King Cake (Bread Machine)

4.90 from 37 votes

King Cake (Bread Machine)

King Cake is a quintessential confection that is decorated in Mardi Gras colors. Purple signifies justice; green denotes faith; and gold or yellow signifies power. Traditionally, a tiny plastic baby is hidden in the King Cake. Whoever, ends up with the baby is named “King” for a day and bound by custom to host the next party and provide the King Cake.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Rising Time2 10

Total Time3

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Mardi Gras, New Orleans, Southern

Servings:

Calories: 389kcal

Ingredients

Tangzhong

¾ cup (6 ounces) milk (See Note 1)
4 ½ Tablespoons (1.2 ounces) bread flour

King Cake Dough

Tangzhong
1 cup (8 ounces) milk
6 Tablespoons (3 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
1 ½ teaspoons Kosher Salt
3 cups (15 ounces) bread flour
1 Tablespoon bread machine yeast (See Note 2)

Filling

¾ cup (5.625 ounces) light brown sugar
3 Tablespoons bread flour
5 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Pinch salt
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Icing

4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
4 Tablespoons (2 ounces) unsalted butter, room temperature
2-½ cups (10 ounces) confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Purple, green and yellow food glitter

Instructions

Tangzhong

Whisk together ¾ cup milk and 4 ½ tablespoons bread flour in a small saucepan. Heat over medium heat, stirring constantly until a paste forms, about 5 minutes. The Tangzhong is ready when a spoon leaves a line in the pan. Allow to cool slightly.

King Cake Dough

Add the cooled tangzhong and the remainder of the dough ingredients to the bread machine in the order listed. Select the dough cycle and start the machine.

Filling

Whisk together the brown sugar, bread flour, cinnamon, and salt until combined. Add melted butter; stir to thoroughly combine. Set aside.

Icing

Beat cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar, and vanilla extract together until smooth and creamy. Set aside.

King Cake

Preheat oven to 350°F.
When the dough cycle is finished, remove the dough and roll it out to a 10×28-inch rectangle on a floured surface. Trim the edges as needed. Spread the cinnamon/sugar mixture on the dough to within 1 inch of the edges.
Starting at one of the long edges, roll the dough tightly into a 28-inch log. Pinch the edges to seal the log. Place the rolled log onto the prepared baking sheet, seam side down, and form the dough into a ring. Moisten the ends of the dough with a little water; pinch the two ends together to seal.
Brush king cake with egg wash. Using a sharp knife, slash the top of the king cake to allow for steam to excape. Let rise in a warm place for about 20 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake the king cake in preheated oven until the top is golden brown, about 30 minutes.
Remove the king cake from the oven, and cool for about 10 minutes on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. While the cake is still warm, spoon the icing onto the king cake, allowing it to dribble down the sides of the cake. Immediately, sprinkle purple, green and yellow food glitter on the cake.
Yield: One King Cake

Notes

I used whole milk for the Tangzhong. The fats and proteins in milk contribute to a softer, richer crumb. In a pinch, you could substitute low-fat milk or water. Both will still create the gel-like consistency needed for Tangzhong but won't provide the same level of tenderness or richness.
You could also use instant yeast in this recipe. However, active dry yeast is not the same as instant or bread machine yeast. Active dry yeast needs to bloom before being used.

Nutrition