Mardi Gras King Cake (Printable Version)
Festive brioche-style cake with creamy filling and colorful sugar topping, inspired by New Orleans tradition.
# What You Need:
→ Dough
01 - 1/2 cup whole milk, warm (110°F)
02 - 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast
03 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
04 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
05 - 1/2 tsp salt
06 - 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
07 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
08 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
09 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
10 - Zest of 1 lemon
→ Cream Cheese Filling
11 - 8 oz cream cheese, softened
12 - 1/2 cup powdered sugar
13 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
→ Glaze & Decoration
14 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
15 - 2–3 tbsp milk
16 - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
17 - Purple, green, and gold sanding sugar
# How To Make It:
01 - Whisk warm milk and 1 tablespoon sugar in a small bowl. Sprinkle yeast over the mixture and let stand until foamy, about 5–10 minutes.
02 - Combine flour, remaining sugar, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Add melted butter, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, and yeast mixture. Mix until a sticky dough forms.
03 - Knead dough by hand or with a mixer using a dough hook for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1–1.5 hours.
04 - Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy while dough rises.
05 - Punch down risen dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll into a 10x20 inch rectangle. Spread cream cheese filling along one long edge, leaving a 1-inch border.
06 - Roll up tightly jelly-roll style starting from the filling edge. Pinch seam to seal. Shape into a ring by pinching ends together. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet, seam side down. Cover and let rise until puffy, about 45–60 minutes.
07 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack.
08 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over cooled cake. Immediately sprinkle with colored sugars in alternating purple, green, and gold sections.
# Expert Suggestions:
01 -
- The brioche dough stays incredibly tender thanks to all that butter and eggs
- Cream cheese filling makes every bite feel like a celebration
- Watching the colored sugar stick to the glaze is genuinely satisfying
02 -
- The dough is supposed to be sticky and soft, so do not keep adding flour or you will lose that tender texture
- Seam placement matters, so keep the joined seam on the bottom where no one will see any imperfections
03 -
- Warm your mixing bowl with hot water before adding ingredients to give the yeast an extra cozy environment
- Add a pinch of cinnamon to the cream cheese filling for a spiced variation that tastes even more like New Orleans