Cream Cheese King Cake Recipe
Make Cream Cheese King Cake Recipe in just 4h . Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Dough
Cinnamon Filling
Cream Cheese Filling
Egg wash
Glaze & Decoration
Method
Dough
- 1
Warm the milk and proof the yeast
Warm the milk to 105–115°F (warm to the touch). In a small bowl or measuring cup combine the warmed milk, active dry yeast and 1 teaspoon of the dough granulated sugar (from the dough ingredients). Stir gently and let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy. If it doesn't foam after 10 minutes, the yeast may be inactive — start with fresh yeast.
- 2
Combine wet ingredients
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook (or a large mixing bowl), whisk together the remaining dough granulated sugar, melted butter, salt, whole egg and egg yolk until blended. Add the foamed yeast-and-milk mixture and mix briefly to combine.
- 3
Add flour and form dough
With the mixer running on low, add the all-purpose flour 1 cup at a time until a soft, slightly sticky dough forms. If mixing by hand, stir with a wooden spoon until shaggy, then turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead.
- 4
Knead the dough
Knead with the stand mixer on medium speed for 6–8 minutes (or by hand for 8–10 minutes) until the dough is smooth, elastic and slightly tacky but not overly sticky. If the dough is very sticky, add up to 2 additional tablespoons of flour, a tablespoon at a time.
- 5
First rise
Lightly oil a large bowl with the vegetable oil, place the dough inside, turn to coat, cover tightly with plastic wrap or a damp towel and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1½–2 hours.
Fillings
- 6
Make the cinnamon filling
While the dough rises, combine the packed brown sugar, ground cinnamon and softened butter in a bowl. Use a fork or small electric mixer to mash until smooth and spreadable with no large butter lumps. Set aside at room temperature so it's easy to spread.
- 7
Make the cream cheese filling
In a separate bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the granulated sugar (for filling), vanilla extract, egg yolk and lemon zest until completely smooth and spreadable. Scrape down the bowl so the filling is uniform. Refrigerate the filling briefly if it becomes too loose; it should be thick enough to hold its shape when piped or dolloped.
Assembly & Bake
- 8
Roll the dough into a rectangle
Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and turn it onto a lightly floured surface. Using a rolling pin, roll the dough into a rectangle roughly 12 inches by 18 inches (about 1/4-inch thick). Keep the rectangle even; dust with flour as needed to prevent sticking.
- 9
Spread the fillings
Leave a 1-inch border along one long edge. Spread the cinnamon filling over about two-thirds of the dough surface (or evenly across both long strips), leaving a 2-inch center strip untouched for the cream cheese. Transfer the cream cheese filling into a piping bag (or use a zip-top bag with the corner snipped) and pipe a continuous log about 2 inches wide down the center length of the dough rectangle.
- 10
Enclose and braid (method for visible swirls)
Fold the top and bottom dough edges up over the fillings so the cream cheese log is enclosed in the center. Using a sharp knife or bench scraper, make 1-inch angled cuts along each long side of the folded dough to create even strips (leaving the cream cheese center intact). Starting at one end, gently fold the strips over the center in an alternating, overlapping fashion (like braiding or tucking each strip across the filling) to create a spiral/braided effect that exposes stripes of both fillings.
- 11
Form the ring
Carefully transfer the braided log to a parchment-lined baking sheet, shaping it into a 10–12 inch ring. Pinch the ends together and tuck the seam under so the ring sits seam-side down.
- 12
Second rise
Cover the shaped ring loosely with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let it rise in a warm place until puffy, about 30–45 minutes.
- 13
Egg wash and bake
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Whisk together the egg and water for the egg wash and gently brush the surface of the risen ring (avoid brushing into the filling gaps to keep filling visible). Bake on the center rack for 25–30 minutes or until the pastry is golden brown and cooked through (internal temperature around 190°F / 88°C if using a thermometer). If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 5–10 minutes.
- 14
Cool before glazing
Remove the king cake from the oven and let it cool on the baking sheet for 20–30 minutes so the fillings set; transferring to a wire rack after 10 minutes helps the bottom stay crisp. The cake should be warm but not hot when you apply the glaze.
Glaze & Decoration
- 15
Make the glaze
Whisk the powdered sugar with the milk (start with 2 tablespoons) and vanilla extract until smooth. Add the remaining tablespoon of milk only if needed to reach a thick but pourable glaze that will coat the back of a spoon. The glaze should be thick enough to hold the colored sugar but still drip slowly.
- 16
Glaze the cooled cake
Place the cooled king cake on a serving platter. Spoon or drizzle the glaze over the top so it runs into the nooks and highlights the braid and exposed filling. Work quickly while glaze is fresh.
- 17
Decorate in traditional colors
Immediately sprinkle the sanding sugars in three sections or stripes around the ring in the traditional order (purple, green, gold). For a classic look, apply one color to each third of the ring or create alternating small color patches. The glaze will help the sanding sugar adhere. Let the glaze set 10–15 minutes before serving.
- 18
Serve
Slice into wedges and serve slightly warm or at room temperature. Store any leftovers loosely covered at room temperature for 1 day or refrigerated up to 3 days; rewarm gently before serving to refresh the texture.
