Swirled with cream cheese and cinnamon, this traditional king cake is a must for any Mardi Gras parties you attend this year.
Cinnamon-Cream Cheese King Cake
Makes 1
Ingredients
- 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ⅔ cup confectioners’ sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- King Cake Dough (recipe follows)
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon water
- Cream Cheese Frosting (recipe follows)
- Garnish: colored sanding sugar
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- ½ tablespoon whole milk
- ½ teaspoon clear vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
King Cake Dough
- 4½ cups bread flour, divided
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 (0.25-ounce) package instant yeast
- 1½ teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add confectioners’ sugar, egg yolk, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt, and beat at low speed until combined and smooth.
- Lightly punch down King Cake Dough. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon water.
- Turn out King Cake Dough onto a lightly floured surface, and divide in half. Roll one half into a 24×6-inch rectangle. Using a small offset spatula, spread half of cream cheese mixture onto dough, leaving a ½-inch border on one long side. Brush border with egg wash. Starting with long side opposite border, roll up dough, jelly roll style; pinch seam to seal. Gently shape log to even thickness, if necessary. Repeat procedure with remaining dough and remaining cream cheese mixture.
- Carefully twist logs together, and place on a sheet of parchment paper. Form into a circle, twisting and pinching ends to seal. (Use egg wash, if needed.) Slide parchment onto a baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°) until puffed, 30 to 45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Brush dough with egg wash.
- Bake until lightly golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 190°, 30 to 45 minutes, loosely covering with foil halfway through baking to prevent excess browning, if necessary. Let cool on pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan, and let cool completely on a wire rack. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting on top, and garnish with colored sanding sugar, if desired.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, milk, vanilla, and salt with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating at low speed until smooth.
King Cake Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 2 cups flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.
- In a medium saucepan, heat 1 cup water, butter, and vanilla over medium heat until butter is melted and an instant-read thermometer registers 120° to 130°. Add warm butter mixture to flour mixture, and beat at medium speed until combined and cooled slightly, about 2 minutes. Add egg and egg yolk, and beat at medium speed until combined. With mixer on low speed, gradually add remaining 2½ cups flour, beating just until combined and stopping to scrape sides of bowl.
- Switch to the dough hook attachment. Beat at low speed until a soft dough forms, about 8 minutes, stopping to scrape sides of bowl and dough hook. (Dough will be slightly sticky.) Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and shape into a smooth round.
- Lightly oil a large bowl. Place dough in bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°) until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
