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- Lightly grease a baking sheet, or line it with parchment. (To make this cake in a Bundt pan, see "tips," below.)
- To prepare the dough: Using a stand mixer, electric hand mixer, or bread machine, mix and knead all of the dough ingredients together to form a smooth, very silky dough.
- Allow the dough to rise, covered, for 1 hour. It'll become puffy, though it probably won't double in size.
- Transfer the soft dough to a lightly greased work surface. Pat and stretch it into a 24" x 6" rectangle. This won't be hard at all; it's very stretchy. Let the dough rest while you prepare the filling.
- Overview
- What Is a King Cake?
- How to Make King Cake
- Test Kitchen Tips
- How to Store King Cake
- Can You Freeze King Cake?
- Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise
- Ingredients
- Directions
- Editor's Note
King cake is a New Orleans tradition that involves a pastry, a tiny plastic baby, and a party! The cake is baked with a tiny plastic baby hidden inside; whoever gets the slice with the baby in it has to host the next party. Make sure to buy a new tiny plastic baby so you can get the full effect from this cake! Sprinkle with purple, green, and gold sugar, or decorate with whole pecans and candied cherries.
Let the good times roll with this authentic king cake recipe! The famous Mardi Gras dessert is surprisingly easy to make at home.
A king cake is a type of cake that's associated with Mardi Gras, New Orleans, and parts of the Gulf Coast. It's a ring-shaped pastry that's usually covered in icing, then topped with yellow and purple edible glitter or sprinkles. The cake traditionally contains a porcelain or plastic baby that is supposed to bring good luck to whoever winds up with it in their slice.
The tradition of the king cake dates back to the Middle Ages. It was originally made to celebrate the Catholic Epiphany, a.k.a. Three Kings Day. French settlers brought the cake (and the traditions behind it) to Louisiana in the 1800s. So what's the meaning behind the baby?
Some say the tiny token represents the Baby Jesus, while others believe it comes from another Louisiana tradition of hiding a bean or trinket in one slice of cake during the king's ball — whoever found the trinket would be crowned the "king" or "queen" of the ball. Regardless of its origins, the baby is said to bring good luck and prosperity.
Be sure to tell everyone to inspect their piece of cake before they begin eating it. To be extra careful, you can use a plastic toy baby that is too large to swallow.
You'll find the step-by-step recipe below, but here's a brief overview of what you can expect:
Make the pastry and activate the yeast.
This top-rated user recipe was tested in our test kitchen. Here are some tips from recipe taster
Don’t roll up the logs too tight when you roll up the logs, as the pecans and raisins might rip through.
Putting the glaze on while the cake is warm gives a nice drizzle effect and helps the glaze spread evenly over the cake. If using sanding sugar, make sure to put it on immediately after the drizzle, otherwise, the glaze will dry, and the sugar will not adhere.
If you want to get wild, you can make a cream cheese icing instead of the powdered sugar glaze.
Store your leftover king cake in an airtight container at room temperature for two to three days.
Yes, you can freeze unfrosted king cake. Wrap each slice individually in storage wrap, then follow it up with at least one layer of aluminum foil. Freeze for up to three months.
"This is a great recipe, a family favorite," says
"The only modification I make is to double the filling recipe. Can't have too many pecans. Scrumptious."
"I have been making this recipe for a while," according to
"It is easy and delicious! And I am from Louisiana and it tastes like home."
"Easy recipe with helpful video that I really appreciated," raves
"I subbed pistachios for the pecans and dried cranberries for the raisins. The finished pastry was much like a coffee cake, light and tasty. I'll definitely make it again."
⅔ cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
2 (¼-ounce) envelopes active dry yeast
½ cup white sugar, divided
1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
5 ½ cups all-purpose flour
To make the dough: Heat milk in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until steaming and small bubbles form around the edges, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in butter until melted and fully combined, about 2 minutes. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature, about 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, stir together warm water, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of the sugar in a large bowl. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
Add cooled milk mixture, eggs, salt, nutmeg, and remaining 7 tablespoons sugar to yeast mixture, whisk until combined, about 30 seconds.
Beat flour into yeast mixture, 1 cup at a time, with an electric mixer fitted with dough hook attachment on medium speed until dough comes together, about 3 minutes.
Transfer dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, adding additional flour as needed, 8 to 10 minutes.
Place dough in a lightly oiled large bowl; turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 1 1/2 hours. When risen, punch down and divide dough in half.
This recipe was tested in our test kitchen in November 2023 and updated to scald the milk for a fluffier dough and reduce proofing time. Plus, the glaze ingredients were doubled to make enough to cover two king cakes.
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Mar 5, 2024 · King Cake with pecan praline filling is a delicious yeast coffee cake formed into an oval or ring decorated with icing and bands of purple, green, and yellow sanding sugar. It is a staple in New Orleans during Mardi Gras.
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- To Make the Dough: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. In a small or medium saucepan over medium heat, add the butter, 4 tablespoons of the sugar and the salt; stir.
- Once the yeast is active, whisk in the warm butter and sour cream mixture, the egg, and 1 cup of the flour. Whisk until smooth. Using an oiled wooden spoon, being mixing in small amounts of the remaining flour until you form a soft dough.
- Turn the dough out onto a clean surface lightly dusted with flour. With oiled hands, knead the dough until and elastic, about 5 to 10 minutes, adding more flour by the teaspoon if needed.
- Place the ball of dough into a large, well-oiled bowl, then flip the dough so all of the surface area of the dough is oiled. Cover the bowl with oiled plastic wrap and a hand towel, then set the bowl in a warm, draft-free area and allow the dough to rise until it has doubled in size, about 1 hour.
Feb 11, 2015 · Recipe. Comments. Post Review. [Y]’all… it’s TIME. It’s time for the brioche-rich, cinnamon-swirled, colorfully sprinkled cake that is KING CAKE! It’s carnival time here in New Orleans.
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Check out our recipe to make your own colourful and delightfully-tasting Mardi Gras king cake.
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Jan 22, 2022 · Enjoy this delicious homemade Mardi Gras King Cake this year and let the good times roll! Made with a sweet brioche dough and a cinnamon or cream cheese filling, this is the best king cake recipe and 1,000x better than anything you'll find in a grocery store or bakery!
