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Celebrate Mardi Gras with this traditional Mini King Cake! A smaller version of the classic, this King Cake is filled with a rich cream cheese filling, swirled with cinnamon sugar, and topped with a colorful glaze of purple, green, and gold sugar. Perfect for enjoying the flavors of Mardi Gras without making a giant cake. Simple to make, this recipe brings a taste of New Orleans right to your kitchen.
Being from New Orleans, King Cake has always been a cherished part of celebrating Mardi Gras. It’s the perfect sweet treat to enjoy alongside classic Mardi Gras dishes like Seafood Gumbo, Red Beans and Rice, Jambalaya, or Shrimp Étouffée, bringing the flavors of the season together.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfect for Small Gatherings: This mini King Cake is just the right size to share with a few friends or family, making it ideal for smaller celebrations.
- Traditional Flavors and Texture: A swirl of cinnamon sugar, a creamy cream cheese filling, and soft, buttery, freshly baked dough deliver the classic taste and texture of a Mardi Gras King Cake.
- Festive and Fun: Topped with homemade icing and vibrant Mardi Gras-themed sugar sprinkles, it’s as beautiful as it is delicious.
- Easy to Make: With simple ingredients and clear, step-by-step instructions, you can recreate this New Orleans favorite with ease.
- Rich in History: This recipe celebrates the traditional flavors and culture of Mardi Gras, honoring its Louisiana roots.
Growing up in New Orleans, King Cake was always a staple of Mardi Gras celebrations. Think of it as a giant cinnamon roll, braided and topped with festive colors. Traditionally baked to celebrate the Carnival season starting on Twelfth Night (January 6), King Cakes are usually made for large gatherings. This mini version is perfect for smaller celebrations, offering the same soft, cinnamon-swirled dough with a creamy filling—or none at all, if you prefer a simpler take.
Traditionally, a small plastic baby is hidden inside the baked cake, and the person who finds it is tasked with bringing the next King Cake. Since I can only find plastic babies in bulk, I often use a large pecan instead—or skip it altogether while still keeping the spirit of the tradition alive.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this small King Cake recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
For the King Cake Dough:
- Milk (warm): Activates the yeast, creating a soft and airy texture in the dough.
- Active Dry Yeast: I use a 1/4-ounce packet, about 2 1/4 teaspoons. It helps the dough rise and creates a light, fluffy texture.
- Sugar: Sweetens the dough and feeds the yeast during activation.
- Butter (melted): Adds richness and flavor.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the overall flavor.
- Egg: Provides structure and helps bind the dough.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds warmth and depth to the flavor.
- Lemon Zest: Brightens the dough with a hint of citrus, complementing the sweetness. Orange zest can be used instead.
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of the dough.
- Oil: Used to grease the bowl during rising; avocado oil is my preferred choice for its clean taste, but canola or vegetable oil work just as well.
For the Cinnamon Sugar Filling:
- Sugar: Adds sweetness to the filling.
- Ground Cinnamon: Delivers the warm, aromatic flavor that’s a hallmark of King Cake.
For the Cream Cheese Filling:
- Cream Cheese: Adds a smooth, tangy richness that complements the sweetness of the cake. Use any leftover cream cheese in a mini Italian cream cake or carrot cake cupcakes.
- Powdered Sugar (also called Confectioners’ Sugar or Icing Sugar): Used to sweeten the cream cheese filling. Its fine texture blends smoothly for a creamy consistency.
- Milk: Helps create a smooth texture.
- Lemon Zest (or orange zest): Enhances the filling with a subtle citrus note that brightens the overall flavor.
For the Glaze:
- Powdered Sugar: The base of a sweet and silky glaze.
- Milk: Adjusts the consistency for easy drizzling.
For the Colored Sugar:
- Granulated Sugar: Provides the sparkle and crunch for decorating.
- Food Coloring: Purple, green, and yellow are the traditional Mardi Gras colors. I use Watkins food coloring because it’s free of artificial dyes and made from vegetable juices and spices, offering a natural and cleaner option.
If you have leftover colored sugar, try using it to top a small batch of King Cake Scones.
Recipe Variations
- King Cake Without Cream Cheese Filling: Leave out the cream cheese filling for a traditional cinnamon-sugar King Cake.
- Gluten-Free King Cake: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend to make this recipe gluten-free.
- King Cake Without Colored Sugar: Skip the colored sugar and use powdered sugar or a simple glaze for a more understated look.
How To Make A King Cake
These step-by-step photos and instructions are here to help you visualize how to make this traditional mini King Cake with cream cheese filling. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Activate the Yeast: Pour the warm milk into a small bowl, add the yeast and sugar, and stir. Let it sit for 5 minutes until dissolved.
- Mix Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together the sugar, melted butter, and salt.
- Add the Egg: Stir the egg into the mixture.
- Incorporate Vanilla and Lemon Zest: Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest, stirring to combine.
- Add Yeast Mixture: Pour in the milk and dissolved yeast, mixing well.
- Knead the Dough: Attach the mixing bowl to the stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the flour and mix on low speed until the dough comes together. Increase the speed to medium and knead until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, forms a ball, and climbs slightly up the dough hook, about 3 ½ minutes.
Note: If you don’t have a stand mixer, you can mix the dough in a large bowl using a wooden spoon. Once combined, knead the dough on a floured surface for about 8-10 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic. While it takes more effort, it’s absolutely doable!
- Prepare for Rising: Remove the dough from the bowl. Lightly coat the dough with oil and grease a large mixing bowl with oil as well. Place the dough ball into the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Check the Dough: Remove the plastic wrap from the bowl, the dough should feel soft and slightly springy to the touch, ready to be shaped.
- Knead and Roll: Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes. Roll it into a rectangle, approximately 13×16 inches.
- Add Cinnamon Sugar: Brush the entire surface of the dough with oil. In a small bowl, whisk together sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle the mixture generously over the dough.
- Fold the Dough: Fold the dough in half lengthwise creating a long rectangle.
- Cut the Dough Into Strips: Use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter to slice the dough into three long strips. Lay the strips side by side for braiding.
- Braid the Dough: Cross the center of the right strand over the middle strand. Next, cross the left strand over the new middle strand. Repeat until the dough is braided to the end.
- Shape the King Cake: Pinch the ends of the braided dough together to seal them, then gently form the braid into a circle.
- Second Rise: Transfer the braided dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and let it rise again until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Prepare the Filling: While the dough is resting, use an electric hand mixer to cream together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, milk, and lemon zest until smooth.
- Fill the Piping Bag: Transfer the filling to a piping bag or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off, making it easy to pipe onto the cake.
- Add the Filling: After the second rise, pipe the filling in a single circle around the top of the dough.
- Bake the King Cake: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Once preheated, bake the King Cake for 10–12 minutes, or until golden brown. Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes.
- Make the Colored Sugar: Measure out a total of 3/4 cup of sugar. Divide it evenly into three small bowls, with 1/4 cup of sugar in each bowl. Add 5–6 drops of purple food coloring (or a mix of blue and red) to the first bowl, green food coloring to the second, and yellow food coloring to the third. Stir each bowl until the sugar is fully colored and vibrant.
- Make the Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and milk until smooth. Once the cake has cooled, drizzle the glaze over the top.
- Decorate With Colored Sugar: Sprinkle the colored sugars in alternating sections over the glazed King Cake to complete the festive look.
- Serve: Slice the King Cake and enjoy!
This small King Cake recipe makes about 12 slices. The number of slices will vary depending on how large or small you cut them.
Expert Tips
- Use Warm Milk: Heat the milk to about 105–110°F to activate the yeast without killing it.
- Create a Warm Environment for Rising Dough: If your house is drafty, use your oven as a proofing box. Preheat the oven for 1 minute, turn it off, and place the dough inside. Sometimes, simply turning on the oven light provides enough warmth.
- Let the Dough Rise: Allow enough time for the dough to double in size for the best texture and structure.
Frequently Asked Questions
A King Cake is a round, festive cake associated with Mardi Gras and steeped in tradition. It is typically enjoyed during the Carnival season, which begins on January 6. Originally, King Cakes were more like bread dough and less sweet than the versions we know today. In the 1980s, bakers began adding fillings like cream cheese, fruit, and pastry creams, but the unfilled King Cake topped with purple, green, and gold sugar remains a classic.
Yes, you can make this recipe without a stand mixer. Mix the dough in a large bowl using a wooden spoon, then knead it on a floured surface for about 8–10 minutes until it’s smooth and elastic. While it takes more effort compared to using a mixer, it’s completely doable and still produces great results.
Absolutely! You can use powdered sugar for a simple finish or sprinkle the cake with natural-colored sugars for a subtle look.
Store leftover King Cake in an airtight container at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. For longer storage, wrap it tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.
Double the ingredient amounts and make a larger King Cake to serve more people.
Traditionally, a small plastic baby is hidden inside the baked King Cake. The person who finds the baby in their slice is responsible for bringing the next King Cake to the gathering. Since plastic babies are often sold in large quantities, I use a large pecan as a substitute or sometimes leave it out entirely.
The colors of Mardi Gras—purple, green, and gold—have special meanings. Purple represents justice, green symbolizes faith, and gold stands for power.
While King Cake is a Mardi Gras tradition, it can be enjoyed anytime you want to bring a little taste of New Orleans to your celebrations.
Enjoy With Other Mardi Gras Favorites
A King Cake is a celebration on its own, but it’s also great paired with small batch or single serving traditional Louisiana dishes. Here are some delicious ideas to bring the spirit of New Orleans to your table:
- Chicken Gumbo: A comforting dish with tender chicken, vegetables, and a flavorful roux-based broth.
- Crawfish Etouffee: A Louisiana favorite featuring tender crawfish tails in a rich, seasoned sauce.
