Homemade King Cake for Mardi Gras

King Cakes are typically enjoyed throughout the Mardi Gras season.  I began making my own homemade King Cake in 2002 when we were living 800 miles from home and couldn’t afford to have one shipped to us.

From what I understand, the king cake tradition was originally brought over from France as a part of celebrating Epiphany. Each king cake is decorated with colored icing and traditionally baked with a plastic baby inside.  The cake is in honor of the three kings and the colors – yellow, green, and purple – represent justice, faith, and power. The baby is said to represent the Christ child. (You can read a little more about the king cake tradition here.)

While we have not been ones to really celebrate “Mardi Gras”, we have adopted the king cake as our own family tradition. However, because of our upcoming move, I am not going to be able to pull off making one this year.

All of these pictures are from a post I made back in 2012 on a previous blog. The pictures are definitely not great, but the recipe is still wonderful!

I found this recipe online in 2002 from a Southern Living website. It’s hard to believe it has been that long ago!

Ingredients for the dough:

• 1/4 c. butter or margarine
• 1 (16oz) carton sour cream
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 pkg. dry yeast
• 1 tbs. sugar
• 1/2 c. warm water (105-115 degrees)
• 2 eggs
• 6 -6 1/2 c. all-purpose flour, divided

Ingredients for the filling:

• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/3 c. butter or margarine, softened (I usually end up using more)

Ingredients for colored icing:

• 3 c. sifted powdered sugar
• 3 tbs. butter or margarine, melted
• 3-5 tbs. milk, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 drops each of green, yellow, red, and blue food coloring

Directions:

First, combine the butter, sour cream, sugar & salt in a saucepan; heat until the butter melts, stirring occasionally.  Let the mixture cool to 105 to 115 degrees. Once the mixture cools, add the yeast, eggs, and flour to make the dough. 

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead it until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes).  If you are using a stand mixer, you can also knead the dough with a dough hook.

Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top.  Cover and let rise in a warm place free from drafts for one hour or until dough is doubled in bulk.

While the dough is rising, combine the sugar and cinnamon. Set the mixture aside for later. This is for the filling you will spread on before the final rolling and baking. I just use cinnamon and sugar for my filling, but some king cakes have cream cheese or fruit fillings.

Pinch the dough down and divide it in half.  Turn one portion of the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and roll it into a 28″x10″ rectangle.  Then spread half of the butter and half of the cinnamon mixture on the rolled out dough.

Roll dough, jelly roll fashion, starting at the long side. 

Gently place the dough roll, seam side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Bring the ends of the dough together and form an oval ring.  If you have access to a tiny plastic baby, tuck it into the seam before you seal it.  Moisten and pinch the edges together to seal.

Repeat this procedure with the second half of the dough.

Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, until doubled in bulk. This step always takes longer than I think it is going to take. The official recipe said 10 minutes, but that never happens for me.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden.

While it is baking, you can make the icing and divide it into three different bowls. After you divide it, add the food coloring to the icing to make the different colors.

Once the bread has cooled, begin decorating your King Cake, alternating the different colored icing. You can also sprinkle on yellow, green, and purple colored sugar for a little extra something.

When you have your slice of King Cake don’t forget to look out for the baby!

Other recipes you might like:

Mimi’s Southern Pecan Pie

Old Fashioned Lemon Ice Box Pie

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King Cake

A sweet cinnamon roll style dessert with a little extra goodness. 

Course Dessert

Keyword King Cake

Servings 2 cakes

Ingredients

• 1/4 c. butter or margarine
• 1 16oz carton sour cream
• 1/3 c. sugar
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 pkg. dry yeast
• 1 tbs. sugar
• 1/2 c. warm water 105-115 degrees
• 2 eggs
• 6 -6 1/2 c. all-purpose flour divided
• 1 plastic baby, optional

Filling:

• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/3 c. butter or margarine softened (I usually end up using more)

Colored Frosting:

• 3 c. sifted powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp. butter, melted
• 3-5 tbsp. milk, room temperature
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1-2 drops each green, yellow, red, and blue food coloring

Instructions

• Combine the first 4 ingredients in a saucepan; heat until butter melts, stirring occasionally. Let mixture cool to 105 or 115 degrees.
• Dissolve yeast and 1 tbs. sugar in warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes. Add butter mixture, eggs, and 2 cups of flour; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer for 2 minutes or by hand until smooth. Gradually stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes). Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place free from drafts for 1 hour or until dough is doubled in bulk.
• Combine 1/2 c. sugar and cinnamon; set aside.
• Pinch dough down and divide it in half. Turn one portion of dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and roll to a 28″x10″ rectangle. Spread half of the butter and half of the cinnamon mixture on the rolled out dough. Roll dough, jelly roll fashion, starting at the long side. Gently place dough roll, seam side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bring ends of dough together and form an oval ring. If you have access to a tiny plastic baby, tuck it into the seam before you seal it. Moisten and pinch the edges together to seal.
• Repeat this procedure with the second half of the dough.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 10 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden.
  
• To make the colored frosting:  Combine powdered sugar and melted butter. Add milk to reach desired consistency for drizzling; stir in vanilla. Divide frosting into 3 batches, tinting one with green, one with yellow, and combining blue and red for purple frosting. Makes about 1 1/2 cups.
• Decorate each cake with bands of colored frostings and sprinkle with colored sugars.