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Mini King Cake

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword braided cinnamon cake, mardi gras king cake, mini king cake, small king cake recipe
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings 12 slices
A braided cinnamon ring with cream cheese filling is baked small, glazed, and banded with purple, green, and yellow sugar.

Ingredients

Yeast dough

  • ½ cup milk heated to 105–110°F
  • 2¼ teaspoons active dry yeast (one ¼-ounce packet)
  • 3 tablespoons granulated sugar plus 2 teaspoons, divided
  • ¼ cup melted salted butter
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ tablespoon grated lemon zest
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil for greasing bowl

Cinnamon filling

  • 3 tablespoons neutral oil for brushing dough
  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Cream cheese filling

  • 4 ounces room-temperature cream cheese
  • 1¼ cups sifted powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • ¼ teaspoon lemon zest

Colored sugar

  • ¾ cup granulated sugar divided
  • 5–6 drops purple food coloring (or blue/red mixture)
  • 5–6 drops green coloring
  • 5–6 drops yellow coloring

Glaze

  • ½ cup sifted powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon milk

Directions

  • Stir the yeast and 2 teaspoons of the sugar into the warm milk. Let it sit for about 5 minutes, until foamy.
  • In a mixing bowl, combine the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar with the melted butter, salt, egg, vanilla, and lemon zest. Stir in the yeast mixture and the flour. Knead with a dough hook for about 3½ minutes or by hand for 8 to 10 minutes.
  • Oil a bowl and the dough, then cover and let the dough rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Roll it into a 13 × 16-inch rectangle.
  • Brush the dough with the 3 tablespoons oil. Mix the ¼ cup sugar with the cinnamon and sprinkle it over the dough. Fold the dough lengthwise, cut it into three long strands, braid them, and pinch the ends together to form a ring. Let the ring rise again until doubled, about 1 hour.
  • While it rises, beat the cream cheese with the powdered sugar, milk, and lemon zest for the filling. Pipe or spoon the filling in a circle around the top of the risen ring.
  • Bake at 350°F for about 15 minutes, until browned. Watch it closely, since a small cake dries out fast. Let it cool.
  • Stir the sifted powdered sugar and milk together for the glaze. Divide the ¾ cup sugar among three bowls and tint them purple, green, and yellow with the food coloring. Drizzle the cooled cake with the glaze, then add the colored sugar in bands.

Nutrition

Serving: 95g | Calories: 336kcal | Carbohydrates: 55g | Protein: 4.2g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 5.3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 173mg | Potassium: 69mg | Fiber: 0.9g | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 275IU | Vitamin C: 0mg | Calcium: 34mg | Iron: 1.1mg

Nutrition is an estimate per serving from USDA FoodData Central, for 12 slices; ½ cup milk heated to 105–110°F counted as whole milk, neutral oil for brushing dough counted as vegetable oil, milk counted as whole milk, milk counted as whole milk. Brands and portions vary, so use it only as an approximation.