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Colorful Mardi Gras King Cake topped with purple, green, and gold sugar, surrounded by festive beads and a carnival mask.

King Cake

A fluffy, sweet cake perfect for Mardi Gras, with a cinnamon filling and colorful sugar topping.
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Prep Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, French
Calories: 250
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the dough
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup warm milk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 packet instant yeast (2 1/4 teaspoons)
  • 1/4 cup melted butter
  • a pinch of salt
For the cinnamon filling
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons soft butter
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the icing
  • 1 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
For the fun part
  • Purple, green, and yellow colored sugar
  • A small plastic baby or almond (optional)

Method
 

Dough Preparation
  1. In a big bowl, mix your warm milk and yeast. Let it sit for about 5 minutes.
  2. Add the eggs, sugar, melted butter, and salt. Slowly stir in the flour until it forms a sticky dough.
  3. Knead the dough for 5 to 8 minutes until it's soft but not sticky.
  4. Cover the bowl with a towel and let it rise in a warm spot for about an hour until it doubles in size.
Cinnamon Filling and Shaping
  1. Once the dough is puffy, roll it out into a rectangle.
  2. Spread the cinnamon filling over the dough, roll it up like a jelly roll, and shape it into a ring on a baking sheet.
  3. Cover it again and let it rise for another 30 to 45 minutes.
Baking
  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and bake the cake for around 25 to 30 minutes until golden.
  2. Let the cake cool completely before icing.
Icing and Decorating
  1. Mix the icing ingredients and drizzle over the cooled cake.
  2. Sprinkle the colored sugar sections and hide the plastic baby or bean underneath if desired.

Notes

If dough is too sticky, add flour a tablespoon at a time. Can be made ahead and stored in the fridge overnight. Wrap and freeze after baking without icing until ready to serve.