Our Mardi Gras King Cake recipe makes a soft, sweet ring of yeasted dough filled with cinnamon sugar and finished with bright, colorful sugar. Traditionally enjoyed from Epiphany through Mardi Gras, it celebrates the Christian feast of the Epiphany and is a beloved treat at holiday gatherings.
For more fun baking ideas, try the Strawberry Rhubarb Sweet Focaccia or the Chocolate Babka with Hazelnuts for delicious brunch table ideas.
Why You'll Love This Mardi Gras King Cake Recipe
Mardi Gras cakes are more than just a dessert - they're a festive centerpiece for family and friends to enjoy during the Carnival season. With their signature ring shape, vibrant topping, and sometimes hidden surprises inside, they bring a sense of fun and tradition to any celebration.
When someone finds the miniature baby Jesus (or "fève") hidden inside a King Cake, tradition says they have good luck for the year. In many households, the finder is also expected to provide the King Cake for the next celebration. It's a fun, festive tradition that adds an element of surprise and community to the holiday
- A festive tradition: This King Cake is a classic treat for Epiphany and Mardi Gras celebrations.
- Easy for home bakers: The recipe is simple to follow and doesn't require any special skills.
- Perfect anytime treat: It works just as well for breakfast as it does for a cozy coffee break snack.
Ingredients Overview
This recipe uses simple, pantry-friendly ingredients like all-purpose flour, yeast, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and cinnamon that you likely already have on hand, with no special items or techniques required.
Full ingredient amounts and preparation instructions are in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
How to Make A Mardi Gras King Cake
This recipe makes a soft, fluffy King cake with just the right balance of sweetness and warm cinnamon flavor. With my step-by-step visual tutorial below, it's simple enough for even new bakers.
Step 1: Add the yeast to the bowl of warm milk with a pinch of the sugar or flour. Stir and let sit until it is frothy on the top, about 10 minutes.
Add the flour, sugar, salt, eggs, vanilla, and yeast mixture to a stand mixer.
Step 2: Mix with a dough hook until a rough dough is formed. It should start to pull away from the sides at this point.
Step 3: Add the softened butter in four portions, mixing well after each addition.
Step 4: Continue to mix until the butter is fully incorporated, and the dough is no longer sticky, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Step 5: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times by hand until it is smooth and elastic.
Step 6: Form into a ball and place the dough into a oiled bowl, turning it so it to cover the surface with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in a warm, draft free location for 2 to 4 hours, or until doubled in size.
Step 7: Make the filling while the dough is proofing by combining the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside for later. Also grease or spray a 9 to 10 inch cake pan and set aside.
Step 8: Punch the risen dough down, and knead lightly. Divide into two equal portions of dough. Roll each portion with your hands to create a ropes about 12 inches long. Using a rolling pin, roll each rope lengthwise so that each is about 5 inches wide by 20 inches long.
Step 9: Spread half of the brown cinnamon sugar filling on each strip of dough. Spread it out evenly along the strip of dough, but be sure to leave a margin at the edges.
Pro Tip
You can use regular cinnamon sugar if you don't have brown sugar.
Step 10: Starting on a long end, tuck and roll along the entire length of the dough strip, pinching it closed to seal.
Step 11: Lay both filled strips side by side. Twist the two filled strips by draping each over each other, twisting to create a long two strand rope.
Step 12: Transfer the twisted rope to the greased cake pan, coiling to create a ring. Carefully, pinch the ends of the strands together to close the ring.
Cover the dough with a cloth and let it rise until doubled, about 1 - 2 hours.
Step 13: When the dough is almost doubled preheat the oven to 350ºF. Brush the risen cake with the beaten egg and water egg wash mixture. Transfer the doubled pan of dough to the preheated oven and bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes. (Internal temperature should read 190°F - 195°F).
Step 14: Remove from the oven and let cool 10 minutes before tipping the cake out of the cake pan onto a cooling rack to cool completely before icing. Hide the mini plastic baby Jesus into a crease of the cake before icing.
Step 15: In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar, heavy cream or milk, and vanilla until smooth (adjust if mixture is too thick with more cream, or powdered sugar if too thin).
Step 16: Pipe, drizzle, or spoon the icing over top of the cake. Immediately sprinkle on the colored yellow, green, and purple sanding sugar.
Serving Suggestions
Serve slices of this King Cake with your favorite warm drinks like coffee, hot chocolate, or tea for a cozy holiday gathering. It pairs beautifully with other baked treats such as our Decadent Round Chocolate Brioche for a sweet brunch spread or Rosemary Focaccia Bread if you want a savory contrast on the table.
Substitutions and Variations
Some useful tips and substitutions when making this recipe:
- Filling options: Swap the cinnamon sugar for cream cheese filling, fruit preserves, or a chocolate spread.
- Glaze swap: Try our Cream Cheese Frosting, chocolate ganache, or a caramel sauce.
- Flavor twists: Add orange or lemon zest to the dough for a bright citrus note.
- Topping ideas: Colored sanding sugar has only been part of King cakes tradition for the last 25 years. Before that, they were often served with just drizzle icing, plain, or with chopped sprinkled on top.
Tips for Success
Helpful tips to help you when making this recipe:
- Glaze at the right time: Make sure the King Cake is completely cool before adding the glaze to prevent it from melting or running.
- Choose the right flour: Use all-purpose flour to keep the bread soft and prevent it from becoming too chewy.
