New Orleans King Cake
A braided brioche ring filled with cinnamon, glazed and sugared in purple, green and gold for Carnival season.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Total
- 70 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Calories
- 420 kcal
Equipment
- •Stand mixer
- •Baking sheet
- •Pastry brush
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 420 kcal
- fat
- 14
- carbs
- 66
- protein
- 7
- calories
- 420
Instructions
- 1
Warm the milk until barely warm. Stir in the yeast and a spoon of sugar, then let sit 10 minutes until foamy.
- 2
Mix in the remaining sugar, yolks, softened butter, salt, lemon zest, and flour. Knead 10 minutes until smooth and springy.
- 3
Cover the bowl. Let it rise in a warm place for 1.5 hours until doubled.
- 4
Roll the dough into a long rectangle and spread with butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Roll lengthwise and join into a ring on a lined sheet pan.
- 5
Let rise 45 minutes. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 28–30 minutes until golden, then cool completely.
- 6
Whisk powdered sugar and milk into a thick glaze and pour over the ring. Immediately add stripes of purple, green, and gold sugars, then tuck the plastic baby underneath.
Chef's tips
This rich dough rises slowly, so wait until it fully doubles. Shape the ring loosely so it does not tear as it rises.
Storage
Best on the day; keeps 2 days wrapped, or freeze unglazed for a month.
Reheating
Warm slices for 5 minutes in a 300°F oven.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Using milk that is too hot and killing the yeast.
- •Rolling the filling too tightly so the cake bursts.
- •Putting the plastic baby inside before baking instead of after.
Serving suggestions
Cooked New Orleans King Cake?
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