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Traditional King Cake

Delicious freshly prepared Traditional King Cake served on white plate
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A festive and colorful New Orleans classic, Traditional King Cake is a sweet, cinnamon-spiced braided bread topped with vibrant sugar glaze, perfect for Mardi Gras celebrations.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup warm whole milk (110°F)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
  • 3 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
  • 1/2 cup cream cheese, softened (for filling, optional)
  • Yellow, green, and purple sanding sugar (for topping)
  • 1 cup powdered sugar (for glaze)
  • 2 tablespoons milk (for glaze)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (for glaze)
  • Plastic baby figurine (optional, traditional surprise)

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, combine warm milk, 1 tablespoon sugar, and yeast. Let sit 5-10 minutes until foamy.
  2. Whisk in eggs, melted butter, remaining sugar, and salt.
  3. Gradually add flour, mixing until a soft dough forms. Knead on a floured surface 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  4. Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
  5. While dough rises, mix cinnamon and brown sugar for the filling. Optionally, stir in cream cheese and pecans.
  6. Punch down dough and divide into three equal strands. Roll each strand into a long rope (about 20 inches).
  7. Spread filling mixture evenly over each rope, then braid the three ropes together carefully.
  8. Form braid into a ring on a parchment-lined baking sheet, pinching ends together.
  9. Cover dough ring and let rise until puffy, about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  10. Bake cake 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
  11. Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla to make glaze. Drizzle over cooled cake.
  12. Sprinkle sanding sugars in traditional Mardi Gras colors—yellow, green, and purple—over the glaze while wet.
  13. Optionally, insert the plastic baby figure inside the cake before serving.

Notes

For best flavor, let the King Cake rest at room temperature for a few hours before serving; the filling and glaze meld beautifully. Wrap leftovers tightly to keep moist.

Find it online: https://cakesplustaste.com/traditional-king-cake-delight/