Mardi Gras King Cake
A festive and colorful Mardi Gras King Cake featuring a soft, cinnamon-filled dough braided and topped with vibrant purple, green, and gold sugar, perfect for celebrating Carnival season.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup warm milk
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup melted butter (for filling)
- 1 cup powdered sugar (for icing)
- 2 tbsp milk (for icing)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Colored sanding sugar in purple, green, and gold
- Plastic baby figurine (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, dissolve yeast in warm milk and let it sit for 5 minutes until frothy.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add eggs, softened butter, and yeast mixture; knead until a soft dough forms, about 8-10 minutes.
- Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 to 1.5 hours.
- Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl for the filling.
- Roll the dough into a large rectangle, brush melted butter over it, and sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly.
- Roll up the dough tightly into a log, then shape it into a ring, sealing the ends together. Optionally, insert a small plastic baby figurine inside the ring.
- Place the ring on a parchment-lined baking sheet and let rise for another 45 minutes.
- Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25-30 minutes, until golden brown.
- While the cake cools, whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla to make icing.
- Drizzle icing over the cooled cake and generously sprinkle colored sanding sugars in traditional Mardi Gras colors (purple, green, and gold) over the top.
Notes
For an extra festive touch, add cream cheese filling inside or serve slices with cafe au lait for a true New Orleans experience.