Mardi Gras King Cake
This recipe uses a classic yeast-risen French brioche to create a soft pillowy dough. Filled with sugar and cinnamon, rolled up like a cinnamon roll and baked; this "cake" is more of a bread, but is the authentic and historic cake of New Orleans. The delicious cream cheese glaze is my own adaptation, and is infused with rum or bourbon. Tinted sugar is the crowning glory of this cake. The green represents faith. Purple - justice, and gold - power.
We lived in New Orleans from 2010 to 2012. I have such happy memories of living there. The locals are welcoming and kind. It’s not hard to make a wonderful group of friends in Louisiana culture.
I thoroughly enjoyed studying creole and cajun cooking while living in New Orleans. Opportunities to learn were everywhere and I found myself learning as much from a cajun mama in the grocery store (who was happy to stop and talk with me) as I did from formal classes.
This is my recipe for king cake. I make it every year for my family now, as we have adopted many traditions from New Orleans that continue to be a source of joy and contentment for us.
Mardi Gras King Cake
This recipe uses a classic yeast-risen French brioche to create a soft pillowy dough. Filled with sugar and cinnamon, rolled up like a cinnamon roll and baked; this "cake" is more of a bread, but is the authentic and historic cake of New Orleans. The delicious cream cheese glaze is my own adaptation, and is infused with rum or bourbon. Tinted sugar is the crowning glory of this cake. The green represents faith. Purple – justice, and gold – power.
Ingredients
Dough
- 4 cups flour all purpose
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup powdered milk
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup water lukewarm
- 1/4 cup melted butter cooled to lukewarm
- 2 teaspoons yeast
Filling
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons cinnamon
Glaze
- 1/2 cup softened butter
- 4 ounces cream cheese softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2/3 cup whole milk
- 2-4 tablespoons spiced rum or bourbon optional
Decorating Sugar
- 2 cups sugar, divided into thirds 2/3 cup for each color
- food coloring gold, green and purple
Instructions
For the cake
- Combine flour, sugar, powdered milk and salt in a large bowl. Form a well in the middle of your dry ingredients(see video). In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs with the water,melted butter and yeast.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the well in the dry ingredients. Mix slightly with a fork to create a paste-like "sponge". Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit for 15-30 minutes.
- Mix the sponge throughout the dry ingredients and knead on afloured surface for about 10 minutes. Incorporating more flour as needed. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours.
- After dough has risen, roll out into a rectangle on afloured surface and brush butter on dough. See video.Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon on buttered dough.Roll up dough "cinnamon roll style" and form into an ovalor circle.
- Place on a baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Cover and let rise for about 30 minutes.
- Bake at 325° for 30-35 minutes. Be sure to completely cool the cake before glazing.
The glaze
- Using a mixer, cream the butter and cream cheese, adding the powdered sugar and milk as you go. Add the rum or bourbon at the end.
The tinted sugar
- To make the decorating sugar, place 2/3 to 1 cup of sugar each – into three bags. Put a few glops of gel food color into each bag. Secure the top of the bag and knead and shake the sugar until the gel food color is fully mixed.
- Pour the glaze over the king cake and arrange the sugarover it, alternating colors.
Video
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!