We’re huge Mardi Gras fans at our house and we love to celebrate with parades, beads, and this delicious king cake. These days, a cream cheese filling seems to be most traditional, but these things have really changed throughout the years. I really love to swap out the regular cream cheese for whipped strawberry cream cheese and add fresh sliced strawberries to the middle.
I’ve recently updated this recipe and added a little more filling to make it even more delicious. Y’all enjoy!
Let’s walk through it… (scroll down for the full recipe)
- In the box of hot roll mix you’ll find the mix and a yeast packet. Empty both of those in a large bowl and add 2 tablespoons of sugar. Combine well.
- Add hot water, egg, and butter and stir until combined and the dough starts pulling away from the sides.
- Turn dough out onto floured surface and form into a ball with floured hands.
- Knead the dough for 5 minutes turning frequently. You may need to add additional flour to keep the dough from sticking.
- Reshape the dough into a ball and cover with a large bowl. Let it rest for 5 minutes.
- While that is resting make your filling by combining the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a bowl. Stir until smooth.
- Once the dough has rested, flour a large area and roll the dough out in a large rectangle sized about 12″X20″.
- Sprinkle the dough with the cinnamon.
- Now spread your filling on the dough.
- Start rolling your dough in jelly-roll fashion from the longest side with the most filling.
- Transfer the roll to a greased baking sheet or better yet, one with a Silpat or silicon mat.
- Form the roll into an oval shape and pinch the seams and ends together as shown.
- Cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let rise for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
- Once the dough has risen, bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown.
- Cool completely.
- Make icing by combining the powdered sugar, melted butter, lemon juice, and vanilla. Thin the icing with 2 to 3 tablespoons of milk. You’ll want it pourable, but not too runny.
- Top with icing. It’s also traditional to top the cake with colored sprinkles in purple, yellow, and green.
Recipe Card
Mardi Gras King Cake
Ingredients
Pastry
- 1 (16-ounce) box Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 cup hot water (120 to 130 degrees)
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Filling
- 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
- purple, green, and yellow sugar sprinkles
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine the mix and yeast packet from the hot roll mix with 2 tablespoons sugar. Add hot water, egg, and butter and stir until combined and the dough starts pulling away from the sides.
- Turn dough out onto floured surface and form into a ball with floured hands. Knead the dough for 5 minutes turning frequently. You may need to add additional flour to keep the dough from sticking.
- Reshape the dough into a ball and cover with a large bowl. Let it rest for 5 minutes.
- While it is resting make your filling by combining the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla in a bowl. Stir until smooth.
- Once the dough has rested, flour a large area and roll the dough out in a large rectangle sized about 12″X20″.
- Sprinkle the cinnamon over the dough.
- Spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the dough.
- Roll the dough up in jelly-roll fashion from the longest side, going across.
- Transfer the roll to a greased baking sheet or a baking sheet covered with parchment or a silicone baking mat. Form the roll into an oval shape and pinch the seams and ends together. Cover with plastic wrap and a kitchen towel and let rise for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Once the dough has risen, bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely.
- Make the icing by combining 2 cups powdered sugar, melted butter, lemon juice, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons milk. Icing should be thick, but just pourable. Add more sugar to thicken it or additional milk to thin.
- Drizzle icing over the top when the king cake is cooled and sprinkle with the traditional colored sprinkles - purple, yellow, and green.
Please note:
Nutritional values provided are an estimate and will vary depending on the brands used. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, I recommend grabbing your favorite brands and plugging those ingredients into an online nutritional calculator.
Did you make my Mardi Gras King Cake?I'd love to see! Share on Instagram, tag @southernbite, and use the hashtag #southernbite!
Now Stacey, that’s a King cake recipe, I can get behind! But… Where do I get the doll and where would I put it in, in this recipe? To be a little more traditional ya’ know.
You can actually buy some on Amazon. Once it’s baked, you can just sneak it into the cake from the bottom.
This looks good too!
But I have to comment on another of your recipes. I made your Jazzed-Up Jiffy Cornbread Muffins recipe today, but in the 8×8″ pan as your note listed. It was wonderful … loved the texture and it wasn’t as crumbly. Was great on a cold day with the chili I made. Thank you so much … absolutely love your recipes!!
Oh yum with a coffee! I didn’t have sprinkles so I used food coloring and fine sugar in zip bags. Suppose I could have just colored the icing too. (Maybe next time.)
Thanks
Sure hope you enjoyed it!
Perfect! So glad to hear you enjoyed the cornbread!!
The cake was great, but the serving size was off. We were able to serve over 20 good sized slices with one cake. Also, your cooking instructions were a bit off since mine was golden outside but doughy inside. I had to put it in for about an additional 10 minutes.
Thanks for the recipe though!
Unfortunately, that’s the problem with serving sizes. You can still serve 6 to 8 with large pieces. Or you can serve 20 small pieces. When it comes to cook time, every oven varies. Glad to hear you enjoyed it though!
Is this served as a dessert? Thank you.
Sure! or even a breakfast!
You didn’t put a baby inside? Would love to know more about your whipped strawberry cream cheese filling!
Of course! I actually just used whipped strawberry cream cheese from the grocery store.
The cake may taste okay, but the icing looks disgusting.
I can’t wait to try this – it looks like “even I” could do it. Lol. I will admit that there does “need” (around our house anyway) to be a baby Jesus. He’ll be tucked safely inside! Thanks for sharing!
Hope you’ll enjoy!!
Ah Stacy, you have one of my favorite cooking sites. Thank you for posting this fantastic-sounding cake – can’t wait to try it! Know that we’re all following you, and appreciate you so very much…
Thank you so, so much, Gloria! You are so sweet to take the time to let me know you enjoy Southern Bite! Hope you’ll enjoy this cake!
Stacey you have done it AGAIN! WOW! Quick & easy, you are a genius! I’ll bet you could add nuts, brown sugar and butter to make a “filling” in place of the cinnamon…..ohhhhhhh yummy! Thank you again for W O N D E R F U L!!!!
Absolutely! Those are some great ideas! Enjoy!!!
Any one know how many this feeds?
6 to 8 depending on the serving size.
I have made this recipe for years when living in New Orleans. Had to try it again, since I was feeling nostalgic for Mardi Gras. I do one thing different. I use two loaves of frozen bread dough from the grocery store. Once it has thawed out, just roll the dough out like the directions here.
Sounds like an easy time-saver!
Stacey,
The top part of the recipe calls for 3 cups of powdered sugar in the icing. The directions calls for only 2 cups. What is the correct amount? Please respond back. Thanks
Sorry for the error! I believe it should be 3 cups for the icing. I’ll get it fixed ASAP!
You left out the part about putting the little baby Jesus doll inside. How else will you know who has to host the next king cake party?
LOL!
Made my King Cake today…Used the one from Southern Living Magazine….I added a cherry and cream cheese filling this year. Can’t wait for breakfast tomorrow to try it out!!
Thanks Stacey! I can’t wait to try this! Bookmarked!
Thanks, Andrew! Just leave it out completely. It’s my understanding that cinnamon is a modern addition to the bread. I think it would be quite tasty without it or any substitution.
WooHoo! I found this recipe on Southern Food Network! This looks AMAZING and so pretty! I am totally opposed to cinnamon though. Any ideas for what I could use as a substitute?
Thanks, Andrew! Just leave it out completely. It’s my understanding that cinnamon is a modern addition to the bread. I think it would be quite tasty without it or any substitution.
How about grated lemon peeL I am going with that…