This King Cake Recipe Will Blow Your Mind — Mardi Gras Just Got SO Much Sweeter!
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Homemade King Cake That Looks Like It’s From a Bakery — Easy Step-by-Step Recipe!
By The Kitchenette Bite | Mardi Gras Recipes | Holiday Baking
Mardi Gras is one of the most festive, fun, and food-packed celebrations of the year — and nothing says Mardi Gras quite like a homemade King Cake. With its soft, pillowy brioche dough, rich cream cheese filling, and that iconic purple, gold, and green sugar topping, this cake is as beautiful as it is delicious.
The best part? You do NOT need to be a professional baker to pull this off. This step-by-step King Cake recipe walks you through everything — from activating your yeast to getting that perfect glossy icing drip. By the end, you’ll have a stunning showstopper that looks like it came straight from a New Orleans bakery.
📌 This post also answers the TOP questions real people are asking on Reddit about King Cake — so you’ll have zero stress going into baking day! And don’t forget to click the Visit Site button to get the full printable recipe card with photos!
🛒 Ingredients List
For the Dough:
3½ cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)
1 packet (2¼ tsp) active dry yeast
½ cup whole milk, warmed to 110°F
¼ cup warm water
⅓ cup granulated sugar
4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp salt
For the Cream Cheese Filling:
8 oz cream cheese, softened
¼ cup powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
For the Royal Icing Glaze:
2 cups powdered sugar
3–4 tbsp whole milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
For Decoration:
Purple, gold, and green sugar sprinkles (the Mardi Gras trio!)
1 small plastic baby figurine (traditional — whoever gets the slice with the baby buys next year’s cake!)
👩🍳 Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Activate the Yeast
In a small bowl, combine the warm milk, warm water, and 1 tsp of the sugar. Sprinkle the yeast over the top and let it sit for 8–10 minutes until it becomes foamy and bubbly. If it doesn’t foam, your yeast may be expired — start fresh with a new packet. This step is critical for a fluffy, well-risen cake.
Step 2: Make the Dough
In a large mixing bowl (or stand mixer with a dough hook), combine the flour, remaining sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Add the yeast mixture, softened butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed for 6–8 minutes until a smooth, slightly sticky dough forms. If mixing by hand, knead for about 10 minutes on a lightly floured surface.
Step 3: First Rise
Shape the dough into a ball, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, and cover with a clean kitchen towel or plastic wrap. Let it rise in a warm spot for 1–1.5 hours until doubled in size. A great trick: preheat your oven to 200°F, turn it OFF, then place the covered dough inside — it creates the perfect warm environment.
Step 4: Make the Cream Cheese Filling
While the dough rises, beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon until completely smooth. Set aside at room temperature so it stays spreadable.
Step 5: Shape the Cake
Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and roll it out on a lightly floured surface into a large rectangle, roughly 10x20 inches. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly across the surface, leaving a 1-inch border on all edges. Starting from the long side, roll the dough tightly into a log. Pinch the seam closed firmly, then bring the two ends together to form an oval ring. Pinch those ends together too and place seam-side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step 6: Second Rise
Cover loosely and let the shaped cake rise for another 45–60 minutes until puffy and pillowy. Don’t rush this step — it’s what gives the King Cake its soft, bakery-quality texture.
Step 7: Bake
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake the King Cake for 25–30 minutes until deep golden brown on top. It should sound hollow when you tap the bottom. Let it cool completely on a wire rack before glazing — at least 45 minutes. Glazing a warm cake will make the icing run off completely.
Step 8: Make the Glaze & Decorate
Whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until you get a thick but pourable consistency. It should coat the back of a spoon. Pour the glaze over the cooled cake, letting it drip naturally down the sides. Immediately (before it sets!) sprinkle bold sections of purple, gold, and green sugar in alternating patterns all the way around. Tuck the plastic baby under the bottom of the cake.
🙋 Top King Cake Questions from Reddit — Answered!
❓ Reddit Q1: “My King Cake dough isn’t rising at all — what did I do wrong?”
This is the most common beginner mistake and it almost always comes down to the yeast or the milk temperature. If your milk is too hot (above 115°F), it kills the yeast instantly. If it’s too cold (below 100°F), the yeast stays dormant and won’t activate. Always use a kitchen thermometer to check — 110°F is the sweet spot. Also check your yeast expiration date. If the yeast mixture doesn’t get foamy within 10 minutes, toss it and start over. Using dead yeast is the #1 reason King Cakes don’t rise properly.
❓ Reddit Q2: “Can I make King Cake the day before and glaze it the next morning?”
Absolutely — and this is actually the recommended approach! Bake the King Cake the evening before your party or Mardi Gras celebration. Let it cool completely, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and store at room temperature overnight. The next morning, make the glaze fresh and decorate right before serving. The glaze will look its best within 2–3 hours of being applied. You can also freeze the baked (unglazed) cake for up to 3 weeks — just thaw overnight and glaze on the day.
❓ Reddit Q3: “What filling can I use instead of cream cheese for King Cake?”
Cream cheese is the most popular modern filling, but King Cake has tons of delicious variations! Traditional New Orleans King Cake is actually made without filling — just the cinnamon sugar dough. Other popular fillings include: praline pecan (brown sugar, butter, chopped pecans — incredibly rich and Southern), strawberry cream cheese (add 2 tbsp strawberry jam to the cream cheese mixture), Nutella swirl (spread Nutella instead of cream cheese filling), or lemon cream cheese (add 1 tsp lemon zest and 1 tbsp lemon juice to the cream cheese). All of these work with the exact same dough recipe!
💡 Pro Baking Tips for the Perfect King Cake
Always use room temperature eggs and butter — cold ingredients prevent the dough from coming together smoothly.
Don’t skip the second rise! It’s the difference between a dense disappointing cake and a light, fluffy, bakery-worthy one.
Roll the dough tightly when adding the filling — loose rolling causes the filling to leak out during baking.
Let the cake cool COMPLETELY before glazing. This is non-negotiable. Even slightly warm cake will make your icing slide right off.
If you can’t find colored sugar sprinkles, use plain white sugar and add a drop of food coloring — shake in a sealed bag until evenly coated.
Mardi Gras colors are symbolic: purple = justice, gold = power, green = faith. Keep those sections distinct for a beautiful presentation!
🎉 Make It Your Own — King Cake Variations
Mini King Cakes: Divide the dough into 12 portions and make individual King Cake rolls — perfect for parties and gifting.
Gluten-Free King Cake: Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. The texture will be slightly denser but still delicious.
Vegan King Cake: Use plant-based butter, oat milk, flax eggs (1 tbsp flaxseed + 3 tbsp water = 1 egg), and vegan cream cheese. It works beautifully!
King Cake Bread Pudding: Got leftover King Cake? Cube it up and use it as the base for the most incredible bread pudding you’ve ever tasted. The cream cheese filling and cinnamon dough make it absolutely phenomenal.
👑 Ready to Bake the Most Stunning King Cake of Your Life?
Whether you’re celebrating Mardi Gras with a big crowd or just want to bring a little New Orleans magic into your kitchen, this King Cake recipe is guaranteed to impress. It’s soft, rich, festive, and filled with the most irresistible cream cheese filling you’ve ever tasted.
Save this to your Pinterest board so you never lose it — and click the Visit Site button for the full printable recipe card with step-by-step photos at thekitchenettebite.com!
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