King cake is an oval- or ring-shaped sweet yeast bread, sometimes containing a filling and typically decorated with vibrant purple, green, and gold sugar or icing. The roots of this fun treat hark back to Europe, but the current New Orleans version reflects numerous local modifications, rendering it a truly American cake.
The first light cakes in Europe made their way from medieval Moorish Spain to Renaissance Italy and from there eventually throughout Europe. The loose dough was baked in massive quantities in large wooden rings, each cake typically weighing six to twelve pounds. These treats were rich with white flour, butter, eggs, and imported sugar, dried fruit, and spices. Because the ingredients were expensive, these cakes were reserved for very special occasions, notably weddings, christenings, and Epiphany.
The Roman Catholic Church chose the twelfth day from December 25th as the Feast of the Epiphany (Greek for “appearance”), commemorating the magi -— magi were Zoroastrian priests (also the source of the word magic), but in Christian tradition came to mean “wise men” and sometimes mistakenly called “kings.” January 6th marks Twelfth Day and the evening of January 5th is Twelfth Night. Twelfth Night was celebrated with a host of customs, many dating back to the Saturnalia, including masquerades, clowning, social satires, and rowdy, frequently bawdy games. Among the most beloved and enduring Epiphany traditions was the special sweet yeast cake. Ancient Romans, during the Saturnalia festival, baked a fava bean, a symbol of fertility and the underworld, inside a ritual round barley bread. Around the end of the 14th century, this practice was readopted in Italy for the new Twelfth Night cakes. Whoever found the bean in their portion was supposedly assured of good luck for the coming year. The notion of “king,” derived from the token-finder and associated with the magi, gave rise to a special name for the bread – three kings cake or kings’ cake.
French and Spanish settlers (Creoles) brought to the Louisiana area their cuisines and holiday customs, eventually applied to the entire period from Epiphany through Mardi Gras. The last day before Lent, the forty-day season leading up to Easter, is Mardi Gras (“Fat Tuesday” in French), known as Shrove Tuesday and Pancake Day in England and Martedi Grasso and Carnevale (probably “removal of meat”) in Italy. The date of Mardi Gras is determined by the lunar calendar and can occur anywhere from early February to early March. As it emerged in 13th century Italy, Carnevale — reflecting origins in ancient pagan spring fertility rites, notably the Roman circus-like Lupercalia and Bacchanalia — assumed an air of ritualized chaos, revelry, buffoonery, games, processions, masks, feasting, drinking, and sensuality.
The first official krewe (Carnival society), Mistick Krewe of Comus, was founded in 1857, which also staged the first organized and themed parade with floats, transforming Mardi Gras in New Orleans into a more controlled and safer environment. In 1872, the Rex Krewe adopted symbolic colors, those of Russia’s Romanov dynasty, for the festival -— purple (for justice), green (for faith), and gold (for power) — becoming the official colors of Mardi Gras. In 1875, Louisiana declared Mardi Gras a state holiday.
The name of gâteau des Rois eventually Anglicized to “king’s cake” or more commonly “king cake,” while the cake itself as well as its usage also changed. King cake in New Orleans, instead of noting the end of the Christmas season and limited to January 6 alone, marked the onset of Carnival and extended revelry. On every weekend from January 6th through Mardi Gras, groups, both small and massive, throughout the city held balls and parties, with king cake as the star — a pecan half sometimes substituted for the bean. Whoever found the token in their slice became king or queen and expected to throw the party or buy the cake for the following week. Following the French innovation, local New Orleans bakeries introduced various charms as the token for their king cakes. In the 1950s, small imported porcelain baby dolls from Hong Kong became a popular substitute for the bean -– according to local lore the result of a store purchasing too large of an order. When these proved a bit pricey, a 1-inch plastic doll was substituted –- today commonly inserted into the cake or arranged on top after baking. King cake is almost exclusively purchased from commercial enterprises and rarely homemade.
In 20th century New Orleans, a smaller braided oval or ring-shaped version of king cake about three-inches high, reminiscent of a bejeweled crown, became more prevalent. Formerly, the top of king cakes were bare or decorated with coarse sugar or dragees. More recently, the English-style icing became prominent. In addition, bakers began to sprinkle colored sugar (it adds a crunch) over the icing or tint the icing with the traditional purple, green, and gold hues. Beginning in 1972, an increasing number of bakers began filling king cakes with cinnamon-sugar -– transforming it into a large cinnamon roll. Other prevalent filling flavors followed, including almond paste, apple, chocolate, cream cheese (the most popular), lemon, and praline. A “Zulu king cake” — inspired by the Krewe of Zulu, famous since 1910 for passing out coconuts from their floats — features coconut cream filling (or cream cheese mixed with grated coconut) and dark chocolate icing.
The original gâteau des Rois has a more pronounced flavor of egg, a drier and lighter texture, and is less sweet (and, of course, lacks a filling). Modern king cake dough typically incorporates a little more sugar and less butter and eggs than standard brioche, resulting in a slightly firmer dough –- capable of holding a shape and filling — and moister bread. The amount of ingredients in the dough and fillings and the type and quantity of icing embellishment all differ from bakery to bakery. The size widely varies. Several fast food franchises offer individual serving sized king cakes (basically a cinnamon roll).
