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Easy King Cake decorated with colorful icing for Mardi Gras celebration

Easy King Cake

This warm, buttery treat captures the joyful spirit of Mardi Gras, perfect for parties or cozy weekend baking.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Brunch, Dessert
Cuisine: American, Cajun
Calories: 250
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dough
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 packet active dry yeast
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet ingredients
  • 1/2 cup milk (warm) Should be warm, not hot.
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter (cut into pieces)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping & finishing
  • 1/4 cup colored sugar (purple, green, yellow) For decoration.
  • 1/2 cup icing sugar
  • 1 tablespoon milk (for icing)

Method
 

Preparation
  1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.
  2. In a saucepan, heat milk and butter until warm. Add to the dry ingredients.
  3. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Mix until a dough forms.
  4. Knead on a floured surface for about 5 minutes. Let it rise for 1 hour.
Baking
  1. Roll out the dough and shape into a ring.
  2. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 25-30 minutes.
  3. Once cooled, mix icing sugar and milk to make the icing, then drizzle over the cake.
  4. Decorate with colored sugar.

Notes

Warm liquids properly to avoid killing the yeast. Dough should be slightly tacky but manageable. Cover with a damp towel while rising to prevent drying out.