Mardi Gras King Cake (Printable version)
A colorful brioche with cream cheese center topped in vibrant Mardi Gras sugars, perfect for celebrations.
# List of ingredients:
→ Dough
01 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
04 - 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
05 - 3/4 cup warm whole milk (approximately 110°F)
06 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
07 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
09 - 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
→ Cream Cheese Filling
10 - 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
11 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
12 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Egg Wash
13 - 1 large egg
14 - 1 tablespoon whole milk
→ Icing & Decoration
15 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
16 - 2 to 3 tablespoons whole milk
17 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
18 - Purple, green, and gold sanding sugar for decoration
# Directions:
01 - Combine warm milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon sugar in a large bowl or stand mixer. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes until mixture becomes foamy and active.
02 - Add melted butter, remaining sugar, eggs, vanilla, nutmeg, and salt. Mix until fully incorporated.
03 - Gradually incorporate flour, mixing until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. Knead 7 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
04 - Transfer dough to a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or damp towel, and let rise in a warm draft-free spot until doubled in volume, 1 to 1.5 hours.
05 - Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until completely smooth and creamy. Set aside.
06 - Punch down risen dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 10 by 24 inch rectangle.
07 - Spread cream cheese mixture in a strip along one long edge, maintaining a 1-inch clean border.
08 - Roll dough jelly-roll style to enclose filling. Pinch seam and ends firmly to seal. Shape into a ring and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
09 - Cover and let rise until puffy, about 45 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F during final 15 minutes of rising.
10 - Whisk egg with milk and brush evenly over entire surface of the cake.
11 - Bake 25 to 30 minutes until deep golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
12 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and pourable. Adjust consistency with additional milk if needed.
13 - Drizzle icing over cooled cake. Immediately sprinkle with alternating stripes of purple, green, and gold sanding sugar.
14 - Optional: Insert a plastic baby figurine into the underside of the cake before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The brioche dough is forgiving enough for beginners but tastes like you trained in a French bakery.
- The cream cheese filling creates pockets of richness that make every slice feel like discovering treasure.
02 -
- Underbaked king cake is gummy and sad, so go darker than you think, the cream cheese filling insulates the center.
- The plastic baby goes in from underneath after baking, baked inside it melts into toxic nonsense and ruins everything.
03 -
- Mark the bottom of the cake with a tiny dot where you insert the baby, so you know where to cut carefully.
- Roll the dough on parchment paper and use it to lift the filled log onto your baking sheet, preventing tears and tears.