Traditional King Cake

King Cake is a soft and delicious traditional Mardi Gras cake that requires minimal ingredients and time to make. We’ve included 3 different shape options along with instructions for adding the plastic baby.

Have you ever had king cake before? This delicious braided sweetbread is a Mardi Gras tradition. This is a beautiful and vibrant cake that is perfect for any party! The aroma will drive you crazy just by adding a mixture of lemon and vanilla to the dough. But wait until you actually taste it! The taste of the bread mixed with the filling and glaze is really something else.

Can I add a baby to my king cake?

Yes, of course you can! It’s a Mardi Gras tradition! Use a small plastic baby for the braiding part and add it to your king cake. The dough will rise around the baby and secure it in the cake.You can find amazon.
Why are there plastic babies?

The baby in the king cake is a time-honored Mardi Gras tradition. It is a symbol of luck and prosperity to whoever finds it among their slices. The lucky ones are crowned king or queen on that day and are responsible for delivering next year’s cake.
On which day should you eat king cake?

Any day between January 6th and Ash Wednesday! Carnival refers to a series of festive events that take place between the Christian Three Kings Feast (Epiphany) and Ash Wednesday on January 6 each year. Ash Wednesday occurs on the first day of Lent, 46 days before Easter, and the date changes every year. Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon on or after the vernal equinox.
Shaping options:

King cakes come in 3 popular shapes. They first rolled out the dough into a 10-inch by 20-inch rectangle.
- Oval or donut: Spread softened butter evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch to 1-inch unbuttered gap in top of rectangle to seal. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the butter over the dough. Add plastic babies (if using). Working lengthwise, roll dough tightly into a log, then pinch edges to seal. Wrap it into a loop, then gently press the ends together to form a round or oval loop. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Weave: Roll out dough into a 10-inch by 20-inch rectangle. Cut dough lengthwise into 3 roughly equal strips. Butter each dough strip and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture. Add plastic babies (if using). Roll each strip lengthwise and seal edges to form three long ropes. Don’t forget to place a plastic baby (if using one) somewhere on one of the strings. Braid your strips together, bringing the ends together to form a circle or oval. Place on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Split Braid/Star: Spread softened butter evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch to 1-inch unbuttered gap in top of rectangle to seal. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the butter over the dough. Add plastic babies (if using). Working lengthwise, roll dough tightly into a log, then pinch edges to seal. Using a sharp knife, cut the log in half lengthwise. Pinch one end of the harness together, then twist the two halves together, joining the ends into a circle, pinch them together, and tuck them underneath.

If you liked this recipe, you might be interested in these other delicious sweetbread recipes:

watch the video below Rachel will walk you through each step of this recipe. Sometimes the visuals help, and we always let you watch our cooking shows.You can find the complete collection of recipes youtube, facebook watch, or our facebook pageor provide a corresponding recipe on our website.

A piece of king cake with a plastic baby in the center.

Preparation time 2 Hour

cooking time 30 minute

total time 2 Hour 30 minute

raw material

Dough:

1 cup warm milk 105 to 110 degrees Fahrenheit
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoon active dry yeast
3-4 cup all purpose flour
1 cup salted butter melted
5 big yolk
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 teaspoon lemon peel
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg powder

filling:

4 tablespoon salted butter soften
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Shaved ice:

2 cup powdered sugar
3-4 tablespoon milk
Gold, green and purple sprinkles for decoration

instruct

Pour warm milk into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add sugar and yeast and let rise for 10 minutes. Add butter, egg yolks, vanilla and lemon zest, cinnamon and nutmeg and beat well. Using a dough hook or wooden spoon, stir in the flour and knead until a dough ball forms. The dough should be oily and firm, but not sticky, and should pull away from the sides of the bowl naturally.
Transfer to a large ungreased mixing bowl. Cover and let rise until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
When the dough has risen, turn it out on a lightly floured surface and roll out into a 10″x20″ rectangle. Cut dough lengthwise into 3 roughly equal strips.
For your filling, combine your sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Butter each dough strip and sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture.
Roll each strip lengthwise and seal edges to form three long ropes. Don’t forget to place a plastic baby (if using one) somewhere on one of the strings. Braid your strips together, bringing the ends together to form a circle or oval. Place on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Cover and ferment again for about 30 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bake the risen dough for 30 to 35 minutes or until lightly golden on top. Remove from oven and let cool.
To make the icing, add powdered sugar to a mixing bowl. Whisk in the milk until the icing can be easily drizzled over the cake. Pour the frosting over the cooled cake, then immediately sprinkle the top with any colorful design you like.

notes

As written, this recipe is for braided bread. Here are two of the more popular options for shaping a king cake:

Oval or donut: Roll out dough into a 10-inch by 20-inch rectangle. Spread softened butter evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch to 1-inch unbuttered gap in top of rectangle to seal. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the butter over the dough. Add plastic babies (if using). Working lengthwise, roll dough tightly into a log, then pinch edges to seal. Wrap it into a loop, then gently press the ends together to form a round or oval loop. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Split Braid/Star: Roll out dough into a 10-inch by 20-inch rectangle. Spread softened butter evenly over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch to 1-inch unbuttered gap in top of rectangle to seal. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the butter over the dough. Add plastic babies (if using). Working lengthwise, roll dough tightly into a log, then pinch edges to seal. Using a sharp knife, cut the log in half lengthwise. Pinch one end of the harness together, then twist the two halves together, joining the ends into a circle, pinch them together, and tuck them underneath.

Traditional King Cake

Can I add a baby to my king cake?

Why are there plastic babies?

On which day should you eat king cake?

Shaping options:

Dough:

filling:

Shaved ice: