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Delicious homemade King Cake with colorful icing, a Mardi Gras dessert with a traditional cinnamon filling.
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King Cake

This King Cake is a festive, sweet treat perfect for Mardi Gras celebrations. With a soft, cinnamon-filled dough shaped into a ring, it’s topped with colorful icing and sugars in purple, green, and gold. Traditionally served during the holiday, this cake is fun to make and even more enjoyable to share with family and friends.
Prep Time1 hour 15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 350kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1 cup warm milk
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter
  • 5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 cup sugar (for filling)
  • 1 cup brown sugar (for filling)
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened (for filling)
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
  • Icing and colored sugars (purple, green, and gold)

Instructions

  • Make the dough:
    Mix the yeast, warm water, and sugar. Add milk, butter, flour, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Knead until smooth. Let rise.
  • Prepare the filling:
    Mix brown sugar, cinnamon, and butter. Spread on the dough.
  • Shape the cake:
    Roll the dough, place the filling, and shape into a ring.
  • Bake:
    Bake at 375°F for 25-30 minutes.
  • Decorate:
    Once cooled, ice the cake and add colored sugars.