Mardi Gras Bread Recipes

King Cake is a traditional Mardi Gras sweet bread that symbolizes a crown, specifically one that the three kings who visited Christ on the day of his birth wore. Sparkling sugar colors represent purple for justice, green for faith and gold for power and prosperity.

, baby Jesus, is inserted into each cake after baking. The individual who gets the slice with the baby will have good fortune for the upcoming year. They are also obliged to host the next year’s King Cake party or buy the next cake.

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However, if you are slicing and happen to slice that poor little plastic baby, you will have bad luck for the upcoming year. If we are being honest, no one actually bakes the baby in anymore- they are a chiking hazard.

Mardi Gras Bread

King Cake is called “cake” but is more of a cross between a Danish pastry and French brioche. They are typically only made during the time of Mardi Gras, which starts over a month before the actual week of festivities. Bakeries around town make their own rendition of the cakes and range from spongy to nutty and everything between.

Some are traditional, others aren’t. Antoine’s Bakery is wildly popular, but makes them in many shapes and sizes. While any local will tell you that Dong Phuong is absolutely the best. There are plenty available for tourists throughout the city and even at the airport out-of-season.

The sweet and buttery bread can be stuffed with so many different things. My favorite is probably cream cheese, but each bakery makes a special filling every year. Other varieties include:

Diy Mardis Gras Rainbow Bread — Brit + Co

My version is stuffed with a raisin, brown sugar and pecan filling and then topped with a powdered sugar glaze and bright sparkling sugar.

Voodoo Shrimp Creole is a tomato-based dish using shrimp and beer to make a sweet and spicy broth. Serve over rice or grits for a full meal.

This Cajun Jambalaya is a mouthwatering recipe that can be ready in less than an hour. Andouille turkey sausage and shrimp give this recipe so much flavor!

King Cake Bread Pudding Recipe • Rouses Supermarkets

The BEST Red Beans and Rice with Sausage Recipe with authentic creole instructions and ingredients. Smokey and delicious- the ultimate comfort food.

Mardi Gras King Cake Recipe – A giant sweet roll stuffed with brown sugar, raisins and pecans and decorated with icing and purple, green and gold sparkling sugar. Perfect for breakfast or dessert during carnival or on Fat Tuesday!

Calories: 505 kcal , Carbohydrates: 90 g , Protein: 5 g , Fat: 14 g , Saturated Fat: 6 g , Cholesterol: 40 mg , Sodium: 250 mg , Potassium: 156 mg , Fiber: 2 g , Sugar: 58 g , Vitamin A: 335 IU , Vitamin C: 0.3 mg , Calcium: 52 mg , Iron: 2.1 mg

Easy King Cake

Jessica the mom, wife and food lover behind Savory Experiments. She is obsessed with butter, salt and bacon and spends all her time in the kitchen and behind a camera. Jessica is a contributor to PopKitchen by Parade, Better Homes & Gardens, The Daily Meal Food + Travel and more!Want to eat king cake this Mardi Gras, but don't want to fork out a lot of money to buy one? Make one from scratch! The sweet cinnamon filling and the tangy lemon icing make this a sweet treat your whole family will love!

If you love sweet breads, you'll definitely want to try my recipes for Mexican Rosca de Reyes and Spanish Roscón de Reyes.

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(a puff pastry disc filled with almond frangipane). The concept of king cake was brought to Louisiana by French immigrants in 1870.

Muffuletta (fun Mardi Gras Sandwich)

Over time, king cakes made in Louisiana were influenced by the Mexican rosca de reyes/Spanish roscón de reyes, which are both yeast breads in a ring shape decorated with dried fruit. Eventually, it become the ring-shaped yeast bread filled with cinnamon sugar or cinnamon cream cheese that is popular at Mardi Gras today.

Let's talk about the key ingredients in this king cake recipe. Fortunately, you'll be able to get all of these from your local grocery store; there's no need to place an online order!

2. Mix in the sugar, eggs, and lemon zest until blended. Gradually pour in the milk mixture and mix until a sticky dough has formed.

How To Make A King Cake

3. Knead with the dough hook until the dough is smooth and no longer sticky to the touch. The dough should also pass the windowpane test (see the recipe card for an explanation of this).

5. Mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon until well blended. Punch down the dough and roll it into a 24x8-inch rectangle. Brush the melted butter over the dough and sprinkle the sugar-cinnamon mixture on top. Roll into a log from one of the long sides, pinch the seam and ends to seal, and form into a circle. Squeeze the ends together tightly, then place on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.

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6. Cover the king cake with plastic wrap and let it prove in a warm place until puffy and springy to the touch, about 45-60 minutes.

Traditional Mardi Gras King Cake Recipe

7. Bake the king cake at 375°F for 30 minutes, covering it with aluminum foil after 20 minutes if it's getting too dark. The king cake should have an internal temperature of 190°F on a meat thermometer. Let it cool completely on a wire rack.

8. Sift the icing sugar into a bowl and gradually mix in the lemon juice and milk to make a thick but pourable icing. Spread the icing on top and let it set for 3 minutes.

In Louisiana, king cake is a circular sweet bread filled with cinnamon sugar or cream cheese and decorated with white icing and green, yellow, and purple sugar. Sometimes, it includes raisins or candied fruit as well.

Mardi Gras) King Cake

Whoever finds baby Jesus is supposed to bring the king cake for the next Mardi Gras party. Long ago, finding the baby meant you would be king for the day.

King cake is made to honor the three wise men (kings) who visited young Jesus, and is traditionally served on Epiphany (January 6) and up until Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras (the day before Lent starts).  It's a variation of the Spanish bread

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For many years, king cake has been popular around Mardi Gras, and is usually decorated with green, yellow, and purple sugar to commemorate Carnival. The colors represent faith (green), power (gold), and justice (purple). The king cake's round shape symbolizes a crown.

Mardi Gras Monkey Bread Recipe

New Orleans king cake tastes much like a cinnamon roll. I've added lemon to this recipe, which makes it all the more delightful!

If you're looking for other Mardi Gras recipes, you'll definitely want to try our recipes for hurricane mocktail, bread pudding with bourbon sauce, muffaletta sandwich, and Creole red beans and rice.

Leftovers: It tastes the freshest withing 24 hours of baking. Don't store king cake in the fridge, as it will make it go stale. If you need to keep it for longer than a day or two, freeze it.

King Cake Mardi Gras Monkey Bread

Freezing: Cut the king cake into slices first for ease, then seal it tightly in a zip-top freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the microwave or at room temperature.

King cake, a delicious variation of cinnamon rolls, is served at Mardi Gras and Epiphany.  You don’t have to go to Louisiana to enjoy this soft, fluffy bread with a cinnamon filling and lemon icing.  Making this traditional New Orleans dessert from scratch is actually really easy!

Quick

Calories: 250 kcal (13%) Carbohydrates: 46 g (15%) Protein: 6 g (12%) Fat: 5 g (8%) Saturated Fat: 2 g (13%) Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g Trans Fat: 1 g Cholesterol: 44 mg (15%) Sodium: 315 mg (14%) Potassium: 99 mg (3%) Fiber: 2 g (8%) Sugar: 22 g (24%) Vitamin A: 302 IU (6%) Vitamin C: 2 mg (2%) Calcium: 42 mg (4%) Iron: 1 mg (6%)

Traditional King Cake (for Mardi Gras)

This recipe was originally published on February 19, 2019, and was updated on February 22, 2020. It was republished on January 13, 2022 with refreshed photos, expanded information, and rearranged content.