By Vallery Lomas
Published Feb. 28, 2025
- Total Time
- 3 hours 40 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 3 hours 30 minutes
- Rating
- 5(23)
- Comments
- Read comments
King cake, a sweetened, yeast-raised bread eaten throughout the many weeks of Carnival season, is rolled and twisted like a cinnamon roll. Traditional king cakes are flavored with cinnamon and sugar, but today the flavor combinations are seemingly endless; this version pairs strawberry jam and cream cheese. The cream cheese filling is flavored with lemon zest and a little sugar; a spoonful of flour adds structure. Dollops of strawberry jam contribute a concentrated fruity bite; if you want more fruit presence, opt for canned strawberry pie filling. The whole pastry is bathed in a lemony glaze before being topped with green, gold and purple sugar, a visual cue that identifies this wreath of baked dough as a king cake.
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Ingredients
Yield:10 to 12 servings
- 1cup/237 milliliters warm milk (100 to 110 degrees)
- 1(¼-ounce/7-gram) packet active dry yeast (2¼ teaspoons)
- ½cup/113 grams unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled (no hotter than 110 degrees)
- ⅓cup/67 grams granulated sugar
- 2large eggs, at room temperature
- 4⅓cups/545 grams all-purpose flour, plus additional flour as needed
- 1teaspoon kosher salt (such as Morton) or fine sea salt
- ½packed cup/110 grams light or dark brown sugar
- 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1(8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2tablespoons powdered sugar
- Zest from ½ lemon
- 2tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- ¾cup/180 grams strawberry jam
- 2cups/246 grams powdered sugar
- Zest from ½ lemon
- 3tablespoons fresh lemon juice, plus more as needed
- 1teaspoon vanilla extract
- Green, gold and purple sanding sugar
For the Dough
For the Filling
For the Glaze and Topping
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)
540 calories; 18 grams fat; 10 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 87 grams carbohydrates; 2 grams dietary fiber; 47 grams sugars; 8 grams protein; 285 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
Step
1
Prepare the dough: Activate the yeast by pouring the warm milk into the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast on top, then whisk to combine. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes. (It will start to foam and bubble around the edges.) Add the melted butter, sugar, eggs, flour and salt. Attach the bowl to the stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low until combined and a mass of dough forms.
Step
2
Increase the speed to medium and mix until the gluten fully develops and the dough is very elastic. After 10 minutes, do a windowpane test: Pinch off a small piece of dough and use your fingers to flatten it into a thin layer. Slowly stretch the dough until it forms a thin membrane through which light can pass. If it tears, continue to mix the dough and repeat the test every 2 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic or a damp towel and set aside to proof until it doubles in size, 1 to 1½ hours.
Step
3
While the dough is proofing, prepare the filling: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, combine the cream cheese, flour, powdered sugar and lemon zest; transfer the mixture to a piping bag or resealable plastic bag and set aside. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step
4
Once the dough has doubled in size, tip it out onto a floured work surface. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough to a 12-by-26-inch rectangle. Cut the dough lengthwise in half so you have two 6-by-26-inch strips. Using a small offset spatula, evenly spread the softened butter in a thin layer onto both strips of dough, leaving a ½-inch border on all sides. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top and lightly press it into the dough.
Step
5
If using a disposable piping bag, snip about ½ inch off the tip. Pipe the cream cheese mixture along one long side of each strip of dough. Dollop the strawberry jam a spoonful at a time onto both strips of the dough, alongside the cream cheese. Starting with the edge nearest the filling, carefully roll each piece of dough lengthwise into a log, pressing the dough together at the seams. Line up the two logs side by side and twist them into a braid.
Step
6
Transfer the dough to the parchment-lined baking sheet and press the ends together to form a ring. Roll a piece of foil into a disk that’s at least 4 inches in diameter and place in the center of the dough ring. (This will keep the cake from rising and collapsing into its center during baking.) Cover the dough with plastic or a damp kitchen towel and set the aside to rise again.
Step
7
Heat the oven to 350 degrees and place a rack in the center. Once the ring of dough appears puffy, about 30 minutes, place in the oven and bake until browned all over, 33 to 38 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil disk from the center.
Step
8
Once the cake has cooled, prepare the glaze: Sift powdered sugar into a bowl. Add lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla and stir until completely smooth, adding more lemon juice as needed to make a thick but pourable glaze. Spoon the glaze on top of the cake, then, in sections, sprinkle the top of the cake with green, gold and purple sugar. Transfer the cake to a platter and serve. (The cake can be wrapped tightly and kept at room temperature for up to 4 days.)
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Ratings
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Comments
SacTown Yinzer
This was wonderful. It took some effort to keep the fillings from oozing out when I sealed them into the logs. It was a big hit with everyone. This recipe is a keeper!To respond to those who don't want to call it a King Cake: the world is changing. People travel, people expand their horizons, they’re influencd by movies from different cultures and regions. People claim that what we’re eating isn’t Pizza because their grandmother made a different version. It’s rather silly. The only common feature of most King cakes is that a little figurine or token baked into the cake. Stick one in a boxed cake mix and call it a King cake. Or not, and still call it a King Cake.
Brenda WJ
Just...no, s'il vous plait, to the strawberry jam. Just, NO. Some classics should not be meddled with. Call this a strawberry coffee cake, fine. A King Cake it is simply not.
Mary D.
Yes, just yes! This is the best king cake recipe I have tried. Delicious cream cheese filling. I actually made mine into two smaller rings instead of doing the braid, and froze one to bake later. I used four fruits jam—a welcome addition that helps keep the cake moist. Don’t forget that little plastic baby 💜💛💚
Ron Chesnut, New Orleand
What about the baby? It's not a king cake without one.
C
I can’t picture how I’m to roll the foil into a disk. A flat disk? So maybe roll into a ball & then flatten into a disk? Maybe I’m just tired
ABG
Very delicious and easier than I thought it would be. This makes a VERY large cake, it barely fits on my largest cake stand. I was out of eggs, so subbed a 1/4 c. applesauce for one and 2 TB arrowroot in 3 TB water for the other. The substitution seems to have worked perfectly. I think this version will be demanded for all future Mardi Gras.
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Recipe Tags
- Southern
- Pastries
- Project
- Active Dry Yeast
- Cream Cheese
- Jam
- Lemon Juice
- Lemon Zest
- Make Ahead
- Milk
- Dessert
- Vegetarian
- Mardi Gras
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