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Home Dessert Cakes

King Cake

King Cake is a soft and delicious cinnamon cake that is a Mardi Gras tradition. Learn how to make this easy dessert, complete with a plastic baby surprise inside.
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By: Diana Last updated on February 17, 2023

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King cake with icing and sanding sugar, with overlay text that says "traditional king cake"

Enjoy a New Orleans Mardi Gras tradition, by making your own King Cake at home, complete with a king cake baby hidden inside. King cake is perfect for Ash Wednesday or any time during the pre-lenten season.

Overhead shot of an iced King cake with a slice


The king cake is a New Orleans tradition based in Christianity. It’s enjoyed in other places around the country too and is a popular way to celebrate Mardi Gras. Making this King Cake can be a great way to learn about a tradition that you might not already understand, and can also be a delicious way to enjoy a yeasted cake with the people you love.

What is a King Cake? 

Traditionally enjoyed on the day before Ash Wednesday (aka “Fat Tuesday”, aka Mardi Gras), and occasionally enjoyed during other times of the Mardi Gras Season, the king cake is a symbol that recognizes the biblical story of the three kings that visited the baby Jesus, 12 days after his birth. 

There is more symbolization in the king cake too. First is the shape of it, an oval to symbolize unity. The colors of a king cake are the Mardi Gras colors: purple for justice, green for faith, and gold to represent power. Finally, a small baby is baked into the cake, to symbolize the baby, Jesus. 

In New Orleans, a Mardi Gras king cake is a must and is often enjoyed during King Cake parties in offices, classrooms, and homes. The person who gets the slice of King Cake with the baby in it is said to be rewarded with good luck in the coming year. That person is also going to be responsible for baking the king cake for next year’s Mardi Gras party!

Spain and Mexico also have a similar king cake tradition. They call the cake “Rosca de Reyes”.

A slice of king cake with a plasic baby inside, served on a white plate.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  1. It’s like a big cinnamon roll. A king cake is basically a cinnamon roll recipe, but it’s baked whole rather than cut into servings before baking. The yeast dough for this cake makes it more of a bread recipe than a cake recipe, but it’s sweet, and topped with icing like a cake. 
  2. A fun new tradition. If King Cake isn’t already part of your pre-Easter season traditions, now could be a good time to introduce it. It’s super fun, and kids especially love the excitement that comes along with this cake. 
  3. Easy to make. With these step-by-step directions, you’ll find that it’s easy to make a King Cake. 

Key Ingredients

Ingredients needed to make king cake

Complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

  • Flour: Regular all-purpose flour is exactly what you need for this recipe. 
  • Yeast: One package of rapid-rise yeast gives this yeasted cake its beautiful flaky interior. 
  • Milk: You can use whole milk or 2% to mix up your dough. 
  • Sugar and Salt: This is a sweet cake, so granulated sugar is a must. A bit of salt helps to make things even tastier. 
  • Butter: Room temperature butter cut into slices is added to the dough during the kneading process. This adds even more flakiness to the texture and helps the dough to brown up beautifully when baking. 
  • Eggs: Eggs also contribute to the airy texture of this cinnamon bread. 
  • Filling: Softened, unsalted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon are mixed together to create a delicious filling for King Cake.
  • Icing: The icing for this cake is super easy to make. You’ll just whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla, and a bit of milk. 
  • Decorations: Optionally, you’ll need decorating sugar in green, yellow, and purple, and a small plastic baby figurine. 

How to Make a King Cake 

To make the dough:

collage of 4 images showing how to make king cake dough
  1. Mix dry ingredients: In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 3 cups of flour and the yeast with a whisk. Set aside. 
  2. Warm milk: Pour the milk, sugar, and salt into a small saucepan, and heat over medium heat. Whisk gently and cook for about 3 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved and the temperature of the mixture is between 105°F/40°C and 115°F/46°C.
  3. Combine wet and dry: Pour the milk mixture into the stand mixer bowl with the flour mixture, and using the paddle attachment, mix on low speed for 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time. Once everything is combined, change out the paddle attachment for the dough hook. 
  4. Add butter: Pour in the remaining cup of flour, then begin mixing with the dough hook on medium speed. Add the butter, one piece at a time. Make sure each piece is completely blended before adding the next. 
  5. Knead: Lower the mixer speed, and continue kneading with the dough hook for six minutes, or until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl cleanly. If the dough is too wet, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time. The dough is ready when you can press your finger into it and it springs back. 
  6. Finish dough: Empty the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured cutting board. Knead the dough with your hands for about 1 minute, just to make sure it’s soft and elastic. Form the dough into a ball and put it into a large greased bowl. Spray the top of the dough lightly with cooking spray. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. 

