Traditional Mardi Gras King Cake Recipe is a beloved New Orleans Mardi Gras dessert. Nothing compares to your own delicious homemade King Cake. Sure to be loved by all at every Mardi Gras Party!
Traditional Mardi Gras King Cake
What is a Mardi Gras King Cake
A sweet roll dough or even brioche or sweet roll dough that is sometimes braided or filled and is baked in a circle. The cake gets decorated with colorful icing and could be sprinkled with green and gold sugars.
You will only find King Cakes from the Epiphany, (January 6th) to Fat Tuesday (or Mardi Gras). In the south, they would bake really rich pastries to prepare for Lent and also clean their kitchens of all their sugar, butter and eggs.
What do the colors of the King Cake mean?
A King Cake is essentially a yeasted dough coffee cake ring shaped with colored icing and sometimes with colored sprinkles. There are some versions made with cream cheese. The colored sugar represents Justice, (purple) Faith, (green) and Power, (gold). And traditionally there is a small plastic baby that symbolizes Jesus hidden in the dough for good luck. Whomever finds the baby has to bring the King Cake to the next Mardi Gras party!
Do other cultures celebrate with king cake?
There are many different sweet and decadent treats enjoyed in other countries for Mardi Gras. In Italy they celebrate with Carnevale and enjoy a fried dough treat called chiacchere. They also make another fried dough treat called castagnole.
With what happened in my personal life recently, the February launch date was pushed back a little. The girls in the group were fantastic and kept the bread baking conversation going without my input.
They suggested a fun and easy share whatever bread you’d like from today until the end of February and link up! March 1st we will share our next #TwelveLoaves idea…so stay tuned!
It’s been a pleasure baking with you since I launched this Twelve Loaves this past May.
Check out what we have been busy baking!
May theme: Focaccia
June theme: Corn Rolls
July theme: Challah
August theme: Summer Fruit
September: Say CHEESE!
October: Seeds, nuts and grains
November: Autumn Fruits: Apples and Pears
December: Boozy Bread
January: Clean Slate
What type of dough can I use for this king cake recipe?
What can I sub for the rum in this traditional king cake mardi gras recipe?
Can I leave the dough to slow rise in the refrigerator?
Can I decorate a king cake without sprinkles?
King Cake
Ingredients:
For the dough:
1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) active dry yeast
1 cup warm water (no more than 110°F [43°C])
1/3 cup sugar
4 1/2 to 5 cups bread flour, or 5 1/2 to 6 cups bleached all-purpose flour
3 eggs
1/4 cup peanut, corn, or canola oil
2 teaspoons salt
Filling:
1/2 cup raisins
1/4 cup rum (or whatever booze you prefer or even orange juice)
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2/3 cup walnuts (or pecans) chopped
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Glaze:
confectioner’s sugar
yellow, green and purple food coloring (or colored sprinkles)
Directions:
For the filling: In a small bowl, add the filling ingredients. Mix together and set aside.
For the dough: In a mixer, with a dough hook attachment, add the warm water and yeast. Mix until blended. Add the sugar and mix about a minute. Slowly mix in 1 cup of the flour until combined. Mix in the eggs one at a time until they are combined. Add another 2 cups of the flour, the honey, oil, and salt. Mix together on medium-low speed stopping the machine to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Slowly add the rest of the flour (the remaining 4 cups) and mix until combined. Stop the machine as you add each cup of the flour to scrape the sides of the bowl and incorporate the flour. Mix on low speed for 12 minutes until dough is incorporated. Be sure to give your mixer a break and as you don’t want to burn it out. Add flour if needed 1 tablespoon at a time. The dough will be a little sticky but also firm.
Take dough out of mixer bowl, form into a ball and coat with a light film of canola oil.
Form the dough into a ball and place into an oiled bowl (when I put the dough in the bowl I swish the dough around the bottom of the bowl and then flip it over so all of the dough is covered in a light film of oil). Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature until doubled in size (about 1-1 1/2 hours).
On a floured surface, roll the dough into a 20-by-7-inch rectangle, with the long edge facing you.
Spoon the filling in an even layer over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border along the top and bottom.
Fold the bottom and then the top edge over the filling to make a tight roll; pinch to seal. Transfer the roll seam-side down to a parchment-lined baking sheet; tuck one end into the other to form a ring. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until the ring doubles in size, about 1-2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the cake until firm and golden brown, about 40 minutes. Cool on a rack.
Mix 3 tablespoons water with the confectioners’ sugar. Separate into 3 small bowls. Add a drop of each color food coloring and stir together. Add more water or confectioner’s sugar to achieve a spreadable consistency. Spread in alternating sections over the cake.
Traditional King Cake Recipe
Ingredients
- DOUGH
- 1 package 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
- 1 cup warm water no more than 110°F [43°C]
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 4 1/2 to 5 cups bread flour or 5 1/2 to 6 cups bleached all-purpose flour
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup peanut corn, or canola oil
- 2 teaspoons salt
- FILLING
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/4 cup rum or whatever booze you prefer or even orange juice
- 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2/3 cup walnuts or pecans chopped
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- GLAZE
- confectioner’s sugar
- yellow green and purple food coloring (or colored sprinkles)
Instructions
- FILLING
- In a small bowl, add the filling ingredients. Mix together and set aside.
