King Cake with Cinnamon Filling

King Cake is a pastry filled with brown sugar cinnamon filling and decorated with colored sprinkles. The shape and colors of King Cake are symbolic of Epiphany and rooted in Christian history.  The cake is popular during Mardi Gras season. 

Growing up in Mobile, AL, the real birthplace of Mardi Gras in the US, Mardi Gras is  significant part of my history and traditions.  The city comes alive during Mardi Gras season, also know as Carnival. The calendar is jammed packed with all sorts of Mardi Gras related activities, including parades and balls. 

History and Symbolism of King Cake

In western Christian tradition, Epiphany is celebrated January 6 which is the climax of the Twelve Days of Christmas and commemorates  the coming of the  Wise Men bringing gifts to the baby Jesus.    According to Christian teaching, the Wise Men were the first to acknowledge the baby as The King.    Following this pronouncement, a wonderful tradition of  the King Cake has been born.

The season of Epiphany  runs from January 6 through Ash Wednesday.  This joyous season coincides with Mardi Gras and is  celebrated in several Southern United States cities and is the day prior to  Ash Wednesday which begins the season of Lent.  Early Christians were forbidden to eat eggs, butter, cream and meat during Lent.  Rich pastries and baked goods became common practice during Epiphany as a way of using up eggs, butter and cream prior to Lent.  Mardi Gras Day, also called Fat Tuesday, is so named because it’s the last day to eat, drink and be merry before the solemn season of Lent begins.

The colors of King Cakes and Mardi Gras have significance.  Purple is for justice, green is for faith and gold is for power.   A small baby is placed inside the King Cake representing the baby Jesus.  Tradition holds that the one finding the baby will have good luck throughout the year.  It also might suggest that the one finding the baby is responsible for bringing the King Cake to the next gathering.

The cakes are  formed into  a ring symbolizing the unity of  faiths.  Sometimes they’re  flavored with  cinnamon and sugar, much like cinnamon rolls.  They can also have a cream cheese filling. Using frozen bread dough makes this process easier and quicker without compromising any of the home-baked flavor. 

May you find the baby Jesus and enjoy many blessings in the year to come.

Y’all come see us!

Directions for King Cake with Cinnamon Filling

for the dough:

1. Follow package directions to thaw dough. I prefer to thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
2. Roll out dough to a rectangle about 10×24. My rolling pin is 10 inches long and I use it as a guide.

for the filling:

1. Melt butter in microwave.
2. Add remaining ingredients in bowl with melted butter.
3. Stir until well incorporated.
4. Pour filling on dough.
5. Spread evenly leaving a one inch border.
6. Starting with a long edge, roll into a log in cinnamon roll fashion. Pinch seams.
7. Shape into a circle. Pinch ends together.
8. Let rise for one hour or until doubled in size.
9. Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 30 minutes or until golden brown and sounds hollow when tapped. Cool completely before icing.

for the icing:

1. Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl.  Stir well.
2. Icing should be thin enough to drizzle over the pastry,
3. When cake is completely cooled, drizzle icing over the pasty. Decorate with colored sprinkles.
4. Hide baby Jesus in the cake and try to remember where it is. Remind guests to be on the lookout for a small plastic object. I place the baby close to the bottom of the pasty where it’s easily concealed.

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5 from 1 vote

King Cake with Cinnamon Filling

King Cake is a pastry filled with brown sugar cinnamon filling and symbolizes the Epiphany. Popular during Mardi Gras Season.

yield: one pastry

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Prep Time4 hours hrs

Cook Time30 minutes mins

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American South

Keyword: king cake with cinnamon filling

Servings: 12

Author: Jackie Garvin

Ingredients

• For the cake:
• 1 1 pound loaf frozen white bread dough (I used Bridgford Bread and Roll Dough)
• For the filling:
• 1/2 cup butter unsalted
• 2/3 cup brown sugar firmly packed. Use light or dark
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg freshly ground preferred
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• For the icing:
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 3 to 4 tablespoons half and half or substitute milk or buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• food safe sprinkles in gold green, and purple

Instructions

• For the dough:
• Follow package directions to thaw dough. I prefer to thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
• Roll out dough to a rectangle about 10x24.
• For the filling:
• Melt butter in microwave.
• Add brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt to the bowl.
• Stir until well incorporated.
• Pour filling onto dough.
• Cover entire surface of dough leaving an inch border.
• Starting with a long side, roll the dough in a cinnamon roll fashion. Pinch seam.
• Form the pastry into a circle and pinch ends.
• Let rise for one hour or until doubled in size.
• Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for 30 minutes, or until golden brown and the pastry sound hollow when tapped.
• Cool completely before icing.
• For the icing:
• Add all ingredients to a mixing bowl.  Stir well. Icing should be thin enough to drizzle over the pastry,
• When cake is completely cooled, drizzle icing over the pasty. Decorate with colored sprinkles.
• Hide baby Jesus in the cake and try to remember where it is. Remind guests to be on the lookout for a small plastic object. I place the baby close to the bottom of the pasty where it's easily concealed.

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