Cake Ii (King's)
Submitted by Stevenhansen
Homemade King Cake with a rich sour cream yeast dough rolled with cinnamon sugar and shaped into an oval ring. Decorated with purple, green, and gold frosting and colored sugars for Mardi Gras.
YIELD
12 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
25 minREADY
85 minLaissez les bons temps rouler! This is a from-scratch King Cake built on a pillowy sour cream yeast dough that’s rich, tender, and worth every minute of kneading.
The dough comes together with butter, sour cream, eggs, and a generous six cups of flour, then rises until doubled and puffy. It gets rolled out into a long rectangle, spread with softened butter and a cinnamon-sugar filling, then rolled up jellyroll-style and curved into the traditional oval ring shape.
After a second rise, it bakes until golden and fragrant.
The finishing touch is what makes it a true King Cake: bands of colored frosting and sprinkles of purple, green, and gold sugar crystals that represent justice, faith, and power.
This recipe makes two cakes, so you’ve got one for the party and one to share with your neighbors.
Pro Tips
- Knead the full 10 minutes. The dough should feel smooth, elastic, and spring back when poked. Under-kneaded dough makes a dense, crumbly cake.
- Roll gently when shaping the ring. The dough is soft and the cinnamon filling can squeeze out if you handle it too roughly.
- Moisten the ends well before pinching them together to seal the ring. A dry seam will split open in the oven.
- Hide a dried bean or a tiny plastic baby inside before baking if you want to keep the Mardi Gras tradition alive. Whoever finds it hosts the next party!
Ingredients
Directions
colored sugars. Combine first 4 ingredients in saucepan; heat until butter melts, stirring occasionally.
Let mixture cool to 105 to 115 degrees.
Dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in warm water in large bowl; let stand 5 minutes.
Add butter mixture, eggs, and 2 cups flour; beat at Medium speed of electric mixer 2 minutes or until smooth.
Gradually stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.
Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes).
Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top.
Cover, and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 1 hour, or until dough is doubled in bulk.
Combine ½ cup sugar and cinnamon; set aside.
Punch dough down, and divide in half.
Turn one portion of dough out onto a lightly floured surface, and roll to a 28×10-inch rectangle.
Spread half each of butter and cinnamon mixture on dough.
Roll dough, jellyroll fashion, starting at long side.
Gently place dough roll, seam side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet.
Bring ends of dough together to form an oval ring, moistening and pinching the edges together to seal.
Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 20 minutes, or until doubled in bulk.
Bake at 375℉ (190℃) for 20 to 25 minutes.
Repeat procedure with remaining dough, butter and cinnamon mixture.
Decorate each cake with bands of colored frostings, and sprinkle with colored sugars.
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