Best King Cake Recipe (Valentine’s Edition)
Let me first say, making a King Cake from scratch is A LOT of work but so worth it! I made my first one this past weekend. It was the perfect opportunity to make one because the weather was so cold and rainy outside and it’s been something I have wanted to bake for some time. Not to brag, but my king cake turned out AMAZING! Just make sure you have a lot of patience because it took almost all day to complete.
Below is the recipe I used. It’s a combination of several so I hope you enjoy! First make your shopping list. You are going to need the following ingredients. This recipe will make 2 king cakes!
INGREDIENTS:
For the Pastry
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 packages active dry yeast
- 2/3 cup warm water
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 5 ½ cups all-purpose flour
For the Filling
- 2 packages cream cheese softened
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
For the Creamy Vanilla Glaze
- 3 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons whole milk, or more as needed
- Purple, green, and yellow sparkling sugars or pink and red if you desire!
Directions:
- Scald milk, remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of butter. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water with 1 tablespoon of the white sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
- When yeast mixture is bubbling, add the cooled milk mixture. Whisk in the eggs. Stir in the remaining white sugar, salt and nutmeg. Beat the flour into the milk/egg mixture 1 cup at a time. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.
- Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
- Gently punch dough down; divide in half. Roll 1 portion out into a 22x12-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Keep the other portion covered. Spread 1/2 of the filling over rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border. Carefully roll up, starting from a long edge.
- Place roll, seam-side down, on a large parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bring ends of roll together to form a ring. Moisten ends with water; pinch together to seal. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Uncover dough rings.
- Bake in the preheated oven until cakes are a deep golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes completely on wire racks, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Stir confectioners' sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract together to make the glaze. Stir in 3 tablespoons milk. Add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until pourable but still opaque. Pour evenly over cakes. Sprinkle with sparkling sugars, alternating colors to form bands.
Enjoy!
This recipe did not disappoint and I encourage you to try it! I definitely have a whole new appreciation for people who make king cakes because it’s a lot of work! Like we say in Louisiana, Laissez les bons temps rouler!
Xo
Caroline
