New Orleans King Cake With Filling Recipe
Make New Orleans King Cake With Filling Recipe in just 3h 30m. Get the full recipe with step-by-step instructions at pekinthechef.com.
Was this page helpful?
Help improve this recipe for others.
Send this recipe to your inbox.
We'll email it straight to you - plus weekly cooking inspiration.
Ingredients
Some product links may be affiliates. If you buy through them, you're supporting the site and Pekin may earn a commission at no extra cost to you.
Dough
Filling
Glaze & Decoration
Method
Dough
- 1
Bloom the yeast
In a small bowl, combine the warmed milk (1 cup), warm water (1/4 cup) and 1 tablespoon of the granulated sugar from the dough ingredients. Sprinkle the active dry yeast (2.25 tsp) over the liquid, stir gently, and let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy.
- 2
Mix dry ingredients
In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl if kneading by hand), whisk together the all-purpose flour (5 cups), the remaining granulated sugar (about 7 tbsp remaining from 1/2 cup), and salt (1.5 tsp). Add the orange zest and vanilla extract to the dry mix so the flavor is distributed.
- 3
Combine wet and dry
Add the foamy yeast mixture, softened unsalted butter (1/2 cup), and 2 large eggs to the flour mixture. Using the dough hook on low speed (or a wooden spoon by hand), mix until a shaggy dough forms, then increase speed to medium and knead 6–8 minutes until the dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky. If the dough is too sticky, add flour 1 tbsp at a time; if too dry, add warm water 1 tsp at a time.
- 4
First rise
Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in it, cover tightly with plastic wrap or a damp towel, and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 60–90 minutes depending on room temperature.
- 5
Prepare for shaping
After the dough has doubled, punch it down to release air and transfer to a lightly floured work surface. Roll the dough into a rectangle roughly 16 x 12 inches, about 1/4–1/2 inch thick — keep edges even enough so the roll will seal cleanly. (Proceed to the Filling section to prepare and spread the filling.)
Filling
- 6
Make the filling
In a medium bowl, whisk together melted unsalted butter (1/2 cup), brown sugar (1 cup), ground cinnamon (2 tbsp), vanilla extract (1 tsp) and salt (1/4 tsp) until smooth and fully combined. Stir in the finely chopped pecans (1 cup) so they are evenly distributed.
- 7
Assemble filling on dough
Using an offset spatula or the back of a spoon, spread the filling evenly over the rolled dough rectangle, leaving a 1/2-inch border along the long edge farthest from you. Distribute the pecan-packed filling so there are no large gaps; press lightly so the filling adheres to the dough.
- 8
Roll and form ring
Starting at the long edge nearest you, roll the dough tightly into a log (jelly-roll style) so the seam is on the bottom. Lightly pinching the ends, bring the two ends together and join them to form a ring; tuck and seal the seam so the filling won't leak. Transfer the ring to a parchment-lined baking sheet, seam-side down. If desired, use a small sharp knife to make a few shallow slits in the top for steam release.
- 9
Second rise
Cover the shaped ring loosely with plastic wrap or a clean towel and let rise in a warm place until puffy and nearly doubled, 45–60 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- 10
Egg wash
Beat the egg for wash with 1 tablespoon of water. Brush the top of the risen ring evenly with the egg wash to promote a golden crust during baking.
- 11
Bake
Bake the king cake in the preheated 350°F (175°C) oven for 25–30 minutes, rotating the pan once if your oven browns unevenly, until the cake is deep golden brown and the internal temperature reaches about 190°F (88°C). If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 10 minutes.
- 12
Cool before glazing
Remove the cake to a wire rack and let cool for at least 30 minutes — the glaze will set better and not run off if the cake is warm but not hot.
Glaze & Decoration
- 13
Prepare the base glaze
In a medium bowl, whisk the powdered sugar (2 cups) with milk (3 tbsp) and vanilla extract (1 tsp) until smooth and pourable but not too thin. If the glaze is very thick, add milk 1 tsp at a time until it reaches a thick drizzling consistency.
- 14
Divide and color glazes
Divide the glaze into three small bowls (approx equal portions). Add the purple gel (3 drops) to one bowl, green gel (3 drops) to the second, and gold/yellow gel (3 drops) to the third. Stir each until the color is even. Adjust intensity with additional drops if desired.
- 15
Glaze the cake
Using a spoon, drizzle the three colored glazes over the cooled king cake in alternating diagonal bands or spirals to achieve the traditional Mardi Gras look. Work quickly; the glaze will start to set. Wipe any excess glaze on the rack or parchment.
- 16
Apply sanding sugar
Immediately sprinkle the purple sanding sugar on the purple glaze bands, green sanding sugar on the green glaze, and gold sanding sugar on the gold glaze while the glaze is wet so the sanding sugar adheres. Use about 1 tablespoon of each color, adjusting to your visual preference.
- 17
Insert the baby (optional)
If you plan to include the small plastic baby, cool the cake completely (to avoid melting decorations) and insert the cleaned plastic baby into a hidden pocket in the underside of the cake or into a slice later. NOTE: inform guests if the baby is present because it is a choking hazard; alternatively, include it on the side to be inserted after serving.
- 18
Serve
Let the glaze set 10–15 minutes, then slice and serve. Store leftovers wrapped at room temperature up to 2 days or refrigerated up to 4 days; rewarm slightly before serving if desired.