To fill and bake the cake:

collage of 4 images showing how to fill a king cake
  1. Mix filling ingredients: While the dough is chilling, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside. 
  2. Roll out the dough: Roll out the chilled dough into a 10-inch by 20-inch (25x50cm) rectangle using a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface.
  3. Add filling: With a spatula or knife, spread 4 tablespoons of butter over the dough. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture evenly onto the butter. If using, add a plastic baby on to the dough. Be sure that the baby is well wrapped into the center of the roll.
collage of 4 images showing how to bake king cake and ice it
  1. Form a ring: From the back, roll the dough lengthwise towards you, and pinch the seam to make sure it stays together. Put the seam side down, and shape the dough into a ring or oval, then pinch the ends together. 
  2. Rise: Transfer the ring onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap, and let the dough sit at room temperature to double in size, about 1 hour. 
  3. Bake: Bake the king cake in a preheated 350°F/180°C oven for 15 minutes. Turn the cookie sheet for even doneness. Bake for another 5 minutes, then cover the bread with foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes, until a knife can be inserted into the middle of the cake and it comes out clean. Let the cake rest on a cooling rack for 15 minutes. 

To ice a King Cake:

  1. Make Icing: In a medium bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk. The icing should be thick. If it’s too runny, add more powdered sugar to get the right consistency. Transfer the icing to a measuring cup with a pour spout. 
  2. Decorate: Pour the icing around the top of the cake, moving the cup back and forth so the icing can run down the sides of the cake slightly. Decorate with sanding sugar. Serve immediately, or let the icing harden, then wrap with plastic wrap until ready to serve. 

Tip!

Line your pan with parchment paper or a Silpat. In case some of your filling leaks out, the mess will be easy to clean up!

King cake decorated with icing and sanding sugar

Recipe Tips

  • Get Fancy: If you want to, you can shape your king cake differently. I’m showing you how to make a simple oval or round-shaped king cake, but you can twist the roll, or make three smaller rolls and braid them together. 
  • Traditional decorations and add-ins are optional: You can choose to include the Mardi Gras sprinkles and plastic baby prize, or leave them out. 
  • Other Fillings: King Cake can be filled with fruit fillings or cream cheese filling instead of the simple cinnamon and brown sugar filling here. 

What to Serve with a King Cake

Having a Mardi Gras Party? A good Mardi Gras celebration will include lots of decadent foods since often the Lenten season is a time for giving up sweets and unhealthy habits. 

Serve rich desserts like Red Velvet Cake, Banana Pudding, and Magic Seven Layer Bars. 

Delicious and filling appetizers will be perfect too. Try Deviled Eggs, Cheeseburger Sliders or a simple-to-make Taco Ring. 

Taking a slice of king cake

FAQs

Where do you find the baby for the king cake?

Getting a king cake baby is easy if you have an Amazon account. You can get a whole bunch of less expensive “disposable” small Mardi Gras babies for just a few dollars.

What day are you supposed to eat king cake?

It’s acceptable, traditionally, to eat king cake any time between January 6th (the 12th day after Christmas) and Ash Wednesday. This time period is considered Mardi Gras, and King Cake is a Mardi Gras treat!

Is King Cake only a New Orleans thing?

While this tradition originated in New Orleans, you don’t need to live in Louisiana to enjoy a King Cake for Mardi Gras! People all over the US make King Cakes every ear.

Is it okay to bake the baby inside the cake? Won’t it melt?

As long as you ensure that the baby is in the center of the cake and not exposed to direct heat, it’s fine to cook your king cake with the plastic baby inside. If you’re concerned, you can bake the cake without the baby, and carefully insert him through the bottom of the cake later.

Mardi Gras is such a fun celebration, and now you know just how to make the perfect Mardi Gras King Cake to celebrate with! 

Did you make this? Be sure to leave a review below and tag me on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Recipe
King cake with icing and sanding sugar
5 from 1 vote
(Click stars to rate!)

