Mardi Gras King Cake

a gorgeous mardis gras king cake on a plate beautifully decorated.

5 from 1 vote

This Mardi Gras King Cake recipe is a delightful celebration in every bite. It features a soft, sweet bread dough, rolled up with a delicious cinnamon and brown sugar filling. Once baked to a perfect golden brown, it's topped with a smooth vanilla icing and sprinkled with colorful sugars in traditional Mardi Gras hues of green, purple, and yellow.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Rising Time1 30

Total Time2 30

Course: Cake, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 466kcal

Author: Joanna Cismaru

Ingredients

For The Dough

½ cup warm milk about 110°F
2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast
¼ cup granulated sugar
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 large eggs
¼ cup unsalted butter melted

For The Filling

1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
⅓ cup unsalted butter

For The Icing

2 cups powdered sugar
3-4 tablespoons milk
½ teaspoon vanilla extract

For Colored Sugars

green, purple, and yellow food coloring
¾ cup granulated sugar

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Dissolve the yeast in warm milk with a pinch of sugar. Let it sit until frothy (about 10 minutes).
In your stand mixer's bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, salt, and ground cinnamon. Add the activated yeast mixture, eggs, and melted butter all at once. Using the dough hook attachment, let the mixer knead the dough on a low setting. This should take about 5-7 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth and elastic.
Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
Mix brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Set aside.
Roll out the dough into a large rectangle. Spread softened butter over it, then sprinkle the brown sugar-cinnamon mixture evenly. Roll the dough tightly lengthwise. Form it into a circle and pinch the ends together.
Place the shaped dough on a baking sheet or bundt pan, cover, and let rise for 30 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Bake the cake for 30 minutes or until golden brown.
While the cake is cooling, mix powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract to make the icing. It should be thick but pourable. Take your granulated sugar and divide it equally into three separate small bowls. Add a few drops of green food coloring to the first bowl and mix thoroughly until all the sugar is uniformly green. Repeat this process with purple food coloring in the second bowl and yellow food coloring in the third bowl. Spread the colored sugars out on a baking sheet or parchment paper to dry for a bit. This prevents the colors from running when you sprinkle them on the icing.
Once your King Cake is iced, sprinkle the colored sugars over it. You can create alternating bands of green, purple, and yellow, or mix them as you like.

Notes

Activate the Yeast Properly: Ensure your milk is warm (about 110°F) to effectively activate the yeast. This step is crucial for a well-risen cake.
Let the Dough Rise Twice: For the best texture, allow the dough to rise twice – once after kneading and again after shaping.
Experiment with Food Coloring: Feel free to adjust the intensity of the colored sugars to suit your preference. More drops will result in more vibrant colors.
Store Properly: Keep the cake in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain freshness. It's best enjoyed within 2 days of baking.
Safety First with Food Coloring: When mixing the colored sugars, cover your work surface to avoid staining, and wear gloves to protect your hands.

Nutrition