King Cake with Cream Cheese Filling: A Delicious Mardi Gras Tradition Recipe
This King Cake with Cream Cheese Filling is a rich and festive Mardi Gras classic featuring a soft, tender sweet dough wrapped around a luscious cream cheese filling. Baked to golden perfection and topped with a glossy sweet icing, this cake balances buttery richness with creamy tanginess and a hint of spice, perfect for celebrations and gatherings.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 10 minutes
- Yield: 12 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American (Southern)
Ingredients
Scale
Sweet Dough:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, or more if needed
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 (0.25 ounce) package rapid rise yeast
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 6 tablespoons butter
- ¾ cup Bulgarian-style buttermilk
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (optional)
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Egg Wash:
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup water
Icing:
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
- 4 teaspoons corn syrup
- 4 teaspoons milk
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice, or as needed
Instructions
- Make the Dough: In a stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook, combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat then whisk in the buttermilk, heating until it reaches 120°F (49°C). Slowly pour the buttermilk mixture into the beaten eggs while whisking constantly; cool to 110°F (43°C). Add this egg mixture to the flour mixture and beat on medium-low speed for about 10 minutes until a firm, elastic dough forms. Add up to ¼ cup more flour if dough sticks to the bowl.
- Knead and Rise Dough: Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead for 1 minute. Shape into a ball and place in a buttered bowl, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter the outside edge of an 8-inch cake pan to help shape the cake ring.
- Make the Cream Cheese Filling: In a bowl, mix together cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, flour (optional), lemon juice, vanilla extract, and nutmeg until smooth. Set aside.
- Shape and Fill the Dough: Punch down the dough and roll it out on parchment paper into a 10 × 28-inch rectangle. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border on all edges. Starting at one long side, carefully roll the dough into a log using the parchment paper. Pinch the seams to seal.
- Form Cake Ring: Wrap the rolled dough around the outside edge of the prepared cake pan, pinching the ends to form a ring. Use the parchment paper to lift and slide the cake off the pan onto a baking sheet, maintaining the ring shape.
- Brush with Egg Wash: Whisk egg and water in a small bowl to create an egg wash. Brush the top of the dough with the egg wash to ensure a golden, shiny crust.
- Bake the King Cake: Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes until the cake is golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 30 minutes.
- Make the Icing: In a bowl, combine confectioners’ sugar, corn syrup, and milk. Add lemon juice gradually to thin to a thick yet slightly runny icing consistency.
- Decorate and Serve: Drizzle the icing over the cooled king cake. Optionally, sprinkle with colored sugar in purple, green, and gold for a Mardi Gras theme. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- The flour amount may vary slightly; add more as needed to form a workable dough.
- Use room temperature eggs and cream cheese to ensure smooth mixing.
- Let the dough rise until doubled in size for a soft, tender crumb.
- If colored sugar is used, apply immediately after icing for best adhesion.
- You can make the dough and filling ahead and refrigerate overnight, then allow the dough to rise before baking.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 3 days or freeze slices for up to 1 month.
- For a vegan version, substitute cream cheese, butter, and milk with plant-based alternatives.
Keywords: King Cake,Mardi Gras,cream cheese filling,festive cake,sweet dough,icing,Southern dessert,baking recipe,celebration cake
