Traditional King Cake Recipe

March 5, 2019Van
Blog post

Prep time: 2 hours 30 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Serves: 12

The best way to start any diet is to binge on delicious treats in the name of celebration.  Ask anybody from New Orleans and they’ll happily agree.  Nothing symbolizes the city of New Orleans, Mardi Gras, and the Southern “zest for life” more so than this delicious cake.

Beginning each January, the fine folks of New Orleans begin holding parties centered around King Cake.  The cake itself is reminiscent of a brioche cinnamon roll, with a hint of lemon flavor and decorated in a trifecta of color that originated from the Christian Bible.  Inside the cake you will typically find a tiny plastic baby.  If you are the lucky recipient of the piece containing the baby, its now your turn to host the next King Cake party at your place!  The cycle of partying continues in New Orleans—the rest of us can dream.

Laissez les bon temps rouler!! (Let the good times roll!)

Print Recipe

Traditional King Cake Recipe

  • Prep time: 2 hours 30 minutes
  • Cook time: 30 minutes
  • Serves: 12

www.foodisafourletterword.com

Ingredients

DOUGH

  • 3¼ Cups All Purpose Flour, (422g)
  • 1 Cup Milk, (room temp)
  • 3 Tablespoons Butter, melted
  • 1 Large Egg
  • 1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
  • 1 Packet Active Dry Yeast, (2¼ Teaspoons)
  • 5 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar, divided
  • ½ Teaspoon Salt

FILLING

  • 4 Tablespoons Salted Butter, softened
  • ⅓ Cup Granulated Sugar
  • 2 Teaspoons Ground Cinnamon

GLAZE

  • 2 Cups Powdered Sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon Water
  • 3 Tablespoons Cream Cheese
  • ½ Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
  • Purple, Yellow and Green Sanding Sugar Sprinkles

Method

  • 1)

    Pour 1 Cup of room temp Milk into a mixing bowl. Add 1 Tablespoon of Sugar and 1 Packet of Active Dry Yeast. Stir & set aside – after a few minutes it should be a little foamy. Add 3 Tablespoons of melted Butter, 4 Tablespoons of Sugar, 1 Teaspoon Lemon Juice and 1 Egg. Whisk well to mix in the egg.

  • 2)

    Use the paddle attachment with your stand mixer. Add 3¼ Cup Flour & ½ Teaspoon Salt and mix on the lowest setting until the flour starts clumping. Switch to the dough hook and kneed on low speed for about 10 minutes or until the dough is soft and smooth.

  • 3)

    Form the dough into a ball and place it into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with cling wrap and let it rise in a warm draft free place until it has doubled in size. About 2 hours.

    *INSTANT POT PROOFING: Lightly oil the Instant Pot liner. Place the dough into the pot & seal the lid. Press the Yogurt button and set for 1 hour.

  • 4)

    Punch down the dough and place onto a floured surface. Lightly flour the top of the dough and roll out to about 12 x 19 inches. Using your hands or silicone spatula, spread 4 Tablespoons of softened butter evenly onto the dough, leave the top 1 inch uncoated so you can seal it later. Mix ⅓ Cup of Granulated Sugar and 2 Teaspoons of Ground Cinnamon in a bowl, sprinkle this mixture evenly on the dough. Starting at the long roll the dough tightly to form a log, pinch the seam to seal the roll well. Your roll should be about 19 long. You can trim the uneven ends with a bread knife.

  • 5)

    Place a silicone baking mat or parchment paper onto a baking sheet. Form a circle using the roll and pinch the ends together to seal it well. Cover with a thin, slightly damp kitchen towel and let it rise until it doubles in size – about 45-60 minutes. You can tell if it’s been proofed enough if you press your finger into the dough and the indentation bounces back half way. Using sharp scissors, cut the top outer edge of the roll about an inch deep every two inches.

  • 6)

    Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the King Cake for 25-30 minutes. The top will be golden brown. Internal temp of the cake should read 190°F. Let it cool on the baking sheet until the top feels room temp.

  • 7)

    Use a sauce pan and add 3 Tablespoons of Cream Cheese and melt on low heat. Add 1 Tablespoon of Water, 2 Cups of Powdered Sugar, ½ Teaspoon of Vanilla Extract. Whisk well until you have a smooth, pourable glaze. Add a little more water if the glaze is too thick. Spoon the glaze to cover top of the cake. Decorate by sprinkling Purple, Yellow and Green Sanding Sugar onto the glaze.

    *Optional – Decorate with a little plastic baby or hide it by sticking it into the bottom of the cake. Be sure to tell your guests to check for the baby before eating. Enjoy!

↓ Supplies to make this recipe ↓

 






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