Make a classic king cake with this simple recipe for Mardi Gras. Includes ingredients list, step-by-step directions, and baking tips for a tasty, festive dessert.
Learn how to make a traditional Mardi Gras king cake with this easy recipe. This homemade King Cake is perfect for parties, with colorful icing and a hidden surprise inside every cake!
King Cake Recipe: Easy Homemade Mardi Gras Dessert
The King Cake is a vibrant, ring-shaped sweet bread that is tied to Mardi Gras and the Christian celebration of Epiphany. This rich, buttery, brioche-style dough has a tight spiral of cinnamon filling baked into the middle. It is then topped with a sweet glaze and decorated in purple, green, and gold sugar—the traditional Mardi Gras colors representing justice, faith, and power. The colorful sugary glaze makes spotting a king cake during mardi gras season easy. Heh
One thing I was very surprised about when we moved to the Pensacola area is how New Orleans-ish it is here. There is a parade every week from the beginning of January through Fat Tuesday. Every. Week. The Gulf Coast is more southern than Florida, with a dose of the bayou thrown in for flavor.
We do have many traditional Southern foods in this area, such as gumbo, jambalaya, shrimp, and grits, along with New Orleans foods such as crawfish or shrimp étouffée, shrimp creole, and muffulettas. Restaurants proudly display and advertise their NO cuisine. This crash and burn cocktail is my interpretation of a popular drink at a Cajun restaurant.
Oddly, we do not have many places that serve beignets in the area, but to be quite honest, the last time I was in New Orleans a few months ago, I passed them. They just aren’t my favorite sweets.
However, a king cake… If your area does a lot for Mardi Gras, you know good king cakes are rather expensive. The better ones sold at bakeries or farmers’ markets in my area are $25-$40, depending on the size. With that in mind, making one fresh at home with this easy king cake recipe is a great idea!
History of the King Cake Recipe:
The origins of the cake trace back to ancient Roman Saturnalia festivals, where a cake with a hidden bean was used to select a “king” for the celebration. In the 12th century France the cake is believed to have evolved. The cake, called galette des rois in France, was a puff pastry filled with almond paste, often containing a bean. The tradition quickly spread to Spain, roscón de reyes, and outward where the cake changed depending upon regional tastes.
Europeans celebrated the coming of the three wise men bearing gifts twelve days after Christmas, calling it the Feast of the Epiphany, Twelfth Night, or King’s Day.
A big part of the celebration was the baking of a king’s cake to honor the three Kings. The cakes were made circular to portray the circular route used by the kings to get to the Christ Child, which was taken to confuse King Herod, who was trying to follow the wise men so he could kill the baby Jesus. Some say the cake is circular to represent a crown. The colored sprinkles/sugar on the icing are gold for power, green for faith, and purple for justice. Early versions of king cakes had a bean, pea, or coin hidden inside the cake. The person who received the hidden piece was declared king for the day.
Twelfth Night signifies the beginning of the carnival season, starting on the Epiphany (January 6th) and ending with Mardi Gras Day (Fat Tuesday). The traditional king cake had a bean, pea, or coin, which has now been replaced by a small plastic baby to symbolize the Christ Child. If you prefer not to include a baby in your cake, use a pecan half or an orange wedge instead. Whoever finds the baby is said to be prosperous in the coming year and is responsible for providing the king cake for the following year. This playful tradition adds a layer of fun and anticipation to every bite.
Having a mardi gras celebration? This little guy is over the top adorable, and this mardi gras wreath is simply beautiful.
Tips and variations for making this King Cake
● Shaping the cake into a ring isn’t just for tradition. This helps the cake bake evenly and fully in the middle.
● The cake must be fully cooled before adding the glaze; otherwise, it will just melt into the dough.
● You really want to pinch the edges of the dough to keep that cinnamon sugar mixture inside the cake. If it isn’t pinched really well, it will leak all over the pan.
● In the United States, ½ cup butter = 1 stick, 1 cup = 2 sticks
● Butter in Baking: Essential Tips for Perfect Baked Goods
● For my UK and Australian friends: confectioners’ sugar is icing sugar (powdered sugar, 10x).
● 2¼ teaspoons = 1 packet, .25oz active dry yeast
● How to make vanilla extract
● How To Make Colored Sugar
● This baked king cake is made with ingredients commonly found in your local grocery store.
● Store leftovers, covered, at room temperature for 4 days. The filling and glaze will keep the cake moist for longer than usual brioche breads. I do not recommend an airtight container for storage.
● You can freeze this cake by wrapping it tightly in two layers of plastic wrap. It can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature when you are ready to eat.
King Cake Recipe Ingredient List:
For the Dough:
● 1 cup Milk
● ¼ cup Granulated White Sugar
● 1 teaspoon Salt
● 3½ cups All-purpose or Bread Flour, divided
● 1 package Quick Rise Yeast
● 2 large Eggs
● 6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, softened
For the Filling:
● 2/3 cups Brown Sugar
● 2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
● 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
For the Glaze and Garnish:
● 1 cup Confectioners’ Sugar
● 1 Tablespoon Milk
● ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
● 3-4 tablespoons each of Purple, Yellow, and Green Sugar Sprinkles
● Miniature Plastic Baby
King Cake Mise en Place:
● Microwave Safe Measuring Cup or Bowl
● Measuring Cup
● Measuring Spoons
● Stand-up Mixer(dough hook attachment, large bowl, etc.)
