The Best Cream Cheese King Cake recipe

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Ingredients

1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
⅓ cup white sugar
¼ cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees F)
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
6 ¾ cups bread flour, divided
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
½ cup white sugar
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted, divided
3 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons whole milk, or more as needed
purple, green, and gold/yellow sparkling sugars

Nutrition Info

484.7 calories
carbohydrate: 63 g
cholesterol: 73.2 mg
fat: 22.4 g
fiber: 1.8 g
protein: 9.1 g
saturatedFat: 11.1 g
servingSize: -
sodium: 236.1 mg
sugar: 30.9 g
transFat: : -
unsaturatedFat: : -

Directions

  1. Combine sour cream, 1/3 cup sugar, butter, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring, until butter melts, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat, let mixture cool to 100 to 110 degrees F, about 15 minutes.

  2. Stir together water, yeast, and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in a 1-cup glass measuring cup, let stand for 5 minutes.

  3. Combine sour cream mixture, yeast mixture, eggs, and 2 cups of the flour in the bowl of a heavy-duty electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat at medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low, gradually add 4 more cups of flour, beating until dough comes together.

  4. Turn dough out onto a surface dusted with 1/4 cup of the flour. Knead, gradually adding remaining 1/2 cup flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Dough should be tacky but release easily from surface.

  5. Place dough in a well greased bowl, turn to grease top. Cover, let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

  6. Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Beat cream cheese, sugars, cinnamon, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in egg.

  7. Gently punch dough down, divide in half. Roll 1 portion out into a 22x12-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Keep the other portion covered. Spread 1/2 of the filling over rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup pecans. Carefully roll up, starting from a long edge.

  8. Place roll, seam-side down, on a large parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bring ends of roll together to form a ring. Moisten ends with water, pinch together to seal. Repeat with remaining dough, filling, and pecans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 45 minutes to 1 hour.

  9. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Uncover dough rings.

  10. Bake in the preheated oven until cakes are a deep golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes completely on wire racks, about 1 1/2 hours.

  11. Stir confectioners' sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract together to make the glaze. Stir in 3 tablespoons milk. Add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until pourable but still opaque. Pour evenly over cakes. Sprinkle with sparkling sugars, alternating colors to form bands.

Recipe Yield

2 king cakes

Recipe Note

If you're looking for a new king cake recipe to celebrate Mardi Gras, you must try this one. If you're a little intimated, don't be. Follow this recipe and don't forget to put the baby in!

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