
The King Cake combines flour, yeast, milk, water, sugar, eggs, and spices like cinnamon and nutmeg to create a spiced yeast dough with a smooth and elastic texture. The filling consists of soft butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt, which provides a sweet, flavorful swirl inside the baked bread. After rising and baking, the cake is glazed with a simple mixture of powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract, then topped with colored sanding sugar or sprinkles in traditional Mardi Gras colors.
The dough requires careful assessment of consistency, adding flour as needed to achieve a slightly tacky but manageable dough suitable for kneading and rising. The yeast is proofed in warm milk and water to ensure active fermentation before mixing the batter. The cinnamon filling adds moist sweetness that contrasts with the soft bread, making the cake festive and richly flavored.
Traditionally, a small plastic baby is hidden inside the King Cake, but this recipe advises placing the baby after baking by cutting a small hole and concealing it with bread dough. The decorated King Cake suits celebrations such as Mardi Gras and serves as a centerpiece dessert, enjoyed sliced. The recipe allows substitution of bread flour with all-purpose flour if preferred.
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Ingredients
- 1 cup milk (I prefer to use whole milk)
- ⅓ cup water
- 2 ¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 5 Tablespoons butter melted, unsalted
- 1 egg large
- 2 egg large yolks
- 2 teaspoons table salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
- 5 cups bread flour plus additional as needed (625g) (may substitute all-purpose flour, see note)
Filling
- ½ cup light brown sugar firmly packed, or dark brown sugar
- 1 Tablespoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon table salt
- 4 Tablespoons butter softened, unsalted
Egg wash
- 1 egg large
- 1 teaspoon water
Glaze & Topping
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 Tablespoons milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- sanding sugar green, purple, yellow or gold
- Sprinkles green, purple, yellow or gold
Instructions
- Combine milk and water and heat in 20-second increments in a microwave-safe container (I use a glass measuring cup) until the temperature reads between 105-115F (40-46C) with an instant read thermometer (always stir before checking the temperature).
- Pour liquid into a large mixing bowl (or this recipe may be made in the bowl of a stand mixer with the dough hook attachment), add yeast and a teaspoon of the granulated sugar and stir until combined. Allow to sit until yeast is foamy (5-10 minutes). Note that if your yeast does not foam you will need to start over.
- Add remaining granulated sugar, melted butter, egg, egg yolks, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and just 2 cups (250g) of flour and stir until all ingredients are well-combined.
- Gradually stir in additional flour until your dough is well-combined and clinging to itself as you mix. It should be slightly tacky to the touch but not so sticky that it’s sticking to your fingers. You may not need all 5 cups of flour, or you may need more.
- Turn dough out to a clean, lightly floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes or until you have achieved a smooth, elastic dough. Add additional flour as needed if dough is sticking to your hands (with a stand mixer you will just mix with dough hook on low speed until proper consistency is reached).
- Place dough in a clean, lightly oiled large bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to rise in a warm, draft-free space until doubled in size (about 1-2 hours).
Filling & Assembly
- Whisk together brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt until combined. Butter should be soft enough to be spreadable, pop it in the microwave for several seconds if needed!
- Gently deflate dough and turn out onto a clean, lightly floured surface. Roll into a neat 10x20” rectangle and then cut in half lengthwise.
- Spread softened butter evenly over the surface of each rectangle, leaving a ½” (1.3cm) perimeter around all sides.
- Sprinkle butter evenly with filling. If using a plastic baby you would place it somewhere in the rectangle before rolling.
- Roll each rectangle lengthwise tightly into a rope and pinch the edges to make a seam.
- Twist the two ropes together to form a wreath and transfer to a parchment paper lined baking sheet.
- Cover with a towel and allow to rise until increased in size, about 45 minutes.
Baking & Decorating
- While dough is rising, preheat oven to 350F (175C) and prepare an egg wash by whisking together 1 egg and a teaspoon of water.
- Once dough has risen, remove towel and lightly brush all over with egg wash. Transfer to preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes or until bread is golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped, or preferably when a thermometer inserted in the thickest part reads 190F (87C). Allow to cool completely before decorating.
- Prepare glaze by whisking together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Glaze should be thick enough that when it drizzles off your whisk it should hold its shape for several seconds before dissolving back into the rest of the glaze in the bowl (add more milk if it’s too stiff and more sugar if it’s too thin).
- Drizzle glaze all over cooled king cake then decorate immediately with colored sprinkles, alternating patches of green, purple, and yellow sugar. Slice, serve, and enjoy!
Equipments used:
Notes
- To include a plastic baby traditionally, insert it into the cake after baking by cutting a small hole, placing the baby, and covering with a bread piece to hide it.
- All-purpose flour can substitute bread flour, but dough texture may vary; the dough should be smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky without sticking excessively.
- Use a thermometer to check yeast proofing temperature and dough readiness for the best results.
Nutrition Information
Show Details
Serving
1serving
Calories
401kcal
(20%)
Carbohydrates
65g
(22%)
Protein
9g
(18%)
Fat
12g
(18%)
Saturated Fat
6g
(30%)
Polyunsaturated Fat
1g
(6%)
Monounsaturated Fat
3g
(15%)
Trans Fat
1g
(50%)
Cholesterol
85mg
(28%)
Sodium
440mg
(18%)
Potassium
134mg
(3%)
Fiber
2g
(8%)
Sugar
26g
(52%)
Vitamin A
384IU
(8%)
Vitamin C
1mg
(1%)
Calcium
59mg
(6%)
Iron
1mg
(6%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 12servings
Amount Per Serving
Calories 401 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Serving | 1serving | |
| Calories | 401kcal | 20% |
| Carbohydrates | 65g | 22% |
| Protein | 9g | 18% |
| Fat | 12g | 18% |
| Saturated Fat | 6g | 30% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 1g | 6% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 3g | 15% |
| Trans Fat | 1g | 50% |
| Cholesterol | 85mg | 28% |
| Sodium | 440mg | 18% |
| Potassium | 134mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 2g | 8% |
| Sugar | 26g | 52% |
| Vitamin A | 384IU | 8% |
| Vitamin C | 1mg | 1% |
| Calcium | 59mg | 6% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Genuine Reviews
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
44 reviews
Excellent
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