King Cake - Choose Your Own 2 Pack Recipe
Make King Cake - Choose Your Own 2 Pack Recipe in just 3h 50m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
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Ingredients
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Dough
Fillings (choose one or combine)
Assembly & Baking
Glaze & Toppings
Method
Dough
- 1
Bloom the yeast
Warm the milk to about 110°F (43°C) — it should feel warm but not hot. Stir the granulated sugar into the milk, sprinkle the active dry yeast over the surface, stir gently, and let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.
- 2
Combine wet ingredients
In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook), whisk the eggs lightly then add the melted butter, vanilla extract, and the foamy milk-yeast mixture. Stir to combine.
- 3
Mix in dry ingredients
Add 4 cups of the flour, the salt, and nutmeg to the wet mixture. Mix until incorporated, then add remaining flour, 1 cup at a time, until a soft but slightly tacky dough forms. If using a stand mixer, mix on low for 3–5 minutes; if mixing by hand, stir until shaggy then turn onto a lightly floured surface and begin kneading.
- 4
Knead the dough
Knead the dough for 8–10 minutes by machine or by hand until it becomes smooth, elastic, and slightly springy. The dough should be soft and tacky but not sticky—add up to 1/4 cup more flour only if it clings heavily to your hands.
- 5
First rise
Lightly oil a large bowl with vegetable oil, place the dough in the bowl, turning once 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 1 to 1½ hours.
- 6
Punch down
After the dough has doubled, gently punch it down to deflate and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Let rest 10 minutes before shaping.
Fillings (choose one or combine)
- 7
Prepare cinnamon filling
If using the cinnamon filling: combine brown sugar and ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Stir in the 6 tablespoons melted butter until a spreadable paste forms. Set aside.
- 8
Prepare cream cheese filling
If using cream cheese filling: beat the cream cheese until smooth, then add powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Beat until fully combined and spreadable. Keep chilled until ready to use.
- 9
Prepare preserves
If using preserves: ensure the jam is slightly loosened (microwave 10–15 seconds if very firm) so it spreads easily without tearing the dough.
- 10
Decide on trinket placement
If you plan to include the plastic baby/trinket, decide whether you'll hide it in the cake (wrap in plastic wrap first) or place it under the cake when serving. If hiding inside, wash and wrap the item in several layers of food-safe wrap before embedding; do NOT put unwrapped trinkets in the dough.
Assembly & Baking
- 11
Divide dough
Divide the rested dough into two equal portions (for a 2-pack). Keep one portion covered while you shape the other.
- 12
Roll and spread filling
On a lightly floured surface, roll one portion into a rectangle about 12 x 16 inches and roughly 1/4 inch thick. Leave a 1/2-inch border along one long edge. Spread your chosen filling in an even layer over the dough leaving that border; do not overload. If using a combination of fillings, spread the heavier filling (cream cheese) first and lighter spreads/preserves on top as appropriate.
- 13
Roll into a log and shape
Starting from the long edge opposite the border, tightly roll the dough into a log. Pinch the seam to seal. Shape the log into a ring on a parchment-lined baking sheet, overlapping the ends and pressing to seal. Tuck and shape into a smooth ring. Repeat with second portion.
- 14
Second rise
Cover the shaped rings loosely with lightly oiled plastic or a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm place until puffy, about 30–45 minutes. They should look slightly puffed but not double.
- 15
Egg wash and bake
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Whisk together the egg and 1 tablespoon water to make the egg wash. Gently brush the risen rings with egg wash. Bake one sheet at a time in the preheated oven for 20–25 minutes, rotating halfway through, until the cakes are deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the dough (away from filling) reads about 190°F (88°C). Keep an eye: topping sugars can darken quickly.
- 16
Glaze & Toppings
- 17
Make the base glaze
In a medium bowl, whisk together the 2 cups powdered sugar, 4 tablespoons milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla until smooth. If too thick, add milk 1/2 teaspoon at a time until a pourable glaze is reached; if too thin, add powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time.
- 18
Divide and color the glaze
Divide the glaze into three small bowls. Tint one bowl purple with 1–3 drops purple gel, another green with green gel, and the third yellow/gold with the gold gel. Adjust drops until you reach the traditional Mardi Gras hues.
- 19
- 20
Apply colored sanding sugars
Immediately sprinkle the purple sanding sugar over the purple-glazed stripes, green sanding sugar over green stripes, and gold sanding sugar over gold stripes. Press lightly so sugar adheres. Shake off excess sugar back onto the sheet pan and discard or reuse only for non-food items.
- 21
Final notes about the trinket
If you hid a wrapped trinket inside, warn guests before serving as it may be encountered when slicing. If you plan to place the trinket under the cake, do so on the serving platter after cooling and before slicing.
