Mardi Gras King Cake Recipe

Mardi Gras King Cake Recipe Mardi Gras King Cake Recipe photo by Taste of Home Rating 5

This frosted yeast bread is the highlight of our annual Mardi Gras party. If you want to hide a token inside, do so by cutting a small slit in the bottom of the baked cake…and remember to warn your guests! —Lisa Mouton, Orlando, Florida

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Mardi Gras King Cake Recipe
  • Prep: 40 min. + rising Bake: 20 min. + cooling
  • Yield: 24 Servings
40 20 60

Ingredients

  • 1 package (1/4 ounce) active dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
  • 1/2 cup warm milk (110° to 115°)
  • 1/3 cup shortening
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • 4 to 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 cans (12-1/2 ounces each) almond cake and pastry filling
  • GLAZE:
  • 3 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 to 4 tablespoons water
  • Purple, green and gold colored sugar

Directions

  • In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add the milk, shortening, sugar, salt, egg and 2 cups flour. Beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Beat until smooth. Stir in enough remaining flour to form a soft dough (dough will be sticky).
  • Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
  • Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide in half. Roll one portion into a 16-in. x 10-in. rectangle. Spread almond filling to within 1/2 in. of edges. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a long side; pinch seam to seal. Place seam side down on a greased baking sheet; pinch ends together to form a ring. Repeat with remaining dough and filling. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
  • Bake at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. For glaze, combine the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough water to achieve desired consistency. Spread over cooled cakes. Sprinkle with colored sugars. Yield: 2 cakes (12 servings each).

Editor's Note: This recipe was tested with Solo brand cake and pastry filling. Look for it in the baking aisle.

Nutritional Facts 1 serving (1 slice) equals 227 calories, 4 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 10 mg cholesterol, 123 mg sodium, 44 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 3 g protein.

Originally published as Mardi Gras King Cake in Taste of Home's Holiday & Celebrations Cookbook Annual 2007, p191

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Reviews for Mardi Gras King Cake

Mardi Gras King Cake Recipe

Mardi Gras King Cake

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(1-5) of 5 reviews

Reviewed on Mar. 08, 2012 by DaphneRhyneCousineau

This was wonderful. We normally get our king cakes from Gambino's bakery in New Orleans but this year I made them. I modified the recipe a bit by only using one can of almond paste split between the two cakes. I also added cream cheese spread over the almond paste. Excellent!

Reviewed on Feb. 22, 2012 by ANNMYHRE

My granddaughter and I had fun making one very similar to this. I'll let you know how this one turns out.

Reviewed on Mar. 03, 2011 by sabrinann

This is also called Potica.....Slavic bread that is sweet enough to be called a cake. My aunt was always making this treat for us.

Reviewed on Feb. 26, 2011 by trishhicks

This recipe, though not anything like a "cake" (more like a pastry) was very good! I made one cake for a Mardi Gras themed birthday party and the other I took took work where it promptly disappeared! I was a little time consuming, but well worth it.

I would suggest letting the icing cool a bit to thicken up some before pouring (or just make it thicker). Otherwise most of it will run off the cake. The sugar coating needs to be added quickly as well so it can adhere to the icing before the icing dries.

To get the coloring in the picture, you will need a LOT of sugar.

Reviewed on Feb. 18, 2010 by xicota

This recipe was fun to prepare, and everyone enjoyed the bread. Very rich with the almond pastry filling! I'm not sure why this is called a "cake"--it is definitely a sweet bread, but no matter the name, it is a treat!

 
 

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