King Cake with Praline Filling for Mardi Gras

King Cake is a favorite in our family during Mardi Gras. However, it is more of a bread than a cake. When my boys were young, I made a King Cake on Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. Since it has similar ingredients like cinnamon rolls, I would get up early, take the proofed cake out of the refrigerator, bake and frost it in time for my family to have it for a decadent breakfast. Instead of putting a baby in it, which is traditionally done, I put a gold coin in the cake and it is exciting to see who the lucky one is that gets the coin. Though the boys are grown and live on their own, my husband wants a King Cake every year and he insists that I put a coin in the cake!

I was introduced to King Cake many years ago when I attended a conference in New Orleans during Mardi Gras. King Cake is available from January 6 through Fat Tuesday (the day before Ash Wednesday). In Louisiana, people take it to work or friend’s homes during this time of the year. You can find it in most grocery stores or bakeries in New Orleans, but it is easy to make at home. The colored sugars on the King Cake make it special. Purple represents justice, green represents faith and the gold represents power. In addition, a baby representing baby Jesus is inserted in the cake after it is baked. The tradition is if you get the baby, you have to bring the cake the next year.

You can make a King Cake at home but be sure to allow enough time since it has to be proofed two times. The dough is a yeast dough which you fill with with cinnamon sugar, cream cheese or cream cheese and fruit. This recipe uses a cinnamon cream cheese filling with roasted pecans. If you prefer, you can leave out the nuts.

Bake a King Cake for your family! I bet it is a hit and will be a tradition just like it is for my family. Happy Baking!

Please note: This recipe is from Southern Living and I have made a few changes to the original recipe.

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King Cake with Praline Filling for Mardi Gras

This yeast coffee cake is formed into a ring, frosted and then sprinkled with purple, green and yellow sugar.  

Prep Time40 mins

Cook Time30 mins

Proofing2 hrs

Total Time1 hr 10 mins

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: King Cake

Servings: 12 slices

Calories: 436kcal

Author: Gitta

Ingredients

Dough

• 1 cup sour cream
• 2 tbsp butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 3 tbsp granulated sugar divided
• 1 (1/4 oz) envelope active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup warm water (100 °F to 110 °F)
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Praline- Cream Cheese Filling

• 1 pkg cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 beaten egg
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup chopped pecans, toasted

Vanilla Glaze

• 11/2 cup powdered sugar
• 11/2 tbsp butter melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1-2 tbsp milk

Purple, Green, Yellow Sparkling Sugars

Instructions

• Combine sour cream, butter, salt, and 2 tablespoons sugar in a small saucepan.  Heat over low heat until the butter melts.  Remove from heat and let it cool to 100 °F to 110 ° F. 
  
• Combine 1 tablespoon sugar, yeast, and water.  Stir until the yeast is mostly dissolved.  Let sit for 5 minutes until the mixture is foamy, 
  
• Combine sour cream and yeast mixture, 1 egg and 1 cup of the flour.  Beat this with an electric mixture until it is smooth.  
  
• With the mixer on low, add the remaining 2 1/2 cups of flour.  Knead with a dough hook attachment or by hand until the dough is smooth and elastic.  About 8 minutes.  
  
• Place in a bowl that has been well greased with oil. Cover and place in a warm place until it has doubled about 1-1/2 hours.  
  
• While the dough is proofing, make the praline filling.  Combine the cream cheese, 1/2 egg (beat 1 egg and use about 1 Tbsp of the egg), brown sugar, ground cinnamon, and vanilla.  With an electric mixer, beat until it is smooth and there are no lumps.  Set filling aside.
  
• Place pecans in a small frying pan over medium heat.  Stir the pecans occasionally and heat until they are fragrant about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool completely. 
  
• Once the dough has doubled in bulk, remove from bowl and place on a surface that has been dusted with about 1/4 cup flour.  Roll the dough out to a 12″x22″ rectangle.  
  
• Spread cream cheese filling over the dough.  Leave about 1″ border.
  
• Sprinkle the pecans evenly over the dough. 
  
• Roll the dough tightly on the long side.  
  
• Bring ends of the dough together to form a circle.  Pinch the ends together.  
  
• Place the ring on a sheet pan that has been lined with parchment paper.  Cover with a clean dish towel.  Place in a warm place to proof for about 1 hour.  Preheat oven to 350 °F.  
  
• Remove the towel from the top of the dough.  Bake in a 350 °F oven for about 25-30 minutes until it is light brown.   Place the cake on a wire rack and let it cool completely about 1 -2 hours.  
  
• Prepare the frosting.  Combine the powdered sugar, melted butter, 1 tablespoon milk and vanilla in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat until smooth and there are no lumps.  Add more milk if necessary, 1 teaspoon at a time.  
  
• Push the coin or baby into bottom of the cake.  
  
• Spread frosting evenly over the top and sides of the cake.  
  
• I like to use these sugars.  You should be able to find them in your local grocery store.   (Note: This is not a sponsored advertisement). 
  
• Sprinkle the sugars on the cake as shown in the picture on the right.  
  

Notes

This recipe is from Southern Living.  I have made a few changes to the original recipe. To bake it in the morning, place the cake in the refrigerator for step 13.  In the morning, take it out of the refrigerator, let it sit for about 20 minutes and then bake it.  You might need additional baking time.  Once it is finished baking, take it out of the oven, let it cool about 30 minutes.  Frost it and sprinkle the sugars on the cake.