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King Cake with Cream Cheese Filling: A Delicious Mardi Gras Tradition Recipe

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5 from 57 reviews

This King Cake with Cream Cheese Filling is a decadent and festive dessert perfect for celebrating Mardi Gras or any special occasion. It features a soft, tender sweet dough wrapped around a rich, creamy cream cheese filling, baked to golden perfection, and topped with a sweet icing glaze for the perfect balance of flavors and textures.

Ingredients

Scale

Sweet Dough:

  • 4 cups all-purpose flour, or more if needed
  • ½ cup white sugar
  • 1 (.25 ounce) package rapid rise yeast
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
  • 3 large eggs at room temperature
  • 6 tablespoons butter
  • ¾ cup Bulgarian-style buttermilk

Cream Cheese Filling:

  • 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese at room temperature
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (optional)
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg

Egg Wash:

  • 1 egg
  • ¼ cup water

Icing:

  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 4 teaspoons corn syrup
  • 4 teaspoons milk
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice, or as needed

Instructions

  1. Make the dough: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs together until combined.
  2. Heat butter and buttermilk: Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the buttermilk and heat until the mixture reaches 120°F (49°C). Slowly pour this warm buttermilk mixture into the beaten eggs while whisking constantly, then allow it to cool to 110°F (43°C).
  3. Combine dough ingredients: Beat the egg and buttermilk mixture into the flour mixture on medium-low speed until a firm, elastic dough forms, about 10 minutes. If the dough sticks to the bowl, gradually add up to ¼ cup more flour.
  4. Knead and rise: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 1 minute. Shape into a ball and place in a buttered bowl, turning to coat all sides with butter. Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
  5. Preheat oven and prepare pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter the outside edge of an 8-inch cake pan.
  6. Make the cream cheese filling: In a bowl, combine cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, optional flour, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and ground nutmeg until smooth and well blended. Set aside.
  7. Shape and fill the dough: Punch down the dough and turn it out onto parchment paper. Roll into a 10×28-inch rectangle. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly across the dough, leaving a 1-inch border on all sides. Starting from one long edge, lift the parchment paper and carefully roll the dough into a log. Pinch the seams to seal the filling inside.
  8. Form the ring: Wrap the dough log around the outer edge of the prepared cake pan. Pinch the ends together tightly to form a continuous ring. Use the parchment paper to transfer the cake onto a baking sheet, freeing the cake pan.
  9. Apply egg wash: Whisk together egg and water. Brush the egg wash generously over the top of the dough ring to promote golden browning.
  10. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for about 40 minutes, or until the cake is golden brown. Remove from the oven and let cool for about 30 minutes.
  11. Make the icing: While the cake cools, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, corn syrup, and milk. Stir in lemon juice as needed to reach a thick yet slightly runny consistency suitable for drizzling.
  12. Decorate and serve: Drizzle the icing over the cooled king cake. Optionally, sprinkle with colored sugars in purple, green, and gold for a festive Mardi Gras look. For a fun tradition, hide a small trinket inside before baking.

Notes

  • Use room temperature ingredients for smoother mixing.
  • Allow adequate rising time for a fluffy, tender dough.
  • If not using colored sugars, a simple icing drizzle is delicious on its own.
  • You can make the dough and filling ahead; refrigerate overnight and bring dough to room temp before shaping.
  • For a vegan adaptation, substitute cream cheese, butter, milk, and eggs with plant-based alternatives.
  • Store leftover cake in airtight container in refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze wrapped slices for up to 1 month.
  • To bake without a cake pan, shape the dough ring on a baking sheet and bake directly, ensuring ends are well sealed.

Keywords: King Cake, Cream Cheese Filling, Mardi Gras, Dessert, Southern Recipe, Festive Cake, Sweet Dough

Find it online: https://lucabites.com/king-cake-with-cream-cheese-filling-a-delicious-mardi-gras-tradition-recipe/