Praline Pecan King Cake Recipe
Make Praline Pecan 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
Praline Pecan Filling
Glaze & Topping
Method
Dough
- 1
Bloom the yeast
Warm the milk to about 105–115°F (40–45°C). In a small bowl, combine the warm milk, granulated sugar (0.333 cups) and active dry yeast (2.25 tsp). Stir briefly and let sit 5–10 minutes until foamy and fragrant.
- 2
Mix wet and dry
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl), add the all-purpose flour (4.5 cups), salt (1 tsp) and softened unsalted butter (0.5 cups). Add the eggs (2 large), egg yolks (2 large) and vanilla extract (1 tsp). When the yeast mixture is foamy, add it to the flour mixture.
- 3
Knead the dough
Switch to the dough hook and mix on medium speed 6–8 minutes (or knead by hand 8–10 minutes) until a smooth, slightly tacky, elastic dough forms. If the dough is overly sticky, add flour 1 tablespoon at a time; if it’s dry, add a teaspoon of warm milk. The dough should pull away from the bowl but remain pliable.
- 4
First rise
Grease a clean bowl with the vegetable oil or melted butter (1 tbsp). Place the dough in the bowl, cover tightly with plastic wrap or a damp kitchen towel and let rise in a warm draft-free spot until doubled in size, about 60–90 minutes.
- 5
Punch down & rest
Gently punch the risen dough down to release air and let it rest 10 minutes while you prepare the filling and toast pecans.
Praline Pecan Filling
- 6
- 7
Make the praline mixture
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the unsalted butter (6 tbsp). Add the light brown sugar (0.75 cups) and heavy cream (0.25 cups). Stir until the sugar dissolves, then simmer gently 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla (1 tsp), ground cinnamon (0.5 tsp) and salt (0.25 tsp). Fold in the toasted chopped pecans until evenly coated. Let the filling cool slightly — it should be spreadable but not runny.
Assembly & Bake
- 8
Shape the dough
On a lightly floured surface, roll the rested dough into a rectangle about 12 x 18 inches (roughly 1/2-inch thick). Keep the shape rectangular and even so the roll will be uniform.
- 9
Spread filling and roll
Spread the praline pecan filling evenly over the dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border on one long edge. Starting from the long edge opposite the border, roll the dough tightly into a log. Seal the seam and the ends by pinching the dough together to prevent filling leakage.
- 10
Form the ring
Lift the rolled log and form into a ring on a parchment-lined baking sheet, pinching the ends together to join. If desired, tuck the seam and ends under the ring for a cleaner look.
- 11
Second rise
Loosely cover the ring with lightly greased plastic wrap or a towel and let rise in a warm place until puffy and nearly doubled, about 45–60 minutes.
- 12
Preheat oven and egg wash
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). In a small bowl, beat the large egg (1) (for egg wash) with 1 teaspoon of water. Gently brush the risen ring with the egg wash to give it a glossy, golden crust.
- 13
Bake
Bake the king cake in the preheated oven for 25–30 minutes, rotating halfway through, until deeply golden brown and the internal temperature in the center reads about 190°F (88°C). If the top browns too quickly, tent loosely with foil for the last 5–10 minutes.
- 14
Cool slightly
Remove the cake from the oven and transfer to a wire rack. Let cool 15–20 minutes before glazing. (If you plan to hide the plastic baby inside the cake, wash and wrap it in plastic; tradition varies — many bakers insert the baby after baking into a slit on the underside or into the cake after slicing to avoid choking hazard.)
Glaze & Topping
- 15
Make the vanilla glaze
While the cake cools for 10–15 minutes, whisk together the powdered sugar (1.5 cups), milk (0.25 cups), vanilla extract (0.5 tsp) and melted butter (1 tbsp) until smooth and pourable. If the glaze is too thick, add milk 1 teaspoon at a time; if too thin, add powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time.
- 16
Glaze the cake
Place the slightly warm cake on a rack set over a baking sheet (to catch drips). Pour the glaze over the top, using a spatula to help it coat the top and run down the sides evenly.
- 17
Apply colored sugars and pecans
Immediately after glazing and while glaze is still wet, sprinkle the colored sanding sugars in alternating sections (traditionally purple, green, gold). Press the toasted chopped pecans (0.5 cups) into the glaze in a band or scatter as desired. Work quickly so the sugars adhere.
- 18
Finish & serve
Allow the glaze to set about 20–30 minutes. If using the optional plastic baby, insert it into the bottom of the cake (or into a slice) once cake is cool enough to handle and guests have been warned of its presence. Slice and serve. Store any leftovers covered at room temperature up to 2 days or refrigerated up to 4 days—bring to room temperature before serving.
