King Cake with Cinnamon Swirl (Print Version)

Festive brioche-style cake with rich cinnamon swirl and vanilla icing, traditionally enjoyed during Mardi Gras celebrations.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - ½ cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 packet active dry yeast
04 - ¾ cup whole milk, warm
05 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 3 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 teaspoon salt
08 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
09 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Cinnamon Swirl Filling

10 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
11 - 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
12 - 2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

→ Icing

13 - 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
14 - 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
15 - ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
16 - Purple, green, and gold sanding sugars for decoration

# How-To Steps:

01 - Combine warm milk, 1 tablespoon sugar, and yeast in a large mixing bowl. Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes until foamy.
02 - Add remaining sugar, eggs, softened butter, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest to the yeast mixture. Mix until well combined.
03 - Gradually mix in flour until a soft dough forms. Knead by hand or with a mixer for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
04 - Place dough in a greased bowl, cover loosely, and let rise in a warm place for 1 to 1.5 hours until doubled in size.
05 - Mix softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon into a smooth paste while dough rises.
06 - Punch down risen dough and roll out on a floured surface into a 10 by 20 inch rectangle.
07 - Spread cinnamon filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1 inch border on all sides.
08 - Roll up the dough tightly from the long side and pinch the seam to seal completely.
09 - Shape the rolled dough into a ring and transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Pinch the ends together to seal the circle.
10 - Cover loosely and let rise again for 45 to 60 minutes until noticeably puffy.
11 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown.
12 - Let cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes before decorating.
13 - Whisk powdered sugar, vanilla, and enough milk together to achieve a thick drizzling consistency.
14 - Drizzle icing over the cooled cake and immediately sprinkle colored sugars in sections to create a festive appearance.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The brioche-style dough creates those perfect, tender pull-apart layers that make you close your eyes with each bite.
  • Theres something magical about the tradition of hiding a trinket inside—watching guests cautiously enjoy their slices adds an element of joyful suspense that regular desserts just cant match.
02 -
  • If your kitchen is cold, your dough will rise sluggishly—I learned after a particularly frustrating attempt that placing the covered dough near a preheating oven works wonders.
  • Filling that leaks is usually from spreading it too close to the edges—that one-inch border isnt just a suggestion, its what keeps your filling where it belongs during baking.
03 -
  • The dough is ready to be shaped when you can press a finger into it and the indentation springs back slowly but doesnt disappear completely—this is the sweet spot for perfect texture.
  • Apply the icing when the cake is still slightly warm (not hot), which creates a semi-translucent effect on the first layer and helps the sugars adhere better.

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