Traditional King Cake

Prep Time: 1 hour hr
Cook Time: 30 minutes mins
Resting time: 2 hours hrs
Total Time: 3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins
Author: Diana
Print Rate Recipe
King Cake is a soft and delicious cinnamon cake that is a Mardi Gras tradition. Learn how to make this easy dessert, complete with a plastic baby surprise inside.
10 2-inch slices
King Cake is a soft and delicious cinnamon cake that is a Mardi Gras tradition. Learn how to make this easy dessert, complete with a plastic baby surprise inside.

Ingredients 

For the Cake:

  • 4 cups (480g) all purpose flour divided
  • 2¼ teaspoons rapid rise yeast 1 packet
  • 1 cup (250ml) milk 2% or whole
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 6 tablespoons butter room temperature and cut into 12 slices
  • 2 large eggs at room temperature

For the Filling:

  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
  • ¼ cup packed brown sugar light or dark
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the Icing:

  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons milk
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Optional decorations:

  • Green, yellow, and purple sanding sugar
  • Small plastic baby

Instructions 

To make the dough:

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine 3 cups of flour and the yeast with a whisk. Set aside.
  • Pour the milk, sugar, and salt into a small saucepan, and heat over medium heat. Whisk gently and cook for about 3 minutes, until the sugar is dissolved and the temperature of the mixture is between 105°F and 115°F.
  • Pour the milk mixture into the stand mixer bowl with the flour mixture, and using the paddle attachment, mix on low speed for 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time. Once everything is combined, change out the paddle attachment for the dough hook.
  • Pour in the remaining cup of flour, then begin mixing with the dough hook on medium speed. Add the butter, one piece at a time. Make sure each piece is completely blended before adding the next.
  • Lower the mixer speed, and continue kneading with the dough hook for six minutes, or until the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl cleanly. If the dough is too wet, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time. The dough is ready when you can press your finger into it and it springs back.
  • Empty the dough out of the bowl onto a lightly floured cutting board. Knead the dough with your hands for about 1 minute, just to make sure it’s soft and elastic. Form the dough into a ball and put it into a large greased bowl. Spray the top of the dough lightly with cooking spray. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

To fill and bake the cake:

  • While the dough is chilling, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.
  • Roll out the chilled dough into a 10-inch by 20-inch rectangle using a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface.
  • With a spatula or knife, spread 4 tablespoons of butter over the dough. Sprinkle the brown sugar mixture evenly onto the butter. If using, add a plastic baby on to the dough. Be sure that the baby is well wrapped into the center of the roll.
  • From the back, roll the dough lengthwise towards you, and pinch the seam to make sure it stays together. Put the seam side down, and shape the dough into a ring or oval, then pinch the ends together.
  • Transfer the ring onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover with plastic wrap, and let the dough sit at room temperature to double in size, about 1 hour.
  • Bake the king cake in a preheated 350°F oven for 15 minutes. Turn the cookie sheet for even doneness. Bake for another 5 minutes, then cover the bread with foil and bake for another 5-10 minutes, until a knife can be inserted into the middle of the cake and it comes out clean. Let the cake rest on a cooling rack for 15 minutes.

To ice a King Cake:

  • In a medium bowl, stir together the powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk. The icing should be thick. If it’s too runny, add more powdered sugar to get the right consistency. Transfer the icing to a measuring cup with a pour spout.
  • Pour the icing around the top of the cake, moving the cup back and forth so the icing can run down the sides of the cake slightly. Decorate with sanding sugar. Serve immediately, or let the icing harden, then wrap with plastic wrap until ready to serve.

Notes:

  • Line your pan with parchment paper or a Silpat. In case some of your filling leaks out, the mess will be easy to clean up.
  • If you want to, you can shape your king cake differently. I’m showing you how to make a simple oval or round-shaped king cake, but you can twist the roll, or make three smaller rolls and braid them together. 

Nutrition Information

Calories: 529kcal, Carbohydrates: 94g, Protein: 8g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 8g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 4g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 71mg, Sodium: 328mg, Potassium: 121mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 55g, Vitamin A: 459IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 58mg, Iron: 3mg

This website provides approximate nutrition information for convenience and as a courtesy only. Nutrition data is gathered primarily from the USDA Food Composition Database, whenever available, or otherwise other online calculators.

© Little Sunny Kitchen

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