- DOUGH In a mixer, with a dough hook attachment, add the warm water and yeast. Mix until blended. Add the sugar and mix about a minute. Slowly mix in 1 cup of the flour until combined. Mix in the eggs one at a time until they are combined. Add another 2 cups of the flour, the honey, oil, and salt. Mix together on medium-low speed stopping the machine to scrape down the sides of the bowl. Slowly add the rest of the flour (the remaining 4 cups) and mix until combined. Stop the machine as you add each cup of the flour to scrape the sides of the bowl and incorporate the flour. Mix on low speed for 12 minutes until dough is incorporated. Be sure to give your mixer a break and as you don’t want to burn it out. Add flour if needed 1 tablespoon at a time. The dough will be a little sticky but also firm.
- Take dough out of mixer bowl, form into a ball and coat with a light film of canola oil.
- Form the dough into a ball and place into an oiled bowl (when I put the dough in the bowl I swish the dough around the bottom of the bowl and then flip it over so all of the dough is covered in a light film of oil). Cover with plastic wrap and let it rise at room temperature until doubled in size (about 1-1 1/2 hours).
- On a floured surface, roll the dough into a 20-by-7-inch rectangle, with the long edge facing you.
- Spoon the filling in an even layer over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border along the top and bottom.
- Fold the bottom and then the top edge over the filling to make a tight roll; pinch to seal. Transfer the roll seam-side down to a parchment-lined baking sheet; tuck one end into the other to form a ring. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until the ring doubles in size, about 1-2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the cake until firm and golden brown, about 40 minutes. Cool on a rack.
I´ve never made one either. Here bakeries sell one with hard boiled eggs on top, pastry cream and coarse sugar, but no colors or filling… It looks fantastic, and I love that it´s filled!
Lora…I would take part in this if not for the giant King Cake I received from Sucre in NOLA, in which I ate at least a quarter of! It was FAT Tuesday, indeed! Yours looks gorgeous! However, I will definitely try your recipe at some point since I'm already craving another one! xo
I just made my first ever King Cake this year, too! I love that you used challah dough – I bet it was delicious. I'm glad to see you back – I've been thinking about you.
I have never made a king cake. here in the North we don't celebrate it much. Yours look and sounds so good Lora, wish I had a slice right now.
Thanks for sharing, it's nice to see you back
it is SO good to see you back, Lora. you were definitely missed.
I have enjoyed King Cake, but never made one myself – yours looks great, and I imagine it tastes wonderful…
I want a slice of YOUR king cake!
I love that you used challah dough, Lora! The colors are so pretty! 🙂
Very lovely King Cake! 🙂 Good to have you back, too. I look forward to March's theme!
Your king cake is lovely! I only recently discovered King Cake myself and recently made a king cake inspired braid. I love your filling, so sweet with the rum and brown sugar and hearty with the walnuts and raisins. Yum!
Lora,
I love all the colors, gorgeous!! and you got a “Mommy…this is GORGEOUS!” from your son? Perfection! Love it! 🙂
very good
Lora,
Last year was the first time made king cake and it was delish. I wasn't thrilled about the way it looked either because the blocks of color were too big – I only made one block of each. If you get a chance, have a look http://bakewelljunction.wordpress.com/2012/02/22/king-cake/
I'd love to participate in your twelve loaves linky party too.
Annamaria
Beautiful king cake, I can't wait to try it 🙂
This is a beautiful loaf of bread, Lora. I love the raisins and walnuts in the filling and the festive, colourful sugar glaze is lovely.
I love that your children helped decorate your King Cake…making such memories for them! Your challah looks plum perfect!
Hi Lora! I have tried many many king cakes, but I've never made my own. I must try! I can see how little ones and big ones would have so much fun. Thank you for sharing with me tonight. I just ate a delicious dinner and I'm already hungry again 🙂 I hope you are having a great start to your week!
Your King cake looks so fluffy and moist! It's okay it isn't covered in sprinkles, I always found that a little strange 🙂
Lora, this king cake is so lovely and looks perfect for any of life's little celebrations! Great recipe, thank you for sharing.
I have neither tasted a king cake or made one. I suppose I should just to see what one is like. Yours looks so pretty. I'm glad you shared the recipe so I can add it to my bread bookmarks of things to try/bake.
Lora, it is a beautiful cake you made! Love the color. I make very similar but savory. I should post it and link here, still have time. 🙂
OK, now I'm tempted to try baking a King Cake. Your recipe looks tasty and straightforward… but about that purple and green frosting. I know it's traditional, but green bread?!
This looks so fabulous. Really gorgeous. I've never had a King Cake, but have obviously been missing out big time. Would love to join your #TwelveLoaves group sometime. I posted something today, but didn't follow the rules. Next time I will 🙂
I have so been meaning to bake a King's Cake like this. I always only bake the French version which is so different (puff pastry filled with fruit compote or frangipane). And I have wanted to try your Challah recipe, too. What a gorgeous cake. I'll try and add a bread this month! xo
I agree! King cakes should be baked all year long! I love them! Yours is beautiful!
Beautifully done!! and yes more often would be preferable! Happy to follow!
Mary x
My friend was trying to get me to make one of these and I was too scared to attempt. Looks amazing though. Next year, maybe.
What a festive cake! I've never tried a King cake before but I really like what's in it and the fun behind the tradition. 🙂
I've always wanted to make king cake. Yours certainly looks beautiful with that swirl of filling! I love that you made it even though it was a little late – maybe I should still make one without waiting for next Mardi Gras.
Great to see your King Cake- I tried my first slice last month in New Orleans and I got the baby in my piece!! I'll have to try baking one myself 😉