Louisiana, USA · North America

King Cake

Mardi Gras tradition: enriched dough, cinnamon swirl, and purple-green-gold sugar.

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Mardi Gras king cakeNew Orleans king cake

The Chemistry in This Bake

Proofing the enriched yeasted dough at a warm, controlled temperature for a set time before baking.

Learn the full technique →

Ingredients

  • Bread flour
  • Instant yeast
  • Warm milk
  • Eggs
  • Sugar
  • Butter
  • Ground cinnamon
  • Brown sugar
  • Colored sugars and icing

Method

  1. Mix and knead the enriched dough, then let it rise in a warm spot until doubled.

  2. Roll into a rectangle and spread with cinnamon-brown-sugar butter.

  3. Roll into a log, join the ends into a ring, and proof again at controlled warmth until puffy.

  4. Bake at 180 °C for 25-30 minutes until golden.

  5. Cool and drizzle with icing.

  6. Decorate with purple, green, and gold sugars.