Mardi Gras King Cake (Printable version)

A tender brioche dough swirled with cinnamon and topped with colorful icing and sugars for festive flair.

# Ingredient List:

→ Dough

01 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup warm milk (110°F)
03 - 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 packet)
04 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 1/2 tsp salt
08 - 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
09 - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
10 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Cinnamon Filling

11 - 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
12 - 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
13 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted

→ Icing & Decoration

14 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
15 - 2-3 tbsp milk
16 - 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
17 - Pinch of salt
18 - Purple, green, and gold colored sugars
19 - 1 small plastic baby (optional)

# How to Make It:

01 - Combine warm milk and yeast in a small bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes until foamy and activated.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Blend in salt, nutmeg, vanilla, and lemon zest.
03 - Pour in the yeast mixture and gradually incorporate flour. Knead until a soft, smooth dough forms, approximately 8 minutes by hand or 5 minutes with a stand mixer using dough hook.
04 - Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with plastic wrap or towel, and let rise in a warm, draft-free area until doubled in size, about 1.5 hours.
05 - In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and ground cinnamon until evenly mixed.
06 - Punch down risen dough and roll out on a floured surface to a 10x20-inch rectangle. Brush melted butter evenly over surface, then sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar mixture.
07 - Starting from the long side, roll dough into a tight log. Pinch seam to seal. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheet and shape into a ring, pinching ends together securely.
08 - Cover loosely and let rise until puffy, 30-45 minutes. Optionally tuck plastic baby into dough from underneath before baking.
09 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Cool completely on wire rack before icing.
10 - Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and pinch of salt until smooth and pourable. Adjust consistency with additional milk if needed.
11 - Drizzle icing evenly over cooled cake. Immediately sprinkle colored sugars in alternating sections of purple, green, and gold while icing is wet.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The tender brioche dough balances richness with a light crumb that makes it impossible to stop at one slice
  • Watching people hunt for the baby in their slice turns dessert into a moment of pure joy and friendly competition
  • The cinnamon sugar spiral creates those beautiful breakfast pastry layers that make every bite worth the wait
02 -
  • Warm milk should feel like comfortable bath water, between 105 and 115 degrees, anything hotter will kill your yeast
  • The dough is ready when it passes the windowpane test, stretch a small piece and it should thin enough to see light through without tearing
  • Let the cake cool completely before icing or the colors will bleed into a muddy mess instead of staying in distinct stripes
03 -
  • A lightly floured silicone baking mat prevents sticking better than parchment when forming the ring shape
  • If your kitchen runs cold, let dough rise in your oven with just the light on for gentle warmth

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