Best 4 Super Easy Mardi Gras King Cake Recipes

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Mardi Gras is a time for celebration, and what better way to celebrate than with a delicious king cake? This traditional pastry is a symbol of the holiday, and it's a favorite treat for people of all ages. If you're looking for a super easy king cake recipe that you can make at home, you've come to the right place. With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a delicious king cake that will be the hit of your Mardi Gras party.

Let's cook with our recipes!

MARDI GRAS KING CAKE



Mardi Gras King Cake image

The King Cake is a New Orleans tradition that involves a pastry, a small plastic baby, and a party. The King Cake is baked with a small plastic baby hidden inside, the person who gets the slice with baby in it has to host the next party.

Provided by Jo

Categories     Desserts     Cakes     Holiday Cake Recipes

Time 4h30m

Yield 16

Number Of Ingredients 17

1 cup milk
¼ cup butter
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
⅔ cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
½ cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
5 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
⅔ cup chopped pecans
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ cup raisins
½ cup melted butter
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon water

Steps:

  • Scald milk, remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of butter. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water with 1 tablespoon of the white sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
  • When yeast mixture is bubbling, add the cooled milk mixture. Whisk in the eggs. Stir in the remaining white sugar, salt and nutmeg. Beat the flour into the milk/egg mixture 1 cup at a time. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours. When risen, punch down and divide dough in half.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 2 cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
  • To Make Filling: Combine the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, chopped pecans, 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup raisins. Pour 1/2 cup melted butter over the cinnamon mixture and mix until crumbly.
  • Roll dough halves out into large rectangles (approximately 10x16 inches or so). Sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough and roll up each half tightly like a jelly roll, beginning at the wide side. Bring the ends of each roll together to form 2 oval shaped rings. Place each ring on a prepared cookie sheet. With scissors make cuts 1/3 of the way through the rings at 1 inch intervals. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Push the doll into the bottom of the cake. Frost while warm with the confectioners' sugar blended with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 418.2 calories, Carbohydrate 68.7 g, Cholesterol 47.3 mg, Fat 13.4 g, Fiber 2.3 g, Protein 7.2 g, SaturatedFat 6.2 g, Sodium 300.5 mg, Sugar 30.7 g

SUPER EASY MARDI GRAS KING CAKE



Super Easy Mardi Gras King Cake image

Do you love the way a King Cake brightens up your party but hate the time it takes to bake one? Here's an easy recipe that's fast and fun and easier than pie! A small plastic baby inserted into the side of the cake will bring good luck in the coming year to whoever discovers it in their slice of cake. Beads, additional plastic babies, curly ribbon, and other festive trinkets can be used to decorate the cake.

Provided by BUDDHAFULDREAMER

Categories     Desserts     Cakes     Holiday Cake Recipes

Time 1h5m

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 8

3 (14 ounce) cans refrigerated sweet roll dough
2 (12 fluid ounce) cans creamy vanilla ready-to-spread frosting
¼ cup milk
2 drops green food coloring
2 drops yellow food coloring
1 drop red food coloring
1 drop blue food coloring
½ cup multi-colored sprinkles

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
  • Open the cans of sweet roll dough and unroll the dough from each can into 3 strands. Working on a clean surface, place 3 dough strands side by side and gather them together to make one large strand. Fold this in half, and roll slightly to make a fat log. Repeat steps with the remaining dough. Place each log on the prepared baking sheet and shape to make a ring, overlapping the ends and pinching them together to make a complete circle. Pat the dough into shape as necessary to make the ring even in size all the way around. Cover loosely with foil.
  • Bake in preheated oven until firm to the touch and golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes. Check often for doneness so the ring doesn't overbake. Place on a wire rack and cool completely.
  • Place the cake ring on a serving plate. Cut a slit along the inside of the ring and insert a small plastic baby, pushing it far enough into the cake to be hidden from view.
  • Divide the frosting evenly between 4 bowls. Stir 1 tablespoon of milk into each bowl to thin the frosting. Use the frosting in one bowl to drizzle over the cooled cake. To the remaining three bowls of frosting, stir yellow food coloring into one and green into another. Stir the red and blue food colorings together with the frosting in a third bowl to make purple frosting. Drizzle the cake with yellow, green, and purple frostings in any desired pattern. Dust the cake with multi-colored sprinkles and decorate with beads, additional plastic babies, curly ribbon, and other festive trinkets.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 606.1 calories, Carbohydrate 95.4 g, Cholesterol 0.4 mg, Fat 22.9 g, Fiber 1.9 g, Protein 5.3 g, SaturatedFat 4.8 g, Sodium 865.3 mg, Sugar 41.5 g

QUICK MARDI GRAS KING CAKE



Quick Mardi Gras King Cake image

Laissez les bons temps rouler-let the good times roll-with these braided and buttery, cinnamon-filled cakes that are festively decorated with vibrant colors.

