Classic Bakery-style King Cake Recipe With Brown Butter
Bring the magic of Mardi Gras home with this pillowy brioche king cake. Featuring nutty brown butter and a tangy cream cheese filling, it is the ultimate Carnival season centerpiece.
Equipment
- Stand mixer with dough hook
- Small saucepan
- Instant-read thermometer
- 8-inch cake pan
- Baking Sheet
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
Sweet Dough:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour, or more if needed
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 package rapid rise yeast 0.25 ounce
- 1 ¼ teaspoons salt
- 3 large eggs at room temperature
- 6 tablespoons butter
- ¾ cup Bulgarian-style buttermilk
Cream Cheese Filling:
- 1 package cream cheese at room temperature 8 ounce
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Egg Wash:
- 1 egg
- ¼ cup water
Icing:
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 4 teaspoons corn syrup
- 4 teaspoons milk
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
Instructions
Mixing the sweet dough base
- In a stand mixer bowl with a dough hook, combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until completely smooth.
- Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat until it foams and turns nutty amber. Whisk in the buttermilk and heat until it reaches 120 degrees F.
- Slowly stream the warm buttermilk mixture into the eggs while whisking constantly. Allow the combined mixture to cool to 110 degrees F before adding to the dry ingredients.
Kneading and the first rise
- Combine the liquid and flour mixtures. Knead on medium-low for 10 minutes until the dough is elastic and gathers around the hook. Add up to 1/4 cup more flour if the dough is too sticky to work with.
- Lightly knead by hand for 1 minute on a work surface. Shape into a ball, place in a buttered bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for about 2 hours until doubled.
Filling, shaping, and glazing
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and butter the outside of an 8-inch cake pan. Mix the cream cheese, sugar, flour, lemon juice, vanilla, and nutmeg until thick and glossy.
- Punch down the dough and roll into a 10x28-inch rectangle on floured parchment. Spread filling evenly, leaving a 1-inch border.
- Roll the dough tightly from the long edge into a log and pinch seams shut. Wrap the log around the buttered cake pan on a baking sheet, pinch ends together, and then remove the pan.
- Whisk the egg wash ingredients and brush thoroughly over the dough ring for a shiny finish.
Baking and finishing with icing
- Bake for 40 minutes until golden brown. Cool the cake for 30 minutes before icing to prevent melting.
- Whisk icing ingredients until smooth and slightly runny. Drizzle over the cooled cake and top with Mardi Gras sanding sugars if desired.
Notes
Safety Tip: The traditional plastic baby should only be inserted into the cake after it has cooled. Tuck it into the underside and alert your guests before they start eating to avoid any accidents.
Storage Instructions: Keep the cake covered at room temperature to prevent it from going stale. For longer storage, wrap it tightly and refrigerate. A 10-second microwave burst will restore the soft, pillowy texture.
Bakery Secret: For the most consistent crumb, weigh your flour to 500 grams. If your house is dry, adding a cup of instant potato flakes to the dough helps retain moisture and keeps the bread tender for days.
Nutrition information is estimated based on common ingredients and serving sizes and may vary.