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New Orleans Style Mardi Gras King Cake with Cinnamon Swirl

A slice cut from a soft King Cake featuring a cinnamon swirl interior and decorated with purple, green, and gold sprinkles.
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Bake a soft, moist brioche-style ring cake filled with cinnamon sugar, topped with traditional purple, green, and gold icing for your Carnival celebration.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup warm milk (about 110°F)
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar, divided
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 1/2 to 4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened, for filling
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, for filling
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, for filling
  • 1 plastic baby trinket
  • 2 cups powdered sugar, for icing
  • 1/4 cup milk, for icing
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, for icing
  • 1/4 teaspoon lemon juice, for icing
  • Purple, green, and gold sanding sugars, for decorating

Instructions

  1. Activate the yeast: In a large bowl, combine the warm milk, yeast, and 1 teaspoon of the granulated sugar. Let stand for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
  2. Mix the dough: Add the remaining granulated sugar, eggs, melted butter, salt, and 3 cups of flour to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed with a dough hook until combined. Gradually add more flour until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl but remains slightly sticky.
  3. Knead: Knead the dough for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  4. First Rise: Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in size.
  5. Prepare the Filling: While the dough rises, mix the softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl until well combined.
  6. Shape the Cake: Punch down the risen dough. Turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 12 by 18 inches. Spread the cinnamon filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border on one long side.
  7. Roll and Seal: Tightly roll the dough up lengthwise, starting from the long side opposite the border. Pinch the seam closed. Bring the ends together to form a ring, overlapping them slightly, and pinch firmly to seal. Tuck the plastic baby into the dough ring.
  8. Second Rise: Place the ring on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover loosely and let rise for 30 to 45 minutes, or until puffy. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) during the last 15 minutes of rising.
  9. Bake: Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent with foil.
  10. Cool: Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack.
  11. Make the Icing: Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, vanilla extract, and lemon juice until smooth. Add more milk if the icing is too thick, or more powdered sugar if it is too thin. The icing should be thick enough to coat the cake without running off completely.
  12. Decorate: Drizzle the icing over the cooled cake. Immediately sprinkle generously with purple, green, and gold sanding sugars.

Notes

  • For a richer flavor, use high-quality cinnamon in your filling.
  • If you prefer a cream cheese filling instead of cinnamon, mix 4 ounces softened cream cheese with 1/4 cup powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
  • The plastic baby tradition means the finder hosts the next Mardi Gras party.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://completelyyummy.com/kings-cake-new-orleans-cinnamon-swirl-recipe/