Mardi Gras King Cake (Printable Version)
Colorful brioche cake with cinnamon filling and festive icing in purple, green, and gold hues.
# What You Need:
→ Dough
01 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup whole milk, warmed
03 - 1/4 cup water, warmed
04 - 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
05 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
07 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
08 - 1 teaspoon salt
09 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
10 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Cinnamon Swirl Filling
11 - 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
12 - 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
13 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
→ Icing
14 - 2 cups powdered sugar
15 - 2-3 tablespoons milk
16 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Decoration
17 - Purple, green, and gold decorating sugars
# How to Make It:
01 - Combine warm milk, warm water, a pinch of sugar, and yeast in a small bowl. Let stand 5–10 minutes until foamy and activated.
02 - Mix flour, sugar, salt, and nutmeg in a large bowl. Add melted butter, eggs, vanilla, and the activated yeast mixture. Stir until combined, then knead by hand or with a stand mixer for 7–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
03 - Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or a clean towel, and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 1–1.5 hours until doubled in size.
04 - Punch down the risen dough and turn onto a lightly floured surface. Roll into a 10x20-inch rectangle using a rolling pin.
05 - Brush melted butter evenly over the rolled dough. Combine brown sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle the mixture evenly across the buttered surface.
06 - Starting from the long edge, roll up the dough tightly into a log. Pinch the seam firmly to seal.
07 - Shape the log into a ring and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Pinch the ends together firmly to seal the circle completely.
08 - Cover the shaped ring loosely and let rise for 45–60 minutes until puffy and noticeably increased in size.
09 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake the cake for 25–30 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Cool completely on a wire rack.
10 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and pourable. Adjust milk as needed to achieve drizzling consistency.
11 - Drizzle icing evenly over the cooled cake. Immediately sprinkle purple, green, and gold decorating sugars in alternating bands while icing remains wet.
12 - Optionally insert a plastic baby figurine from underneath after baking and cooling. Ensure guests are warned about the hidden surprise.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The brioche dough creates an incredibly tender, pillow-soft cake that feels like a celebration in every bite
- That cinnamon sugar swirl caramelizes beautifully while baking, creating pockets of gooey sweetness throughout
- Decorating with those classic purple, green, and gold sugars makes your kitchen feel like the French Quarter
02 -
- Insert the plastic baby figurine from underneath after the cake has completely cooled to avoid any melting or food safety issues
- The dough needs those full rising times, so do not rush this process or you will end up with a dense, bread-like ring instead of a tender cake
- Work quickly once you have rolled out the dough because the butter in the filling can start to melt and make a sticky mess
03 -
- If your dough is not rising, check that your yeast was not expired and that your liquids were not too hot
- The colored sugars work best when applied in alternating wedges rather than stripes for that authentic King Cake look