Only in the 1960s did king cake — with the growing repute and economic significance of Mardi Gras and the cake receiving exposure on television commercials and newspaper articles — shift from being an upper class ball extravagance to a treat enjoyed on a wide scale by every element of southern Louisiana society. In 1989, a local bakery shipped 400 king cakes (the newer filled type) to food critics across America, engendering a wave of national publicity and interest. King cake was no longer only a local treat.
Each year, just in time for January 6th, these sweet breads suddenly appear in bakeries, doughnut shops, and groceries in southwest Louisiana, churned out in mass numbers and swiftly and repeatedly purchased -— and numerous more shipped throughout the United States. For the following weeks through Mardi Gras, king cake remains a staple in the region, ubiquitous at parties, workplaces, schools, and assorted gatherings. Then, just as abruptly as they arrive, at the end of Carnival season king cakes vanish from the stores, not to be offered again until the following Twelfth Night.
In order to extend the season (and sales), some bakeries recently began offering king cakes with alternate icing tints for other occasions: Red and green for Christmas; red and pink for Valentine’s Day; green and white for St. Patrick’s Day; orange and black for Halloween; and school colors during college football season. King cake makes a tasty and merry (if a bit garish) coffeecake any time of the year.
This article, written by food historian Gil Marks, was originally posted in March 2014. I have updated the post with fresh photographs and upgraded the recipe to a new system that allows for metric measurements. ~ Tori
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Food Photography and Styling by Kelly Jaggers
King Cake
Dough Ingredients
- 1 package active dry yeast (¼-ounce/7 grams/2¼ teaspoons); 1 cake fresh yeast (0.6-ounce/18 grams); or 2 teaspoons instant yeast
- 1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115°F for dry yeast; 80 to 85°F for fresh yeast)
- 1/2 cup warm milk (105 to 115°F for dry yeast; 80 to 85°F for fresh yeast) or sour cream
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (1.75 ounces/50 grams)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened (½ stick/2 ounces/57 grams)
- 2 large egg yolks or 1 large egg
- 3/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or cardamom (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg (optional)
- 1/8 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest (optional)
- 2 teaspoons grated orange zest or orange blossom water (optional)
- 2 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour or bread flour (9.5 ounces/275 grams)
- 1/4-1/2 cup chopped candied citron, ½ cup chopped mixed candied fruit, or ½ cup golden raisins (5 ounces/140 grams)
- Egg wash (1 large egg beaten with 1 teaspoon milk or water)
Cinnamon Filling Ingredients (optional):
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (3.75 ounces/105 grams)
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (1.25 ounces/35 grams)
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- Pinch salt
- 2/3 cup chopped slightly toasted pecans (2.5 ounces/70 grams), or 1/3 cup pecans (1.25 ounces/35 grams) and ¼ cup raisins (1.25 ounces/35 grams)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted (½ stick/2 ounces/57 grams)
- 1 pecan half, large bean, or other token (optional)
Icing Ingredients
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar (4 ounces/115 grams)
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened (¼ stick/1 ounce/28 grams) (or ¼ cup cream cheese, softened (2 ounces/57 grams) (optional))
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract or ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 tablespoon milk, buttermilk, fresh lemon juice, or water
- a few drops gold food coloring or 2 to 4 tablespoons yellow colored sugar (optional)
- a few drops green food coloring or 2 to 4 tablespoons green colored sugar (optional)
- a few drops purple food coloring or 2 to 4 tablespoons purple colored sugar (optional)
To make the dough
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, dissolve the yeast in the water. Stir in 1 teaspoon sugar and let stand until foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture, milk, sugar, butter, egg yolks, salt, and, for a flavored dough (but omit this if you are using a filling), the spice or zest.
- Blend in 1½ cups flour.Gradually add enough of the remaining flour to make a soft workable dough.
- On a lightly floured surface or in a mixer with a dough hook, knead the dough until smooth and springy, about 5 minutes.
- Knead in the citron, mixed candied fruit or golden raisins.
- Place in an oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover with a kitchen towel or loosely with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours, or in the refrigerator overnight.
TO MAKE THE OPTIONAL FILLING
- In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in the pecans. Drizzle the butter over top and mix until crumbly.Punch down the dough and knead briefly.
IF USING THE FILLING:
- Roll the dough into a 16- by 10-inch rectangle, spread evenly with the filling, leaving 1 inch uncovered on all sides. If using a token, place it on the rectangle – be sure to warn your guests.Beginning from a long end, roll up jellyroll style.
- Then bring the ends together to form an oval. THK NOTE- ours ended up looking more like a circle. For an oval shape, you may wish to make a longer, thinner rectangle.
- Place on a parchment paper-lined or greased baking sheet, seam side down. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap spritzed with cooking spray and let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
- Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F.Brush the dough with the egg wash.Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack.
