King Cake with Cream Cheese Filling: A Delicious Mardi Gras Tradition Recipe
This King Cake with Cream Cheese Filling is a delicious Mardi Gras tradition featuring a sweet yeast dough wrapped around a smooth, tangy cream cheese filling. Topped with a lightly sweetened icing, this festive cake is perfect for celebrating the carnival season with family and friends.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours
- 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 (.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:
- 1 (8 ounce) package 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
- Prepare the dough mixture: Combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer with a dough hook. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs.
- Warm the butter and buttermilk: Melt butter over low heat, whisk in buttermilk, and heat until temperature reaches 120°F (49°C). Slowly add this mixture to the beaten eggs while whisking constantly, then let cool to 110°F (43°C).
- Knead the dough: On medium-low speed, beat the egg and buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture until a firm elastic dough forms, about 10 minutes. Add up to ¼ cup more flour if dough is too sticky.
- Proof the dough: Turn dough onto a work surface, knead 1 minute, form into a ball, and place in a buttered bowl. Turn to coat all sides with butter, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
- Preheat oven and prepare pan: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C) and butter the outside edge of an 8-inch cake pan.
- Make the cream cheese filling: Stir together cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, flour (optional), lemon juice, vanilla, and nutmeg until smooth.
- Roll and fill the dough: Punch down dough, roll out on floured parchment into a 10×28-inch rectangle. Spread cream cheese filling evenly over dough, leaving a 1-inch border.
- Form the cake ring: Starting from a long edge, roll dough into a log using the parchment paper. Pinch seams closed. Wrap the log around the outer edges of the prepared cake pan, pinching ends to form a ring. Remove the pan carefully leaving the ring-shaped cake on the parchment.
- Apply egg wash: Whisk egg and water to make egg wash and brush over the entire cake surface.
- Bake the cake: Bake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Remove and cool for 30 minutes.
- Make the icing: Mix confectioners’ sugar, corn syrup, and milk. Add lemon juice to achieve a thick but pourable texture.
- Decorate and serve: Drizzle icing over the cooled king cake before serving.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients for best dough rise.
- Adjust flour amount as needed to achieve a firm but elastic dough.
- The optional flour in the filling helps stabilize the cream cheese mixture during baking.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before icing to prevent the glaze from melting.
- For a traditional Mardi Gras look, consider adding colored sugar in yellow, green, and purple after icing.
Keywords: King Cake, Cream Cheese Filling, Mardi Gras, Sweet Dough, Southern Dessert, Holiday Cake