Provided by By Betty Crocker Kitchens

Categories     Dessert

Time 3h30m

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 15

3 1/2 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
1 package (2 1/4 teaspoons) Rapid Rise yeast
1 cup milk
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, cut into 12 pieces
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
Dark green, purple, and yellow or gold sugars, if desired
Miniature plastic baby, if desired

Steps:

  • Mix 2 1/2 cups flour and yeast in mixing bowl of stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, on low for about 30 seconds.
  • Heat milk, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and milk is between 120°F to 130°F.
  • With mixer on low, pour in liquids and mix until incorporated. Add eggs one at a time. Continue mixing until a shaggy dough forms. Clean off paddle and switch to dough hook. Mix in the remaining 1 cup flour a little at a time, adding more or less flour as needed to make a soft dough. Add the softened butter, a piece at a time, kneading until each piece of butter is absorbed.
  • Knead for eight minutes on low. The dough should completely clear the sides of the bowl. If it is too sticky, add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing in thoroughly before determining if more flour is needed. If the dough seems too dry, spritz with water from a spray bottle a couple of times, mixing in thoroughly before determining if more water is needed. Every 2 minutes, stop the machine, scrape the dough off the hook, and then continue kneading.
  • Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times by hand to be sure it's smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a ball. Place dough into a greased bowl. Turn once so greased surface is on top. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  • While the dough is chilling, make cinnamon filling. In small bowl, combine the brown sugar and ground cinnamon. Combine butter with cinnamon mixture and mix well.
  • Roll the chilled dough into a 10 x 20 inch rectangle. Spread the filling on half of the long side of the dough. Fold the dough in half covering the filling. Pat dough down firmly so the dough will stick together. Cut dough into three long strips. Press the tops of the strips together and braid the strips. Press the ends together at the bottom. Gently stretch the braid so that it measures 20 inches again. Shape it into a circle/oval and press the edges together.
  • Transfer the ring to a parchment lined or greased baking sheet. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled, about 1 hour. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350°. Bake the cake until it is golden brown, 20 - 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes on baking sheet and then place it on a cooling rack to cool completely before icing. To hide the baby in the cake, if desired, make a small slit in the bottom of the cake and put the miniature plastic baby in after the cake has cooled.
  • Icing: In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth (add additional milk if mixture is too thick or powdered sugar if too thin).
  • Spoon icing over top of the cake. Immediately sprinkle on colored sugar, alternating between the three colors.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 350, Carbohydrate 56 g, Cholesterol 60 mg, Fat 2, Fiber 1 g, Protein 6 g, SaturatedFat 7 g, ServingSize 1 Serving, Sodium 220 mg, Sugar 27 g, TransFat 0 g

MARDI GRAS KING CAKE



Mardi Gras King Cake image

If you can't get to Louisiana for Mardi Gras this year, making a king cake is the next best thing.

Provided by Southern Living Editors

Categories     Cakes

Time 3h40m

Yield 1 king cake

Number Of Ingredients 18

½ cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)
2 (¼-oz.) package active dry yeast
½ cup plus 2 tsp. granulated sugar, divided
2 teaspoons table salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
4 - 5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
4 large egg yolks
½ cup warm milk (105°F to 115°F)
½ cup (4 oz.) unsalted butter, melted
Cooking spray
½ cup finely chopped candied citron (optional)
Unsalted butter, for baking sheet
1 pecan half or uncooked dried bean
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)
2 tablespoons water
Purple, green, and gold sanding sugar

Steps:

  • Prepare the Cake: Stir together warm water (105°F to 115°F), yeast, and 2 teaspoons of the sugar in a small bowl; set in a warm place until foamy, about 5 minutes.
  • Beat salt, nutmeg, zest, 4 cups of the flour, and remaining ½ cup sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add egg yolks, warm milk, melted butter, and yeast mixture; beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
  • Turn dough out onto a lightly floured work surface; knead in up to remaining 1 cup flour, ⅓ cup at a time, until dough is no longer sticky. Continue kneading until dough is smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes.
  • Place dough in a bowl coated with cooking spray, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°F) free from drafts until doubled in bulk, about 1½ hours.
  • Punch down dough, and place on a lightly floured work surface. (If desired, sprinkle with candied citron; knead until citron is evenly distributed.) Shape dough into a cylinder 30 inches long.
  • Place dough cylinder on a buttered baking sheet; shape into a ring, pinching ends together to seal. Press pecan half gently into dough ring from underside of dough so it is completely hidden inside the dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Bake Cake in preheated oven until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool on baking sheet 30 minutes.
  • Prepare the Glaze: Stir together powdered sugar, lemon juice, and water in a small bowl until smooth.
  • Drizzle Cake with Glaze; sprinkle with sanding sugar, alternating colors.

Tips for Making the Perfect Mardi Gras King Cake

  • Use high-quality ingredients: The better the ingredients you use, the better your king cake will taste. Look for fresh, organic ingredients whenever possible.
  • Proof the yeast properly: This is an important step that helps to ensure that your king cake will rise properly. Make sure that the yeast is active and that the water is warm enough (105-115 degrees Fahrenheit).
  • Knead the dough thoroughly: This helps to develop the gluten in the dough, which makes it more elastic and chewy. Knead the dough for at least 5 minutes, or until it is smooth and elastic.
  • Let the dough rise in a warm place: This helps the dough to double in size. Cover the dough with a damp cloth and let it rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours, or until it has doubled in size.
  • Shape the dough into a ring: Once the dough has risen, punch it down and shape it into a ring. Place the ring on a greased baking sheet and let it rise for another 30 minutes.
  • Bake the cake until it is golden brown: Bake the cake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 25-30 minutes, or until it is golden brown. Let the cake cool completely before decorating.
  • Decorate the cake with your favorite toppings: Traditional Mardi Gras king cake decorations include purple, green, and gold sprinkles, but you can use any toppings you like. Some popular options include sugar, cinnamon, and cream cheese icing.

Conclusion

Mardi Gras king cake is a delicious and festive treat that is perfect for any celebration. With its bright colors and sweet flavors, it is sure to be a hit with everyone who tries it. So next time you are looking for a special dessert, give this recipe a try. You won't be disappointed!

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