- BBQ Shrimp: Juicy shrimp sautéed in a tangy, buttery sauce with plenty of garlic and herbs.
- Crawfish Beignets: Crispy, golden fritters filled with seasoned crawfish, perfect as an appetizer or snack.
- Bananas Foster: A decadent dessert of caramelized bananas flambéed with rum and served over ice cream.
- Pralines: Sweet, nutty candies made with pecans, brown sugar, and cream, offering a taste of Southern indulgence.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve tried this traditional mini King Cake recipe or any recipe on One Dish Kitchen please let me know how you liked it by rating the recipe and telling me about it in the comment section below.
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Traditional Mini King Cake
Ingredients
For the Dough
- ½ cup milk -warm (about 105–110°F )
- 1 small packet active dry yeast (¼ ounce packet, about 2 ¼ teaspoons)
- 3 tablespoons, plus 2 teaspoons granulated sugar -divided
- ¼ cup salted butter -melted
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ tablespoon lemon zest
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil or another neutral oil like vegetable oil or canola oil for greasing the bowl.
For the Cinnamon Sugar Filling
- 3 tablespoons avocado oil or another neutral oil like vegetable oil or canola oil for brushing on the dough.
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Cream Cheese Filling
- 4 ounces cream cheese -room temperature
- 1 ¼ cup powdered sugar -sifted
- 1 tablespoon milk
- ¼ teaspoon lemon zest
For the Colored Sugar
- ¾ cup granulated sugar -divided
- 5-6 drops purple food coloring (or use a mix of blue and red food coloring)
- 5-6 drops green food coloring
- 5-6 drops yellow food coloring
For the Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar -sifted
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- Activate the Yeast: Pour the warm milk into a small bowl, add the yeast and 2 teaspoons of the sugar, and stir. Let it sit for 5 minutes until dissolved.
- Mix Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together 3 tablespoons of sugar, melted butter, and salt.
- Add the Egg: Stir the egg into the mixture.
- Incorporate Vanilla and Lemon Zest: Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest, stirring to combine.
- Add Yeast Mixture: Pour in the milk and dissolved yeast, mixing well.
- Knead the Dough: Attach the mixing bowl to the stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the flour and mix on low speed until the dough comes together. Increase the speed to medium and knead until the dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl, forms a ball, and climbs slightly up the dough hook, about 3 ½ minutes.
- Prepare for Rising: Remove the dough from the bowl. Lightly coat the dough with oil and grease a large mixing bowl with oil as well. Place the dough ball into the bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm, draft-free spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Knead and Roll: Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead for about 10 minutes. Roll it into a rectangle, approximately 13×16 inches.
- Make the Cinnamon Sugar Filling: Brush the entire surface of the dough with 2 tablespoons of oil. In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, then sprinkle the mixture generously over the dough.
- Fold the Dough: Fold the dough in half lengthwise creating a long rectangle.
- Cut the Dough Into Strips: Use a sharp knife or a pizza cutter to slice the dough into three long strips. Lay the strips side by side for braiding.
- Braid the Dough: Cross the center of the right strand over the middle strand. Next, cross the left strand over the new middle strand. Repeat until the dough is braided to the end.
- Shape the King Cake: Pinch the ends of the braided dough together to seal them, then gently form the braid into a circle.
- Second Rise: Transfer the braided dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and let it rise again until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
- Prepare the Cream Cheese Filling: While the dough is resting, use an electric hand mixer to cream together 4 ounces of cream cheese, 1 ¼ cup of powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of milk, and ¼ teaspoon of lemon zest until smooth.
- Fill the Piping Bag: Transfer the filling to a piping bag or a zip-top bag with the corner snipped off, making it easy to pipe onto the cake.
- Add the Filling: After the second rise, pipe the filling in a single circle around the top of the dough.
- Bake the King Cake: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Once preheated, bake the King Cake for 10–12 minutes, or until golden brown. Let the cake cool for about 10 minutes.
- Make the Colored Sugar: Measure out a total of 3/4 cup of sugar. Divide it evenly into three small bowls, with 1/4 cup of sugar in each bowl. Add 5–6 drops of purple food coloring (or a mix of blue and red) to the first bowl, green food coloring to the second, and yellow food coloring to the third. Stir each bowl until the sugar is fully colored and vibrant.
- Make the Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the ½ cup of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk until smooth. Once the cake has cooled, drizzle the glaze over the top.
- Decorate With Colored Sugar: Sprinkle the colored sugars in alternating sections over the glazed King Cake to complete the festive look.
- Serve: Slice the King Cake and enjoy!
Notes
- Use Warm Milk: Heat the milk to about 105–110°F to activate the yeast without killing it.
- Create a Warm Environment for Rising Dough: If your house is drafty, use your oven as a proofing box. Preheat the oven for 1 minute, turn it off, and place the dough inside. Sometimes, simply turning on the oven light provides enough warmth.
- Let the Dough Rise: Allow enough time for the dough to double in size for the best texture and structure.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
