The Ultimate King Cake Recipe You Need to Try
Make the perfect King Cake with our easy recipe featuring cream cheese filling and traditional Mardi Gras colors. This king cake recipe brings New Orleans right to your kitchen!
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast 1 standard packet
- ½ cup granulated sugar plus 1 tablespoon for activating yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup whole milk warmed to 110°F
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter melted
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar for filling
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons milk for icing
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract for icing
- Purple green, and gold sanding sugar
- 1 plastic baby figurine
Instructions
- Warm milk to 110°F and add yeast with 1 tablespoon sugar. Let sit until foamy, about 5-10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, remaining sugar, and salt.
- Add yeast mixture, eggs, vanilla, and melted butter to the dry ingredients.
- Mix until a dough forms, then transfer to a floured surface.
- Knead dough for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1-1½ hours.
- Prepare filling by mixing brown sugar with cinnamon.
- Beat cream cheese with sugar until smooth for the cream cheese filling.
- Punch down risen dough and roll into a 24x12 inch rectangle.
- Spread cream cheese mixture over dough, leaving a 1-inch border.
- Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture over cream cheese.
- Roll dough from long side to form a log.
- Form into a ring, pinching seams to seal.
- Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, cover, and let rise for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown.
- Cool completely.
- Mix powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla to make icing.
- Drizzle icing over cooled cake.
- Immediately sprinkle with alternating sections of colored sugar.
- Insert plastic baby from bottom of cake after cooling.(Optional)
Notes
Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)
Based on 12 servings:- Calories: 385
- Total Fat: 14g
- Saturated Fat: 8g
- Cholesterol: 75mg
- Sodium: 220mg
- Total Carbohydrates: 60g
- Dietary Fiber: 2g
- Sugars: 32g
- Protein: 6g