- Speed up rising: A proofing box can help the enriched dough rise faster and more evenly.
- Measure carefully: Accurate measurements of flour, sugar, and yeast ensure a tender, well-risen cake.
- Don't Bake the Baby: Add the mini Baby Jesus AFTER the cake has been backed and cooled.
Storage Options
Here is how I store leftovers when making this recipe:
- Room temperature: Keep the King Cake in an airtight container for up to 2 days to maintain freshness.
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days; let it come to room temperature before serving.
- Freezer: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and foil, then freeze for up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature.
- Glaze tip: If freezing, glaze after the cake has thawed to maintain the best texture and appearance.
Related Recipes
- Tsoureki Bread with Red Easter Eggs
- Russian Easter Bread (Kulich)
- Italian Panettone (Christmas Bread)
Frequently Asked Questions
A Mardi Gras King Cake is a sweet, yeasted ring of dough often filled with cinnamon and topped with colored sugar, traditionally served during the Carnival season from Epiphany to Mardi Gras. It celebrates the Christian feast of the Epiphany and has become a festive holiday staple in many households.
No, you can mix and knead the dough by hand if you don't have a stand mixer; it may take a little more effort, but the result will be equally delicious.
To test yeast, mix it with warm milk and a pinch of sugar; if it becomes frothy and aromatic within about 10 minutes, the yeast is active and ready to use.
Yes, popular variations include cream cheese filling or fruit jams, letting you customize flavors to your taste.
Traditionally a small token like a fève or tiny figurine is hidden in the cake; whoever finds it in their slice often has good luck or is expected to host the next gathering.
Holiday Bread Recipes
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Mardi Gras King Cake
Equipment
- 9 to 10 inch cake pan
Ingredients
Dough
- 1 package yeast or 2 ¼ teaspoons
- 1 cup warm milk 105ºF to 110ºF
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs
- 8 tablespoons butter softened (very soft)
- 1 egg beaten for the egg wash
- 1 tablespoon water for the egg wash
Cinnamon Filling
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Icing
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla or lemon juice
Decoration
- mini plastic baby Jesus
- 3 tablespoons sanding sugar Green, Purple, and Yellow
Instructions
Make the dough
- Add the yeast to the bowl of warm milk with a pinch of the sugar or flour. Stir and let sit until it is frothy on the top, about 10 minutes.1 package yeast, 1 cup warm milk
- Add the flour, sugar, salt, eggs, vanilla, and yeast mixture to a stand mixer or dough mixer bowl and mix until a rough dough is formed.3 ½ cups all-purpose flour, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 large eggs
- Add the softened butter in four portions, mixing well after each addition. Continue to mix until the butter is fully incorporated, and the dough is no longer sticky, about 10 to 15 minutes.8 tablespoons butter
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times by hand until it is smooth and elastic.
- Form into a ball and place the dough into a oiled bowl, turning it so it to cover the surface with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and set in a warm, draft free location for 2 to 4 hours, or until doubled in size.NOTE: If you have a proofing box, estimate 2 ½ hours for the dough to double in size.
Make the Cinnamon Filling
- Make the filling while the dough is proofing by combining the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside for later. Also grease or spray a 9 to 10 inch cake pan and set aside.
Filling and Coiling
- Punch the risen dough down, and knead lightly. Divide into two equal portions of dough. Roll each portion with your hands to create a ropes about 12 inches long. Using a rolling pin, roll each rope lengthwise so that each is about 5 inches wide by 20 inches long.
- Spread half of the brown cinnamon sugar filling on each strip of dough.½ cup light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Starting on a long end, tuck and roll along the entire length of the dough strip, pinching it closed to seal.
- Lay both filled strips side by side. Twist the two filled strips by draping each over each other, twisting to create a long two strand rope.
- Transfer the twisted rope to the greased cake pan, coiling to create a ring. Carefully, pinch the ends of the strands together to close the ring. Cover the dough with a cloth and let it rise until doubled, about 1 - 2 hours.
- When the dough is almost doubled preheat the oven to 350ºF. Brush the risen cake with the beaten egg and water egg wash mixture. Transfer the doubled pan of dough to the preheated oven and bake until golden brown, 25-30 minutes. (Internal temperature should read 190°F - 195°F).1 egg, 1 tablespoon water
- Remove from the oven and let cool 10 minutes before tipping the cake out of the cake pan onto a cooling rack to cool completely before icing.
- Hide the mini plastic baby Jesus into a crease of the cake before icing.mini plastic baby Jesus
Decorating
- In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar, heavy cream or milk, and vanilla until smooth (adjust if mixture is too thick with more cream, or powdered sugar if too thin).1 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon heavy cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Pipe, drizzle, or spoon the icing over top of the cake. Immediately sprinkle on the colored sugar, alternating yellow, green, and purple.3 tablespoons sanding sugar
Notes
- Glaze at the right time: Make sure the King Cake is completely cool before adding the glaze to prevent it from melting or running.
- Choose the right flour: Use all-purpose flour to keep the bread soft and prevent it from becoming too chewy.
- Speed up rising: A proofing box can help the enriched dough rise faster and more evenly.
- Measure carefully: Accurate measurements of flour, sugar, and yeast ensure a tender, well-risen cake.
- Don't Bake the Baby: Add the mini Baby Jesus AFTER the cake has been backed and cooled.
Kelly says
My family loved this!