TO MAKE A 3 STRAND BRAID
- Divide the dough in thirds and roll each piece into a 16-inch rope. THK NOTE: We made a 3 rope version, which comes out slightly more like a circle than an oval if your strands are 16 inches. If you prefer an oval shape, the strands should be closer to 20 inches.**Braid by first connecting the ends of the ropes at one end.
- As you braid, be sure that you are are pulling the strands gently taut to make a neat and even braid, otherwise your cake may bulge in some areas.
- When you are ready to connect the ends, unbraid a few inches at each end, then braid them together by connecting the corresponding pieces. For example, center rope to center rope.
- Place on a parchment paper-lined or greased baking sheet, seam side down. Cover with a towel or plastic wrap spritzed with cooking spray and let rise at room temperature until nearly doubled in bulk, about 1 hour.
- Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°F.Brush the dough with the egg wash.Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack.
TO MAKE THE ICING
- In a medium bowl, stir the confectioners' sugar, optional butter or cream cheese, vanilla, and enough milk until smooth and of a pouring consistency.If desired, divide the icing into thirds and tint each third with one of the food colorings. Or you can drizzle or spread the icing over the warm cake.
- While the icing is still wet, sprinkle with the colored sugar. Decorating a King Cake neatly can be tricky, it is quite a messy process! We found the easiest way to do this neatly is to use a pastry brush to apply icing to each section, then sprinkle with sugar, let dry, and move on to the next section. For the braided cake, follow the braid pattern around the cake, using one color at a time and applying to each icing section directly after applying while still wet (the icing dries fast!). Then allow the icing to dry and gently tap off the excess sugar before starting the next color.Serve warm or at room temperature. After cooling, the cake can be wrapped well in plastic, then foil and stored at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. Do not cover with the icing before freezing.
tried this recipe?
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We are from Louisiana and have had hundreds of king cakes- this was definitely the cream of the crop, ultimately delicious and easy to make!!!
So glad I found this recipe!
I filled it with the praline filling, and used chopped praline pecans from Costco.
It was soft and moist, melt in your mouth -Fantastic!!!
Has anyone actually cooked this? Not nearly enough flour. I wasted ingredients and it never turned out.
Many people have made this with great results. May I ask if you used the metric conversion or adjusted the amount of servings in the recipe card? That can sometimes lead to issues, which is why we add a disclaimer about it in the footer of the recipe.
Hello. I just wanted to clarify the yeast requirements. Are there basically 2 options? Either 1 pack active dry and fresh cake yeast OR 2 teaspoons of instant? I am having trouble finding the fresh cake yeast, so I just wanted to make sure that 2 teaspoons of instant is the alternative. Thanks!
It’s either-or.
You forgot to talk about Mobile, AL. Although New Orleans has large parades, and is more well known, Mobile had the first Mardi Gras.
If braided, can you still use the filling? If so, how would you do it?
I had the same question and decided to give it a shot. It works! I split the dough into 3 equal parts and roll them out to really long skinny rectangles, maybe 15×5 inches or so. Then I spread the filling (I used the cream cheese) and rolled each one into a strand. I pinched the seams with damp fingers to seal them and then braided them as she shows. I am not sure it would work with nuts, as the dough gets pretty thin and they’d probably poke through, but cinnamon should be fine! This last time I died the cream cheese filling for each strand and it made a beautiful swirl inside.
Hmm. The amount of flour it calls for leaves the dough as wet as oatmeal…
2 1/4 cup of flour. Well, I’m just gonna add enough until it feels like a dough and not pancake batter
I had same issue.
Excellent recipe and instructions. I never made a King Cake before now. It was better than many I’ve gotten in NOLA.
I didn’t use the filling, did use the cream cheese icing, and made the three braids. I used Zante currants, but otherwise followed the recipe completely. It was absolutely delicious!
This recipe worked out perfectly! It tasted so fresh and came out looking beautiful. I did not make a filling and braided the cinnamon dough. I followed the recipe to the letter until the icing; I needed to add more than 1 tbsp of milk to get the icing to more of a glaze consistency. As my first Mardi Gras season away from Louisiana, this sure made my new house feel like home!
Wonderful recipe! With or without raisins it’s great. I followed exactly and after first rise, placed in refrigerator overnight and finished this morning. Icing is really thick as written and if not put on warm cake may need to be thinned.
I am a novice at this type of baking. I put raisins in the dough, and made the filling. It was actually not overly difficult. And the taste was fantastic! Soooo good. Thanks for a great recipe.
Omg!!!! Soooooo fantastic! Actual time more like 6 hours. (*I proofed for 2 hours at 100 degrees in my Thermador oven, using the Proof function.) I used Saigon cinnamon, orange zest, and vanilla, with dried currants in the dough. I used the pecan cinnamon filling. I twisted the dough into a heart shape. I used vanilla, butter and milk in the icing. Outstanding!!!
Made the braided version but stuffed each braid with the cream cheese filling and pecan mix – was a huge hit at our party. Thanks for sharing!
This recipe came out even better than i hoped. Made 2, one plain and one with cream cheese and both came out just like the pictures and taste divine. The cream cheese one is really spectacular!
Did you use the dried fruit in your dough? I’m torn between King Cakes to make this year.