Description
Mardi Gras King Cake celebrates New Orleans’ festive spirit with rich cinnamon swirls and colorful sugar sprinkles. Carnival season comes alive in this sweet, tradition-packed pastry that invites you to savor Louisiana’s most delightful cultural celebration.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 12 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup warm milk
Filling and Spices:
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Frosting and Flavoring:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
Instructions
- Gently heat milk to 110F, then activate yeast by stirring into warm liquid and allowing to bloom for 5 minutes until frothy.
- Combine flour, sugar, salt, eggs, melted butter, and activated yeast mixture in a large mixing bowl, kneading until a cohesive, elastic dough develops.
- Transfer dough to a lightly greased bowl, cover with a clean towel, and let rise in a warm environment for approximately 60 minutes or until volume doubles.
- Create cinnamon filling by thoroughly blending brown sugar and ground cinnamon.
- Flatten risen dough into a rectangular shape using a rolling pin, then generously brush surface with melted butter.
- Evenly distribute cinnamon-sugar mixture across buttered dough, then carefully roll into a tight cylindrical shape.
- Form rolled dough into a circular ring on a parchment-lined baking sheet, ensuring smooth and even placement.
- Allow shaped cake to rest while preheating oven to 350F.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes until exterior turns golden brown and appears thoroughly cooked.
- Remove from oven and allow cake to cool completely before applying decorative icing.
Notes
- Activate yeast carefully by using warm milk at precise temperature to ensure proper rising and soft texture.
- Knead dough thoroughly to develop gluten, creating a tender and stretchy cake with consistent crumb structure.
- For dietary modifications, swap wheat flour with gluten-free blend or almond flour to accommodate different nutritional needs.
- Customize filling by experimenting with alternative spices like cardamom or nutmeg to add unique flavor complexity.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Cajun Creole
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 372 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 123 mg
- Fat: 13 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 57 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 6 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg