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King Cake Recipe

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3.9 from 13 reviews

  • Author: Sara
  • Total Time: 3 hours 20 minutes
  • Yield: 12 servings

Description

This traditional King Cake recipe by Lorraine Elliott combines a soft, rich yeast dough with a buttery, spiced pecan filling and a colorful sugar-coated icing topping. Perfect for festive celebrations like Mardi Gras, this cake features a hidden token inside, honoring a beloved New Orleans tradition. The cake requires two rising times for the dough and bakes to a golden finish with a creamy, tinted sugar glaze.

Ingredients

Dough Ingredients

  • 100ml (3.5 oz) lukewarm water
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 420g (14.8 oz) bread flour, plus extra for rolling
  • 4 tablespoons white sugar
  • 1.5 teaspoons instant dried yeast
  • 3 eggs, room temperature, beaten
  • 90g (3 oz) butter, cubed, softened
  • Egg wash (beaten egg) for glazing

Filling Ingredients

  • 115g (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 cup (220g / 7.7 oz) brown sugar
  • 1 cup (130g / 4 oz) pecans, toasted and finely ground
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 token (traditionally a small plastic baby or similar)

Frosting Ingredients

  • 335g (12 oz) icing or powdered sugar
  • 2 teaspoons (10g / 0.35 oz) softened butter
  • 7-8 tablespoons milk or cream
  • 1.5 tablespoons each desiccated coconut or sugar tinted green, purple, and yellow

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Dough: Mix the salt into the lukewarm water until fully dissolved. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the bread flour, white sugar, instant yeast, and beaten eggs. Add the salted water and knead for 3-4 minutes until the mixture comes together into a dough. Gradually add the cubed softened butter in 3-4 increments, kneading after each addition for about 6 minutes until the dough is elastic, smooth, and passes the windowpane test, meaning it can stretch gently without tearing.
  2. First Rise and Prepare Filling: Shape the dough into a ball and place it into a greased bowl. Cover it and allow it to rise in a warm place until it doubles or triples in size, approximately 1 hour. While the dough is rising, prepare the filling by mixing melted and cooled butter, brown sugar, finely ground toasted pecans, and ground cinnamon in a large bowl until well combined. Set aside to cool.
  3. Shape and Fill the Dough: Punch down the risen dough to release air. Roll it out on a floured surface into a large rectangle approximately 50×40 cm (20×16 inches). Optionally trim edges for neatness. Evenly spread the pecan filling across the dough surface, leaving a 1-inch border on one long side. Place a token inside the filling area, then roll the dough tightly from the filled edge to form a log. Seal the seam with wet hands, shape the log into an oval, and pinch the ends together to join, using wet hands for a secure seal. Optionally use a baking snake (or similar weights) to help keep the seam inside and secure. Let the shaped dough rise again for 30-45 minutes until slightly puffy.
  4. Bake the King Cake: Preheat the oven to 170°C (338°F). Brush the risen dough gently with beaten egg wash to give a glossy golden crust. Place on a baking tray and bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Once baked, transfer the cake to a wire rack and let it cool for about 30 minutes.
  5. Prepare Colored Sugar and Frost the Cake: Tint the desiccated coconut or sugar by placing 1.5 tablespoons of sugar or coconut into separate zip-lock bags and adding green, purple, and yellow food coloring to each. Rub the bags to evenly distribute the color. In a food processor, pulse the icing sugar to remove lumps, then add softened butter and 7 tablespoons of milk or cream, blending until smooth and pourable. Add an additional tablespoon of milk or cream if needed to achieve a good consistency. Transfer the icing into a piping bag and pipe it evenly over the cooled King Cake. Decorate the icing by sprinkling the tinted sugars or coconut in distinct colored sections for a festive look.

Notes

  • The token traditionally hidden inside the cake is often a small plastic baby; whoever finds it is said to have good luck and may be responsible for hosting the next King Cake celebration.
  • Ensure the dough is well kneaded to develop gluten for a soft, elastic texture.
  • You can prepare the dough one day and bake the next by refrigerating after the first rise.
  • If you do not have a baking snake, weights or clean kitchen towels rolled can help keep the seam inside during the second rise.
  • Use fresh yeast and room temperature eggs for best results.
  • Adjust milk or cream quantity in frosting for desired thickness.
  • Prep Time: 45 minutes plus 2 hours rising time
  • Cook Time: 35 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American (New Orleans/Mardi Gras traditional)

Find it online: https://saraflavors.com/king-cake-recipe/