Mardi Gras King Cake - French Style Dough

The King Cake is a staple of any Mardi Gras celebration. This recipe is for a delicious French-style dough that is decorated with a sugary glaze, then topped with sanding sugars in traditional New Orleans Mardi Gras colors. For an extra dash of flavor, this easy King Cake recipe also features a sweet cinnamon Lorann Flavor based filling you're sure to love. This traditional King Cake recipe will put the crowning touch on your Mardi Gras celebration, a sweet treat you will love making every year on Fat Tuesday!

INGREDIENTS

Bread

• 1 1/3 cups warm milk (105°F)
• 2 packages (1/4 oz. each) of active dry yeast
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar, divided.
• 1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened.
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon Lorann's Butter Vanilla
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 4-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• Miniature plastic baby (optional)

Cinnamon Filling

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 tablespoons Lorann's cinnamon & 2 tablespoons of fine ground cinnamon

Glaze

• 1 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar (powdered sugar)
• 2-3 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Dark green sanding sugar sprinkles
• Yellow sanding sugar sprinkles
• Purple sanding sugar sprinkles

Tools

• 2 large bowls
• 1 medium bowl
• Electric mixer (with dough hook)
• Plastic wrap
• Large cookie sheet
• Parchment paper
• Cooling grid
• Plastic Baby

INSTRUCTIONS

Stir together warm milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a large bowl. Let stand for 5-10 minutes or until the mixture becomes foamy!

Add 1/2 cup of room temperature butter, the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar, 2 egg yolks, 1 teaspoon Lorann's butter vanilla, and salt. Mix with an electric stand mixer using a dough hook on medium speed until combined.

Gradually add 4 1/2 cups of flour, 1 cup at a time, and mix on a medium speed until a smooth, elastic, and soft dough forms, about 5 minutes.

Spray a large bowl with vegetable pan spray. Form the dough into a ball, then place it into the bowl, and cover it with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place for 45 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size.

While the dough rises, make the cinnamon filling. Stir together 1/2 cup butter, 1/3 cup sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, 2 tablespoons Lorann's cinnamon spice, and 2 tablespoons of finely ground cinnamon in a medium bowl until well combined.

Prepare a large cookie pan with parchment paper.

On a floured surface, punch the dough down and roll it out to a 10-inch x 28-inch rectangle. Spread the filling onto the dough and roll it up from the long side, similar to rolling a cinnamon roll.

Cut the log in half lengthwise and twist the pieces together, forming it into a ring on the prepared pan, tucking the ends under (seam side down)

Loosely cover the twisted dough with plastic wrap and let rise for 25-30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the plastic wrap and bake for 25-29 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a cooling grid.

For the glaze, stir 3 tablespoons of milk and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla into the 1¼ cups of confectioners' sugar until a thick glaze forms. Drizzle over cooled king cake and sprinkle with colored sugars