King Cake Recipe

When you think of Mardi Gras, you probably think of New Orleans parades, Bourbon Street, and revelers tossing strands of colorful beads into the air. You may see fun New Orleans-inspired recipes all over the internet. But there are traditional Mardi Gras recipes, too, including king cake. And some people even hide a toy baby in it!

What is king cake?

King cake—also known as three kings cake or galette des rois in French—is a sweet bread pastry that’s part of Mardi Gras celebrations across the country. It’s coated in thick frosting and decorated with colorful sugar sprinkles.

The king cake tradition originated centuries ago in areas such as France and Spain, where wreath-shaped cakes were eaten on Three Kings’ Day, aka Epiphany, (Jan. 6) to honor the three kings in the nativity story. When European immigrants made their way to America, they brought along the recipe—though the cakes back then were much simpler than the elaborate green, yellow and purple ones you’ll find in the French Quarter today.

Why is there a baby in king cake?

Said to symbolize baby Jesus, the toy baby represents good luck in the coming year. Traditionally, there’s only one hidden inside the cake; whoever finds it is dubbed king or queen for the evening. Along with bragging rights, king-cake royalty means you’re in charge of buying or making the cake for the next year’s Fat Tuesday celebration.

The tradition of hiding objects in the cake dates back to the 19th century, when king cake had become a staple dessert at Mardi Gras celebrations, including the annual balls in New Orleans. Bakers usually hid a fava bean in the cakes, but sometimes they would use a pecan or even a gold ring. Whoever found the bean would be named the king or queen of the ball.

Fast forward to the 1940s, when a traveling salesman happened to have a surplus of porcelain babies. While in New Orleans, he approached McKenzie’s Bakery (the city’s most successful commercial bakery at the time) and suggested hiding toy babies in king cake. The idea stuck, although they eventually switched to plastic toy babies.

King Cake Ingredients

• Active dry yeast: Before activating the yeast, double-check that it hasn’t expired. It’s imperative that the yeast is potent so it can help the dough rise.
• Warm water: To properly proof yeast, heat the water to between 110° and 115°F. Anything colder will not proof the yeast, and anything warmer will kill it. Make sure you have a kitchen thermometer on hand!
• Sugar: You’ll sweeten the bread with granulated sugar.
• Butter: Soften one stick of butter to room temperature so it mixes into the dough easily.
• 2% milk: Just like the water, you’ll heat the milk to keep the dough nice and warm so it can rise.
• Large egg yolks: Separate the egg whites from the yolks, then allow the yolks to come to room temperature. Save the egg whites for tomorrow’s morning breakfast or for meringue cookies—another little treat for your Fat Tuesday spread!
• Lemon zest: The cake’s flavor is brightened with fresh lemon zest.
• Spices: Warm cinnamon and spicy nutmeg bring a cozy flavor to the bread. The nutmeg is mixed into the bread, complementing the lovely cinnamon-sugar filling.
• All-purpose flour: Measure the flour properly and don’t add too much to the measuring cup. Too much flour will create a super-dry, dense bread.
• Glaze: Every king cake is finished with a quick glaze made from confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice and water. It adds sweetness and gives the colorful sugar—a signature of king cake—something to stick to.

Directions

Step 1: Mix the dough

In a large bowl, dissolve the yeast in warm water. Add 1/2 cup of sugar, the butter, the milk, the egg yolks, the salt, the lemon zest, the nutmeg and 2 cups of flour

Beat them together until they’re smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour to form a soft, sticky dough.

Editor’s Tip: Before you get started, test your yeast to make sure it’s active enough to leaven your king cake.

Step 2: Let it rise

On a floured surface, knead the dough until it’s smooth and elastic, about six to eight minutes. Place the dough in a greased bowl, turning it once to grease the top. Cover it and let it rise in a warm place until it doubles in size, about one hour.

Step 3: Form the cake

Punch the dough down. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll it into a 16×10-inch rectangle. Combine the cinnamon and the remaining sugar; sprinkle it over the dough to within 1/2 inch of the edges. Roll up the dough, jelly-roll style, starting with a long side. Pinch the seam to seal it. Place the rolled dough seam side down on a greased baking sheet. Pinch the ends together to form a ring. Cover the dough ring and let it rise until it has doubled in size, about one hour.

Brush the dough ring with egg.

Step 4: Bake the kings cake

Bake your king cake at 375° for 25 to 30 minutes or until it’s golden brown. Let it cool completely on a wire rack.

Step 5: Hide the baby

If you want to hide a toy baby—or another object, like a trinket, coin or dried bean—wait until after the cake is baked and cooled. Otherwise, the object could melt and ooze into your cake.

Insert the baby from the bottom of the cake so that people won’t be able to see where it is.

Step 6: Glaze and decorate

For the glaze, combine the confectioners’ sugar, lemon juice and enough water to achieve your desired consistency. Spread the glaze over the cake and sprinkle it with the colored sugars.

King Cake Recipe Variations

• Change the filling: King cakes come with all sorts of different fillings, not just cinnamon sugar. Instead, try a fruit, cream cheese, almond or praline filling.
• Finish with frosting: If your crew prefers sweeter desserts, omit the vanilla glaze and use vanilla frosting instead. It’s easier to spread, pipe and decorate with it, too, if desired.
• Make your own colored sugar: Can’t find green, purple and gold at the store? You can easily DIY colored sugar with standard granulated sugar and a bit of food coloring.

How to Store King Cake

Like most sweet bread recipes, it’s best to store king cake in an airtight container at room temperature for one to two days or in the refrigerator for three to five days. Keep it well covered to prevent it from drying out.

Can you freeze king cake?

Yes, king cake can be frozen for up to three months before it’s glazed. When you’re ready to enjoy it again, thaw the king cake overnight at room temperature, then add the glaze and colored sugar.

King Cake Tips

Can you use other colors of sanding sugars to decorate king cake?

King cake is decorated with traditional colors of purple, gold and green. These signify the colors of a jeweled crown honoring the wise men who visited baby Jesus on Epiphany. Purple represents justice, green represents faith, and gold represents power. Other colors can, of course, be used.

Where can you buy king cake?

Short on time but still want to keep the tradition of having a king cake during Mardi Gras? Have an authentic New Orleans king cake delivered right to your door, and decorate it yourself. This Gambino’s Bakery Traditional King Cake kit has cinnamon filling and comes with everything you need, including icing, sprinkles and a toy baby.

Looking for something a bit more suited to your tastes? This Maurice French Pastries King Cake gives you the option to choose your filling before ordering. Cream cheese, chocolate pecan and apple cinnamon are just a few of the choices. Aside from the traditional frosting, sprinkles and toy baby, this kit also comes with festive party additions like a spatula, beads and decorative coins.

Watch How to Make Traditional New Orleans King Cake

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