King Cake
King Cake is a festive and flavorful pastry featuring a tender dough filled with cream cheese and fruit pie mix, topped with powdered sugar and toasted almonds. Perfect for celebrations, it offers a sweet, creamy, and nutty experience, appealing to those who enjoy rich baked treats with a touch of tradition.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Combine sour dough starter, corn oil, sugar, salt, bread flour, and warm water in a large bowl to make a stiff dough.
- Cover the bowl with oil on top and let rise overnight or until doubled in size.
- Punch down the dough and knead 50 times.
- Divide the dough in half.
- Roll half of the dough as flat as possible.
- Spread softened cream cheese over the rolled dough.
- Spread pie mix of your choice over the cream cheese.
- Fold over the sides of the dough to cover the filling.
- Let the filled dough rise again until doubled.
- Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes.
- Mix powdered sugar with a small amount of milk to make icing.
- Spread the icing over the baked cake.
- Sprinkle toasted sliced almonds over the icing.
- Take the remaining dough and shape into rolls, placing them so they touch each other.
- Let the rolls rise until doubled.
- Bake at 350°F for 20 minutes.
Tips & Substitutions
To achieve a lighter texture, ensure your sourdough starter is active and bubbly before use. You can substitute the blueberry pie mix with any flavor you prefer, such as cherry or apple. If you want a sweeter cake, consider adding a bit more sugar to the dough. For a fun twist, add a sprinkle of cinnamon to the cream cheese layer for enhanced flavor.
Serving Suggestions
Serve slices of King Cake with a cup of coffee or tea for a delightful breakfast or brunch treat. It also pairs beautifully with a fruit salad or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for dessert. For an engaging gathering, consider serving this alongside the Vegetable Pizza Salad for a colorful spread.
Storage & Reheating
Store leftover King Cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. For longer storage, wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to a week. To reheat, slice and warm in the microwave for about 10-15 seconds or in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes until warmed through.
Nutrition & Diet Analysis (per serving)
Each serving of King Cake contains roughly 354 calories, with 5g protein, 19g carbohydrates, and 29g fat. It is a good source of vitamin A (11% of the Daily Value) and protein (10% of the Daily Value).
Estimated from ingredients & per-serving nutrition — verify against package labels for allergies or strict diets.
* % Daily Values based on a 2,000 calorie diet (FDA 2020).
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use store-bought dough instead of making my own?
Yes, you can use store-bought bread dough to save time. Simply roll it out and follow the filling and baking instructions as outlined. The flavor may differ slightly, but it will still be delicious.
How can I make this recipe gluten-free?
To make a gluten-free King Cake, substitute regular bread flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Ensure that your sourdough starter is gluten-free as well. The texture may vary slightly, but it should still rise and taste great.
What if I don’t have a sourdough starter?
If you don’t have a sourdough starter, you can create a simple yeast dough by using 2 teaspoons of active dry yeast mixed with warm water and a bit of sugar. Let it sit until bubbly, then proceed with the dough recipe.
Nutrition is estimated from USDA FoodData Central ingredient data and may vary with brand, portion and preparation — see our methodology. This information is for general educational purposes only and is not medical or dietary advice (disclaimer).