It’s Mardi Gras time! Mardi Gras conjures up images of fun, frivolity and feasting and no Mardi Gras celebration would be complete without a colorful King Cake. A brioche or sweet roll dough is braided, baked in a circle and decorated with icing and purple, green and gold sugars. Kind of like a crown shaped cinnamon roll all dressed up for a party.
My sister lived in Louisiana for many years and she talks about all the fabulous King Cakes she’s had over the years. So when Betty Crocker offered me the opportunity to develop a King Cake recipe for their site, it was the perfect opportunity for me to finally bake this scrumptious bread/coffee cake.
My recipe uses Rapid Rise yeast which eliminates the time consuming first rise in many brioche recipe. My cake is filled with a traditional cinnamon sugar filling, but would be fabulous with a cream cheese or fruit filling as well.
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) Rapid Rise yeast
- 1 cup milk (120º to 130º)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, cut into 12 pieces
- 2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup powdered (confectioners) sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- dark green, purple, and yellow or gold sugars
- miniature plastic baby
Directions
- Mix 2 1/2 cups flour and yeast in mixing bowl, using the paddle attachment, on low for about 30 seconds.
- Heat milk, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and milk is between 120º to 130º.
- With mixer on low, pour in liquids and mix until incorporated. Add eggs one at a time. Continue mixing until a shaggy dough forms. Clean off paddle and switch to dough hook. Mix in the remaining 1 cup flour a little at a time, adding more or less flour as needed to make a soft dough. Add the softened butter, a piece at a time, kneading until each piece of butter is absorbed.
- Knead for eight minutes on low. The dough should completely clear the sides of the bowl. If it is too sticky, add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing in thoroughly before determining if more flour is needed. If the dough seems too dry, spritz with water from a spray bottle a couple of times, mixing in thoroughly before determining if more water is needed. Every 2 minutes, stop the machine, scrape the dough off the hook, and then continue kneading.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times by hand to be sure it’s smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a ball. Place dough into a greased bowl. Turn once so greased surface is on top. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- While the dough is chilling, make cinnamon filling. Combine the brown sugar and ground cinnamon. Combine butter with cinnamon mixture and mix well.
- Roll the chilled dough into a 10 x 20 inch rectangle. Spread the filling on half of the long side of the dough. Fold the dough in half covering the filling. Pat dough down firmly so the dough will stick together. Cut dough into three long strips. Press the tops of the strips together and braid the strips. Press the ends together at the bottom. Gently stretch the braid so that it measures 20 inches again. Shape it into a circle/oval and press the edges together. If desired, hide the miniature plastic baby in between the ends of the circle before sealing together in a ring. (You can also make a slit in the bottom of the cake and put the baby in after the cake is baked.)
- Transfer the ring to a parchment lined or greased baking sheet. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled, about 1 hour. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350º. Bake the cake until it is golden brown, 20 – 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes on baking sheet and then place it on a cooling rack to cool completely before icing.
- In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth (add additional milk if mixture is too thick or powdered sugar if too thin).
- Spoon icing over top of the cake. Immediately sprinkle on colored sugar, alternating between the three colors.
Notes
Tips: - Use a pizza cutter to easily cut dough into strips. - The cake can also be made without braiding. Just roll up the dough jelly roll style after spreading the filling.
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I love to bake, especially cookies, cakes, and pies. I’ll post my adventures in the kitchen, my favorite new recipes, as well as our family favorites.
I love the idea of a cinnamon roll all dressed up for a party. This looks so much better than most king cakes I’ve eaten!
Barbara, your mardi gras king cake is beautiful! Love how there is always a little baby inside these treats. I would find it very hard to share this cake with others
Bellissimo questo dolce nella versione carnevalesca, complimenti. Un abbraccio Daniela.
What a simply gorgeous creation, Barbara, and I’ll bet the flavor is equally sensational. No wonder Pillsbury tapped you for this fab recipe (and congrats for that well-deserved honor)!
Barbara – Not only is your King Cake beautiful – each time I stop by your site it gets better looking! You’re a Renaissance woman my dear – photographer extrodinaire, web mistress and fantastic chef!
Your king cake is stunning! The braiding is beautiful. I love that it uses quick rise yeast too, makes it so much quicker and easier.
Wow! Great job Barbara…this looks delicious and it’s so cool that you developed this for BC.
This looks amazing! I would to try this one day.
I heard of The King’s Bread. And there’s also King’s Cake? They look quite alike though. With sweet & colourful topping. Thanks for sharing anohter wonderful recipe. Hope you’re having a great day.
Cheers, Kristy
A king cake for Mardi grass sounds wonderful.
I love u used the rapid rise yeast , which one is good?
If i use rapid rise yeast for breads too , i can do the same way and save time on the first rise?
It sure looks good.
And the cake is sooo cute and pretty too.
What a gorgeous creation! Bravo Barbara!
Your king cake is beautiful Barbara! I love the cinnamon filling!
I made a King Cake this year too. However I love the braided look of yours! I also left off the sprinkles, so I love your color.
I’ve seen a few of these around, but yours is supreme! Gorgeous colours.
Barbara, one of my absolute favorite things must be a cinnamon-sugar-filled yeast coffee cake and yours looks perfect! And the colors on top do make it so festive. Yum! I must start this tradition in France, too, for Mardi Gras!
Stunning cake Barbara. Fit for a KING
Simply delicious! I was going to order a cake on line but after seeing the price tag of $50.00+shipping to get it here in CA, I decided to search online. WOW, it came out great. Lasted 2 days at the house and I’m making my second one tonight….this time with apple filling. Thanks…now my kids get to experience a little taste of what I grew up on. Native & left the city 25 years ago…but get back twice a year!
Thanks Pete! Your comment put a smile on my face. So glad it tasted like you remember growing up. I’m sure your apple version will be fabulous. I am going to New Orleans for the first time in April. Suggestions?
Barbara,
What a beautiful King Cake. I’m making my first this year – baking right now. I used the LAT recipe, but wish I’d seen yours first! I’m thinking I need to make your cake next week!
Thanks Lynn. I hope you give it a try. The LAT apple cream cheese filling sounds luscious.
I love this!! it look fun and cute