Description
This easy king cake recipe brings the joyful spirit of Mardi Gras into your kitchen, with a delectable cinnamon sugar swirl and vibrant glaze.
Ingredients
Scale
- ¼ oz active dry yeast
- ¼ cup warm water (100° to 110°F)
- ½ tablespoon granulated sugar
- 8 oz full-fat sour cream
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg, lightly beaten
- 3 to 3 ½ cups bread flour
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
- 2–4 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Purple, green, and gold sprinkles
Instructions
- Stir the yeast, warm water, and sugar together in a small bowl, let sit for about 5 minutes until foamy.
- In a saucepan, heat sour cream, sugar, butter, and salt until the butter melts. Allow it to cool slightly.
- In a stand mixer, combine the sour cream mixture, yeast mixture, egg, and half of the flour, mixing on medium speed. Gradually add remaining flour, kneading for about 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
- Transfer dough into a greased bowl, cover, and allow to rise in a warm place for about an hour until doubled in size.
- Divide dough and roll each portion into a rectangle. Spread softened butter, sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture, and roll it up. Twist into a ring, transfer onto parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Allow to rise again until puffy. Preheat oven to 350°F and bake for 25–35 minutes until golden brown. Let cool slightly before glazing.
- For the glaze, beat powdered sugar, cream cheese, milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until smooth. Pour over cooled cake and decorate with sprinkles.
Notes
- Ensure the water for activating yeast is warm, not hot, to get the best results.
- Don’t skip the second rise after shaping the cake.
- Customize the filling by adding nuts or dried fruits for extra flavor.
- Prep Time: 1 hr 30 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 390 kcal
- Sugar: 38 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 58 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
Keywords: easy king cake recipe, mardi gras, cinnamon sugar, dessert, festive baking