King's Cake
Submitted by cynthiagyg
King cake for Mardi Gras, a sour cream yeast dough rolled with cinnamon-sugar butter, shaped into an oval ring, and decorated with purple, green, and gold sugars. New Orleans tradition at home.
YIELD
1 CakePREP
2 hrsCOOK
30 minREADY
2 hrsThe crown jewel of Mardi Gras in New Orleans. This king cake is built on a rich sour cream yeast dough (the sour cream is what keeps the crumb tender through all the rising and rolling), filled with butter and cinnamon-sugar, then shaped into the distinctive oval crown ring.
Two rises bring the dough to life. After an hour of initial proof and a 20-minute final rise after shaping, the cake bakes golden in 20 to 25 minutes at 375°F (190°C). The result is somewhere between a cinnamon bun, a brioche, and a coffee cake.
The decoration is where king cake becomes king cake. Three colored sugars in purple (justice), green (faith), and gold (power) go on top in the traditional Mardi Gras colors, with matching frosting bands making each slice look like a piece of Carnival itself.
Tradition calls for hiding a small plastic baby or bean inside the cake. Whoever finds it in their slice hosts the next party or brings the king cake next week. Skip this step if little kids are eating, choking hazards aren’t festive.
Pro Tips
- Check your liquid temperature at 105 to 115°F (40-46°C) before adding yeast. Too hot kills the yeast, too cold and it won’t activate.
- Knead the full 10 minutes. Under-kneaded dough makes a dense cake with a coarse crumb instead of airy and tender.
- Pinch the oval seam tightly. A loose seal pops open during baking and you lose the distinctive crown shape.
- Wait until the cake is completely cool before frosting. Warm cake melts the frosting straight off.
Variations
- Add a cream cheese filling alongside the cinnamon butter for a richer, more bakery-style version.
- Swap cinnamon for apple-pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves) for a fuller spice profile.
- Brush with rum syrup before frosting for a boozier Creole-style finish.
Ingredients
Directions
Combine first 4 ingredients in saucepan; heat until butter melts, stirring occasionally.
Let mixture cool to 105 to 115 degrees. Dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in warm water in large bowl; let stand 5 minutes.
Add butter mixture, eggs, and 2 cups flour; beat at Medium speed of electric mixer 2 minutes or until smooth.
Gradually stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes).
Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top.
Cover, and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 1 hour, or until dough is doubled in bulk.
Combine ½ cup sugar and cinnamon; set aside. Punch dough down, and divide in half.
Turn one portion of dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and roll to a 28×10-inch rectangle.
Spread half each of butter and cinnamon mixture on dough. Roll dough, jellyroll fashion, starting at long side.
Gently place dough roll, seam side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet.
Bring ends of dough together to form an oval ring, moistening and pinching the edges together to seal.
Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 20 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.
Bake at 375℉ (190℃) for 20 to 25 minutes.
Repeat procedure with remaining dough, butter and cinnamon mixture.
Decorate each cake with bands of colored frostings, and sprinkle with colored sugars.
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