Description
A King Cake filled with the classic flavors of cinnamon sugar swirled in tender sweet bread dough. It's baked to perfection and topped with a simple powdered sugar icing and sprinkles of purple, green, and gold-colored sugars.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Dough
- 2 eggs yolks
- 1/2 cup warm water, 105°-110° F
- 2 1/4 teaspoon instant dry yeast, rapid-rise
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 1/2 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, plus 1/4 cup
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Filling
- 4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1/2 cup brown sugar, light or dark, packed
- 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon flour
Egg Wash
- 2 egg whites
- 2 tablespoons milk
Icing
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons warm milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- purple, green, and yellow sanding sugar or sugar crystals
Instructions
Dough
- Scramble yolks in a small bowl and set them aside.
- Butter the sides of a large bowl and set aside.
- Stir yeast and sugar into warm water and proof for 5-10 minutes; see notes.
- Place sour cream and butter into a large microwave-safe bowl; heat them in the microwave for a few seconds at a time, stirring in between heating to mix together as the butter softens and the sour cream is warmed; do not get the ingredients hot.
- Stir the vanilla into sour cream and butter, and set aside.
- Combine the flour, sugar, and salt in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
- Pour the yeast mixture (after proofing) and the egg yolks into the sour cream mixture, stirring to combine.
- Stir the flour mixture, a small amount at a time, into the sour cream/yeast mixture until all ingredients are well incorporated; the dough will be sticky.
- Remove the dough to a floured countertop and knead for 3-5 minutes, incorporating the 1/4 cup of flour as you knead.
- Transfer the dough to the buttered bowl, cover it with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and place it in a draft-free area to let it rise for about an hour.
- Punch down the risen dough, place it on a floured surface, and roll it into a 12" x 20" rectangle using a floured rolling pin.
- Spread the filling evenly onto the dough, then roll it up tightly. Starting at the long end, pinch the seam closed with wet fingertips to help seal the edge.
- Bring the ends of the roll together to form a ring, pinching the ends together and trying to make an evenly seamless ring.
- Cover with plastic wrap or a damp towel and allow to rise for an hour in a draft-free place.
- Preheat oven to 375°F
- Brush the risen King Cake with egg wash on all sides and bake for 20 minutes.
- Cool the cake, drizzle with icing, and sprinkle with colored sanding sugar or sugar crystals.
- Tuck the plastic baby under the cake or between the bread braids.
Filling
- Combine the butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour in a small bowl, mixing together with a spoon.
Egg Wash
- Mix egg whites and milk together in a small bowl with a fork.
Icing
- Mix powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla with a spoon in a small bowl until smooth.
Notes
- Proofing the yeast in warm water means the mixture is left to sit while the yeast activates and starts to flower, or bubble, and grow on top of the water.
- Use softened butter and sour cream at room temperature to avoid using the microwave.
- Baking with ingredients close to the same temperature gives the best results.
- To braid the bread: After the first rise, divide the dough into 2 balls, roll each dough ball out into about a 6" x 20" rectangle, spread filling, roll up, and pinch all seams closed. Pinch two of the link ends together and braid the links while pulling to lengthen them, form into a circle, and then continue with the recipe for the second rise.
- Pinching the seams seals the dough so the filling doesn't leak out.
- The recipe easily doubles for 1 large or 2 smaller king cakes.
- Divide the icing into 3 small bowls and dye the icing with purple, green, and gold food coloring to decorate the cake instead of colored sugar.
