Introduction

Celebrate Mardi Gras with a delicious homemade Praline-Cream Cheese King Cake. This festive treat features a soft, rich dough wrapped around a sweet cream cheese and praline filling, topped with a creamy vanilla glaze and colorful sparkling sugars.

A round cake sits on a large white plate on a white marbled surface. The cake has a white icing layer on top, decorated with five thick diagonal stripes of colored sugar in purple, green, and yellow, alternating around the ring. One slice is cut and slightly lifted, showing the light brown, fluffy inner part of the cake with a swirl of filling inside. The plate is next to a silver cake server with a golden blade, and a folded white napkin with a gold geometric pattern. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

Dough:

1 (16-oz.) container sour cream

1/4 cup butter
1 tsp. salt

1/3 cup, plus 1 Tbsp. granulated sugar, divided
2 (1/4-oz.) envelopes active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water (100°F to 110°F)
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
6 3/4 cups bread flour, divided

Praline-Cream Cheese Filling:

2 (8-oz.) packages cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 large egg
1 cup finely chopped toasted pecans, divided

Creamy Vanilla Glaze:

3 cups (about 12 oz.) powdered sugar
3 Tbsp. butter, melted
2 tsp. vanilla extract

3 – 4 Tbsp. whole milk

Additional Ingredients:

Purple, green, and gold/yellow sparkling sugars

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare the dough by combining sour cream, butter, salt, and 1/3 cup sugar in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring, until the butter melts, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool to 100°F to 110°F, approximately 15 minutes.
Step 2: In a 1-cup glass measuring cup, stir together yeast, warm water, and the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Let stand for 5 minutes to activate.
Step 3: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, combine the cooled sour cream mixture, yeast mixture, eggs, and 2 cups of flour. Beat at medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.

Step 4: Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually add 4 cups of flour, beating until the dough forms.
Step 5: Turn dough onto a floured surface and knead, adding remaining 1/2 cup flour a little at a time, until dough is smooth, elastic, and slightly tacky but not sticky, about 10 minutes.
Step 6: Place dough in a greased bowl, turning to coat. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°F) until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Step 7: Prepare the filling by beating cream cheese, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in the egg until fully combined.
Step 8: Punch down dough and divide in half. On a floured surface, roll one half into a 22 x 12-inch rectangle, keeping the other half covered.
Step 9: Spread half of the filling evenly over the rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border around the edges. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup chopped pecans.

Step 10: Starting at one long side, carefully roll the dough into a jelly-roll shape. Place seam side down on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bring the ends together to form a ring, moisten ends with water, and pinch to seal.
Step 11: Repeat the rolling, filling, and shaping process with the second half of dough and remaining filling and pecans.
Step 12: Cover the dough rings and let them rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes to 1 hour.

Step 13: Preheat oven to 350°F. Uncover the dough rings and bake for about 25 minutes, until deep golden brown and cooked through.
Step 14: Cool the cakes completely on wire racks for about 1 1/2 hours before glazing.
Step 15: Prepare the glaze by mixing powdered sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract. Stir in 3 tablespoons milk and add more milk, one teaspoon at a time, until the glaze is pourable but still opaque.

Step 16: Pour the glaze evenly over the cooled cakes. Sprinkle sparkling sugars in alternating purple, green, and gold bands to decorate.

Tips & Variations

Toast the pecans before chopping to enhance their flavor and add a subtle crunch to the filling.
For a more traditional cake, add a small plastic baby figurine inside the cake after baking and cooling.

If you prefer a less sweet cake, reduce the sugar slightly in the filling and glaze.
Use bread flour for a chewier texture, but all-purpose flour works well if needed.

Storage

Store leftover King Cake covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Reheat slices gently in the microwave for 15-20 seconds to soften the glaze and filling before serving.

How to Serve

The image shows a round king cake with a smooth white icing layer on top, decorated with bold sugar colors in sections of yellow, green, and purple arranged in a striped pattern radiating from the center to the edges. The cake is thick with a golden-brown crust visible on the sides and underneath the icing. A slice is cut out and placed slightly inside the ring, revealing soft, light yellow dough inside with a small filling center. The cake rests on a white plate set on a white marbled surface, next to a silver cake server with a gold handle and a white cloth with a gold pattern. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

Yes, you can prepare the dough and let it rise in the refrigerator overnight. Bring it to room temperature before rolling and filling.

What if I don’t have sparkling sugars for decorating?

You can substitute colored sanding sugar or sprinkle with colored nonpareils for a festive look.