Traditional King Cake with Cinnamon-Sugar Swirl

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-24 · Updated 2026-04-24

A festive Mardi Gras king cake featuring a soft, buttery dough swirled with cinnamon and sugar, topped with vibrant purple, green, and gold sugar crystals. This French-inspired Mardi Gras recipe, ready in about 150 minutes, layers whole milk, active dry yeast, granulated sugar into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 12, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole milk
• 2 1/4 tsp (1 packet) active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (1 stick), softened unsalted butter
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp milk (for glaze)
• 1 tbsp purple sanding sugar
• 1 tbsp green sanding sugar
• 1 tbsp gold sanding sugar
• 1 plastic baby figurine (optional)

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Instructions

1. Step 1: Warm 1 cup whole milk to about 110°F and stir in 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast and 1 tsp granulated sugar; let sit for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
2. Step 2: In a large bowl, combine the yeast mixture with 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, 2 large eggs, and 1 tsp vanilla extract; whisk until smooth.
3. Step 3: Gradually add 4 cups all-purpose flour and 1 tsp salt, stirring until a soft dough forms, then knead on a floured surface for 8-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
4. Step 4: Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour until doubled in size.
5. Step 5: While dough rises, mix 1/2 cup brown sugar and 2 tbsp ground cinnamon in a small bowl for the filling.
6. Step 6: Roll risen dough into a 12x16-inch rectangle on a floured surface; evenly sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture over the dough.
7. Step 7: Roll dough tightly lengthwise into a log and pinch edges to seal; form into a ring and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
8. Step 8: Cover and let rise for 30 minutes; preheat oven to 350°F.
9. Step 9: Bake the ring for 25-30 minutes until golden brown and cooked through; cool on a wire rack.
10. Step 10: Mix 1 cup powdered sugar with 2 tbsp milk to create a glaze; drizzle over cooled cake.
11. Step 11: Immediately sprinkle 1 tbsp each of purple, green, and gold sanding sugars in alternating sections over the glaze.
12. Step 12: Optionally, insert a plastic baby figurine under the cake once cooled for tradition.