● Rubber Spatula
● Medium Bowl
● Plastic Wrap
● Parchment Paper
● Rolling Pin
● Serving Platter
King Cake Recipe Directions:
1. To make the dough:
2. In a microwave safe measuring cup or bowl, heat the milk with the granulated sugar and salt for 1 minute. The sugar and salt should be dissolved and the milk will be steaming. Set aside for a second.
3. Place 2¼ cups of the flour and the yeast in the bowl to your stand mixer. Use the dough hook to stir on low speed for about 30 seconds.
4. Add the warm milk mixture and mix on low speed until incorporated.
5. Add the eggs and mix until you get a wet dough.
6. Add the remaining flour slowly while stirring on a slow speed.
7. Add the softened butter, one piece at a time, waiting until the butter is mixed in before adding another piece.
8. Once all the butter has been incorporated, knead the dough on low speed for another 5 minutes.
9. Form the dough into a ball and place it in an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
10. 10 minutes before the dough is done chilling, make the filling.
11. In a small mixing bowl, stir the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together. Set aside for a second.
12. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
13. Roll the chilled dough into a rectangle that is about 10 x 20 inches.
14. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the rolled dough.
15. Start with the long side and roll the dough up. Pinch the end to ensure a tight seam. Bring the two ends together to create a circle. Pinch the ends together.
16. Place the king cake dough on the prepared baking sheet, seam side down. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for one hour.
17. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
18. Bake the king cake for 30-35 minutes in the preheated 350ºF oven.
19. When baked, remove from the oven and cool completely on the pan.
20. Once the cake has cooled completely, make the glaze.
21. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla extract.
22. Tuck the little baby into the cooled cake. Alternatively, if you do not want to place the baby figure in the cake, you can tuck the baby into a slice of king cake when serving.
23. Spoon the glaze over the top of the king cake.
24. Spoon the green, yellow and purple sugar sprinkles in rows into the glaze while the glaze is still wet.
25. Let the king cake stand for 10 minutes to set before slicing and serving.
26. Store leftovers, covered, at room temperature for four (4) days. The filling and glaze will keep the cake moist for longer than usual brioche breads.
King Cake Recipe: Easy Homemade Mardi Gras Dessert
King Cake Recipe: Easy Homemade Mardi Gras Dessert. Make a classic king cake with this simple recipe for Mardi Gras. Includes ingredients list, step-by-step directions, and baking tips for a tasty, festive dessert.
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 1 cup Milk
- ¼ cup Granulated White Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 3½ cups All-purpose or Bread Flour, divided
- 1 package Quick Rise Yeast
- 2 large Eggs
- 6 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter, softened
For the Filling:
- 2/3 cups Brown Sugar
- 2 teaspoons Ground Cinnamon
- 4 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter
For the Glaze and Garnish:
- 1 cup Confectioners' Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Milk
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 3-4 tablespoons each of Purple, Yellow, and Green Sugar Sprinkles
- Miniature Plastic Baby
Instructions
- To make the dough:
- In a microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl, heat the milk with the granulated sugar and salt for 1 minute. The sugar and salt should be dissolved, and the milk should steam. Set aside for a second.
- Place 2¼ cups of the flour and the yeast in the bowl to your stand mixer. Use the dough hook to stir on low speed for about 30 seconds.
- Add the warm milk mixture and mix on low speed until incorporated.
- Add the eggs and mix until you get a wet dough.
- Add the remaining flour slowly while stirring on a slow speed.
- Add the softened butter, one piece at a time, waiting until the butter is mixed in before adding another piece.
- Once all the butter has been incorporated, knead the dough on low speed for another 5 minutes.
- Form the dough into a ball and place it in an oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- 10 minutes before the dough is done chilling, make the filling.
- In a small mixing bowl, stir the butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon together. Set aside for a second.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Roll the chilled dough into a rectangle that is about 10 x 20 inches.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture over the rolled dough.
- Start with the long side and roll the dough up. Pinch the end to ensure a tight seam. Bring the two ends together to create a circle. Pinch the ends together.
- Place the king cake dough on the prepared baking sheet, seam side down. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise at room temperature for one hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Bake the king cake for 30-35 minutes in the preheated 350ºF oven.
- When baked, remove from the oven and cool completely on the pan.
- Once the cake has cooled completely, make the glaze.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla extract.
- Tuck the little baby into the cooled cake. Alternatively, if you do not want to place the baby figure in the cake, you can tuck the baby into a slice of king cake when serving.
- Spoon the glaze over the top of the king cake.
- Spoon the green, yellow and purple sugar sprinkles in rows into the glaze while the glaze is still wet.
- Let the king cake stand for 10 minutes to set before slicing and serving.
- Store leftovers, covered, at room temperature for four (4) days. The filling and glaze will keep the cake moist for longer than usual brioche breads.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
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Sieral 560 Pcs Purple and Gold Party Plates for 80 Guests Disposable Dinnerware Set Dessert Paper Plates with Purple Napkins Cups Gold Plastic Forks Knives Spoons for Birthday Wedding Party Supplies -
Creative Converting 8-Count Sturdy Style 7-Inch Paper Dessert Plates, Mardi Gras Masks, 7" -
Live It Up! Party Supplies Masks of Mardi Gras Paper Dessert Plates, Napkins, and Forks (Serves 16)
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
10Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 297Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 244mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 1gSugar: 31gProtein: 4g
Note: for exact nutritional information, consult your dietitian. All nutritional information provided is simply a guideline.
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Pat @ Mille Fiori Favoriri says
Looks delicious! I’ve made King Cake with a marzipan filling but I also like cinnamon and will try this next.