Mardi Gras King Cake (Print Version)
Tender brioche-style cake with cinnamon swirl and colorful icing, perfect for festive celebrations.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Dough
01 - 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup whole milk, lukewarm
03 - 1/4 cup warm water
04 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
06 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
08 - 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
09 - 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
10 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
→ Cinnamon Swirl Filling
11 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
12 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
13 - 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
→ Icing & Decoration
14 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
15 - 2-3 tbsp milk
16 - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
17 - Purple, green, and gold/yellow colored sanding sugar
# Steps:
01 - Combine warm water, a pinch of sugar, and yeast in a small bowl. Let stand until foamy, approximately 5 minutes.
02 - Whisk together milk, eggs, softened butter, sugar, salt, nutmeg, and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Add the foamy yeast mixture and combine thoroughly.
03 - Gradually incorporate flour, mixing until a soft dough forms. Knead by hand or with a dough hook for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
04 - Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm location until doubled in size, approximately 1 to 1.5 hours.
05 - Punch down dough and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 10x20 inch rectangle.
06 - Mix brown sugar and cinnamon. Brush the dough rectangle with melted butter, then evenly sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the surface.
07 - Roll tightly from the long side to form a log and pinch the seam to seal. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and shape into a ring, pinching ends together. Optionally hide a plastic baby or bean inside.
08 - Cover and let rise until puffy, approximately 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F.
09 - Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
10 - Stir powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and pourable. Drizzle over the cooled cake.
11 - Immediately sprinkle colored sugars in sections to create the traditional Mardi Gras appearance.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The brioche dough stays tender for days, unlike breadier versions that turn into a doorstop by morning
- That cinnamon sugar ribbon creates pockets of gooey sweetness that make every bite feel like finding a hidden treasure
- There is something deeply satisfying about drizzleing those carnival colors and watching ordinary pastry become a celebration
02 -
- Warm means warm to the touch, about body temperature, because hot water kills yeast and cold water makes it work frustratingly slow
- The dough might feel sticky and discouraging during kneading, but resist the urge to keep adding flour or your cake will be dense instead of tender
- Hiding the baby or bean after baking is safer than before, as nobody wants to bite into hot plastic or crack a tooth on a hidden treasure
03 -
- Use a kitchen scale if you have one, because flour measured by volume can vary wildly and affect the texture of your final cake
- Roll the dough on a silicone baking mat instead of your counter, and you can transfer the whole thing to your baking sheet without risking tears or spills