This easy Mardi Gras King Cake takes a shortcut using frozen bread dough creating a delicious cake with a sweet glaze decorated with bright yellow, green, and purple sugars. Be sure to hide the small plastic baby inside the cake before baking!
I’m all about easy recipes that even the basic cook can make and look like a superstar. This is just that kind of recipe. When it comes to baking, making it from scratch is great but sometimes we all need a few shortcuts. Shortcuts that will not only save time, but enhance the flavors and end result. This Easy King Cake takes a shortcut using frozen Rhodes dinner rolls or bread dough which saves steps in making this delicious traditional cake of Mardi Gras.
This festive cake is baked with a sweet nutty filling, topped with a sweet glaze, and decorated with the bold colors of Mardi Gras; yellow, green and purple sugars. You’ll be wanting to make this easy king cake recipe anytime the craving hits.
What is a King Cake?
The king cake tradition is believed to have been brought over from France in the 1870’s. Originally, the cakes were just a baked rich dough with minimal decoration and colored sugars in the purple, green, and gold symbolizing justice, faith, and power. In recent times, the cakes are more creative with sweet and fruity fillings, different shapes, and decorated in the same 3 colors.
Fun fact: King cakes are often served at New Orleans weddings as the groom’s cake.
Why is there a plastic baby inside the king cake?
The baby in King Cake is a Mardi Gras tradition. It symbolizes luck and prosperity to whoever finds it in their slice. The lucky person is crowned king or queen for the day and is supposedly responsible for providing next year’s cake. You can find the small plastic babies on Amazon.
Ingredients
- Rhodes frozen dinner rolls or one loaf frozen bread dough (thawed)
- golden raisins
- hot water
- light brown sugar
- orange zest
- chopped pecans
- rum extract
- heavy cream
- vanilla extract
- Purple, green, and yellow colored sugar
- Small plastic baby
How to Make This Easy King Cake
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper, sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
Step 2
Place the raisins in a small bowl. Pour the hot water over the raisins and set aside. This will plump the raisins up.
Step 3
If using thawed Rhodes dinner rolls, combine them into a ball. Then proceed with the this step. On the prepared baking sheet, knead the dough and shape into a 17 inch circle. Tear a hole in the middle of the dough, stretching it out to create a 5 inch opening. Alternatively, you can use a 5 inch biscuit cutter to make the hole.
Step 4
Drain the raisins; set aside. Zest the orange and set aside to use in the next step. This is the zester I like to use to zest citrus fruit and it also comes in handy to grate garlic and fresh nutmeg.
Step 6
In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, orange zest, pecans, raisins, and rum extract until combined. Spoon the mixture into the middle of the ring shape.
Step 7
Wrap the dough from the outside of the circle to the inside of the circular shape, pinching the dough together to seal it and tucking the edge under the middle.
Step 8
Place the baking sheet and a draft free location and allow the bread to rise for 30 minutes.
Step 9
Bake the king cake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the dough is golden. Play some baking sheet on a wire rack to cool.
Step 10
To make the glaze: Mix together the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla until smooth. Pour over the ring allowing some to drip down the sides.
Step 11
Sprinkle the frosting with the colored sugars, alternating the colors. Prior to serving, insert the baby somewhere under the king cake. Slice and serve.
Tips, Tricks, and FAQs
- Instead of the raisin filling, you can do a cream cheese filling.
- Use canned cinnamon rolls for an even easier version of king cake.
- Or, use your favorite cinnamon roll recipe and instead of cutting the rolls, form the dough into a circle.
Printable Mardi Gras King Cake Recipe
Easy King Cake
Ingredients
- 12 Rhodes frozen dough balls or one loaf frozen bread dough, thawed to room temperature
- 1/2 cup golden raisins
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- zest from 1 orange
- 1/2 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 teaspoon rum extract
For the glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- purple, green, and yellow colored sugar
- small plastic baby
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a large baking sheet with parchment paper, sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside.
- Place the raisins in a small bowl. Pour the hot water over the raisins and set aside. This will plump the raisins up.
- If using thawed Rhodes dinner rolls, combine them into a ball. Then proceed with the this step. On the prepared baking sheet, knead the dough and shape into a 17 inch circle. Tear a hole in the middle of the dough, stretching it out to create a 5 inch opening. Alternatively, you can use a 5 inch biscuit cutter to make the hole.
- Drain the raisins; set aside. Zest the orange and set aside to use in the next step. This is the zester I like to use to zest citrus fruit.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the brown sugar, orange zest, pecans, raisins, and rum extract until combined. Spoon the mixture into the middle of the ring shape.
- Wrap the dough from the outside of the circle to the inside of the circular shape, pinching the dough together to seal it and tucking the edge under the middle.
- Place the baking sheet and a draft free location and allow the bread to rise for 30 minutes.
- Bake the king cake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the dough is golden. Play some baking sheet on a wire rack to cool.
- To make the glaze: Mix together the powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla until smooth. Pour over the ring allowing some to drip down the sides.
- Sprinkle the frosting with the colored sugars, alternating the colors. Prior to serving, insert the baby somewhere under the king cake. Slice and serve.
Notes
Tips, Tricks, and FAQs
- Instead of the raisin filling, you can do a cream cheese filling.
- Use canned cinnamon rolls for an even easier version of king cake.
- Or, use your favorite cinnamon roll recipe and instead of cutting the rolls, form the dough into a circle.
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