Description
Louisiana’s king cake blends sweet dough, cinnamon, and festive spirit in a circular masterpiece. New Orleans bakers embrace this carnival tradition, delighting carnival revelers with each colorful, sugar-dusted slice.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3.5 cups (875 ml) all-purpose flour
- 2.25 tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
- 2 eggs
- 0.75 cup (180 ml) warm milk (110°F / 45°C)
- 0.5 cup brown sugar
- 0.25 cup (57 g) unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1.5 cups powdered sugar
- 0.25 cup (57 g) unsalted butter (melted)
- 0.25 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tbsps milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 0.5 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Green, purple, and gold colored sugar
- 1 small plastic baby (optional)
Instructions
- Yeast Activation: Combine yeast with warm milk in a small container, allowing the mixture to become frothy and bubbly for 5 minutes.
- Dry Ingredient Preparation: Mix flour, sugar, salt, nutmeg, cinnamon, and vanilla extract in a large mixing bowl, ensuring a uniform blend.
- Dough Formation: Merge eggs, melted butter, and activated yeast into the dry ingredients, creating a cohesive, slightly tacky dough through thorough mixing.
- Dough Development: Knead the dough on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes, transforming it into a smooth, elastic texture that springs back when touched.
- First Rise: Transfer dough to a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let it expand in a warm space until volume doubles, roughly one hour.
- Filling Creation: Combine brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and softened butter into a rich, spreadable mixture.
- Dough Shaping: Roll the risen dough into a rectangular shape, maintaining an even thickness of 10-20 inches.
- Filling Application: Spread the cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly across the dough, leaving a small margin around the edges.
- Rolling and Forming: Roll the dough lengthwise into a compact log, then shape into an oval on a prepared baking sheet, pinching ends to seal.
- Final Rise and Baking: Allow the shaped cake to rise for 30 minutes, then bake in a preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and hollow-sounding.
- Cooling and Glazing: Remove from oven, cool completely on a wire rack, then create a smooth glaze by whisking powdered sugar with milk and vanilla extract.
- Decoration: Drizzle glaze over the cooled cake, then sprinkle with traditional Mardi Gras colors – green, purple, and gold. Optionally, hide a plastic baby figurine within the cake.
Notes
- Activate Yeast Precisely: Ensure milk is warm (not hot) around 110°F to prevent killing yeast, creating perfect frothy activation.
- Knead Dough Strategically: Push and fold dough with consistent pressure, developing gluten for soft, elastic texture without overworking.
- Control Rising Environment: Place dough in draft-free, warm spot around 80-85°F, covering with damp cloth to maintain moisture and prevent surface drying.
- Customize Dietary Needs: Substitute all-purpose flour with gluten-free blend, use dairy-free milk alternative, and replace butter with coconut oil for adaptable version.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Cajun/Creole
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 13
- Calories: 320
- Sugar: 27 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 49 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 50 mg