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–+ servings
a mini king cake with a cream cheese filling and topped with colored sugar.
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5 from 4 votes

Mini King Cake

This mini King Cake is a classic New Orleans Mardi Gras dessert made with soft sweet yeast dough, a cinnamon sugar swirl, cream cheese filling, and finished with purple, green, and gold sugar.
Prep Time3 hours
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time3 hours 15 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: king cake, king cake with cream cheese filling, mardi gras, mardi gras king cake, traditional king cake
Servings: 12 slices
Author: Joanie Zisk

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Dough

  • ½ cup warm milk (about 105–110°F )
  • 1 small packet active dry yeast (¼ ounce packet/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
US - Metric

Instructions

  • Make the Dough: Pour the warm milk into a small bowl. Add the yeast and 2 teaspoons of sugar, stir, and let sit for about 5 minutes until dissolved and foamy.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together 3 tablespoons of sugar, melted butter, and salt. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and lemon zest and mix well.
  • Pour the milk and yeast into the bowl and stir until combined.
  • Attach the dough hook and add the flour. Mix on low speed until the dough comes together, then increase to medium speed and knead until smooth and pulling away from the sides of the bowl, about 3½ minutes.
    Note: If mixing by hand, stir the dough together in a large bowl, then knead on a floured surface for 8–10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
  • Lightly oil the dough and a clean bowl. Place the dough in the bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
  • Turn the dough onto a floured surface and knead briefly. Roll into a rectangle about 13 by 16 inches.
  • Make the Cinnamon Sugar Filling: Brush the dough with oil. Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl and sprinkle evenly over the dough.
  • Fold the dough in half lengthwise to form a long rectangle. Cut into three long strips. Braid the strips, pinch the ends to seal, and gently shape into a circle.
  • Transfer the dough to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour.
  • Make the Cream Cheese Filling: While the dough rises, beat together 4 ounces of cream cheese, 1 ¼ cup of powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon of milk, and ¼ teaspoon of lemon zest until smooth. Transfer to a piping bag or zip-top bag with the corner snipped.
  • Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Pipe the cream cheese filling in a circle on top of the dough. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until lightly golden. Cool for 10 minutes.
  • Make the Colored Sugar: Divide ¾ cup sugar evenly into three bowls. Tint one purple, one green, and one yellow, stirring until fully colored.
  • Make the Glaze: Whisk ½ cup of powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk until smooth. Drizzle over the cooled cake, then sprinkle the colored sugars in alternating sections.
  • Slice and enjoy.

Notes

  • Use Warm Milk: Heat the milk to about 105–110°F. This activates the yeast without damaging it.
  • Create a Warm Spot for Rising: If your kitchen is cool or drafty, preheat the oven for 1 minute, turn it off, and place the dough inside. Leaving the oven light on often provides enough warmth.
  • Watch the Dough, Not the Clock: Let the dough rise until doubled in size. Rise time can vary based on room temperature.
  • Don’t Overbake: Bake just until the cake is lightly golden. Overbaking can dry out a mini King Cake quickly.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 266kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 169mg | Potassium: 69mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 28g | Vitamin A: 294IU | Vitamin C: 0.002mg | Calcium: 33mg | Iron: 1mg

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