King Cake with Cream Cheese Dough
How to explain a king cake to the uninitiated? Think of it as a giant cinnamon roll housing a tiny, plastic baby Jesus that's twisted or braided into a circle, covered in icing, and liberally sprinkled with purple, green, and gold sugar. This year, I decided it was time to make my own. I wanted to stay in a traditional vein, but experiment with putting cream cheese in the dough rather than as the filling. As a nod to Galette des Rois (the traditional king cake of Northern France), I filled it with frangipane plus a dash of cocoa powder. And, because you can't taste the cream cheese in the dough, I finished it with a cream cheese glaze. The result is rich and decadent, without being overwhelming.
How to explain a king cake to the uninitiated? Think of it as a giant cinnamon roll housing a tiny, plastic baby Jesus that's twisted or braided into a circle, covered in icing, and liberally sprinkled with purple, green, and gold sugar. This year, I decided it was time to make my own. I wanted to stay in a traditional vein, but experiment with putting cream cheese in the dough rather than as the filling. As a nod to Galette des Rois (the traditional king cake of Northern France), I filled it with frangipane plus a dash of cocoa powder. And, because you can't taste the cream cheese in the dough, I finished it with a cream cheese glaze. The result is rich and decadent, without being overwhelming.
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup milk
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- for the glaze:
- for the filling:
- 2 teaspoons cocoa powder
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces) cream cheese room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons (5 grams) active dry yeast
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) sugar plus 1/4 teaspoon divided
- 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter (1 stick) room temperature
- 2 egg yolks (save the whites for egg wash)
- 4 1/2 cups (500 grams) all-purpose flour
- 7 ounces almond paste (1 tube)
- 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter room temperature
- 1/2 cup (57 grams) confectioners' sugar
- 1/2 cup 4 ounces) cream cheese room temperature
- 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter room temperature
- 1 cup (114 grams) confectioners' sugar
- purple green, and gold colored sugars
- plastic baby
- Carbohydrate 37.5337231764191 g
- Cholesterol 9.0500000050721 mg
- Fat 3.91248708507926 g
- Fiber 1.33423918692586 g
- Protein 6.47450475262726 g
- Saturated Fat 2.16426168429476 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (335g)
- Sodium 427.402783481269 mg
- Sugar 36.1994839894932 g
- Trans Fat 0.452698533557221 g
- Calories 223 calories
Step-by-step
- In a small bowl, mix the yeast and 1/4 teaspoon sugar with 1/4 cup of warm (100° to 110° F) water.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and cream cheese (the cream cheese won't fully melt, but that's okay). Remove from heat and add milk, egg yolks, vanilla, and yeast mixture.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the dough hook, combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add wet ingredients all at once and mix for 5 minutes, until it forms a smooth, elastic ball.
- Cover bowl with plastic wrap or a damp towel and set aside to rise for 1 1/2 hours.
- While the dough rises, make the filling: Combine almond paste, butter, flour, confectioners' sugar, cocoa powder, and egg and mix until smoothly combined.
- Once dough has risen, punch it down and divide into 2 equal pieces. Roll one piece of dough into a rectangle about 18 to 20 inches long and 6 to 8 inches wide.
- Spread with half of the filling mixture and roll (cinnamon roll style) starting from the long end of the dough.
- Repeat with the second piece of dough and the rest of the filling. You'll have two rolled ropes of dough. Press and roll each dough out another 2-inches or so to even the thickness of the strands and close the seams.
- Line the ropes of dough up and, starting from the center, make a basic twist. Then bring the beginning and end of the twist together to seal into a circle.
- Place a rack in the center of the oven and heat oven to 375° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and place the circular cake on top. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and allow to rest for 30 minutes while the oven preheats.
- Brush cake lightly with egg wash made from beating the two remaining egg whites. Then bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until cake is golden brown (and the internal temperature is 190° F).
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before glazing. To make the glaze, beat together cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl.
- Spread glaze over the cooled cake. Sprinkle with purple, yellow, and green colored sugar. Hide baby.
My King Cake Adventure: A Cream Cheese Twist on Tradition
For those unfamiliar, a king cake is a delightful, celebratory treat. Imagine a giant cinnamon roll, but instead of a simple spiral, it's artfully twisted or braided into a ring. Inside, hidden amongst the sweet swirls, lies a tiny, plastic baby Jesus – a nod to the Epiphany celebration. This ring of deliciousness is then generously coated in a luscious icing and sprinkled with vibrant purple, green, and gold sugar, making it a visual feast as well as a culinary one.
This year, being away from the usual festive celebrations, I decided to embrace the tradition by making my own king cake. I wanted to honor the classic recipe but add my own creative touch. I’ve always loved the creamy richness of cream cheese, so I decided to incorporate it directly into the dough itself, a departure from the usual filling. The result was surprisingly delightful; the cream cheese added a subtle richness that enhanced the overall flavor profile without overpowering the other ingredients.
Inspired by the Galette des Rois, the traditional French king cake, I incorporated frangipane into the filling, adding a touch of cocoa powder for an extra layer of depth. I figured, why stop at one creamy element? I decided to create a cream cheese glaze to complement the dough’s subtle creaminess. The finished product was truly decadent, a symphony of flavors and textures that satisfied my craving for a unique and delicious king cake without feeling overly heavy or rich.
The process of making this cake was surprisingly straightforward. The dough, enriched with cream cheese, was wonderfully soft and pliable, making it a pleasure to work with. The frangipane filling, with its subtle cocoa notes, added a beautiful contrast to the sweetness of the cake. The final touch, the cream cheese glaze, brought everything together perfectly, creating a smooth, creamy coating that perfectly complemented the sprinkle of celebratory colored sugars.
The joy of baking this cake wasn't just in the final product; it was in the process itself. The kneading, the shaping, the careful layering of the filling – each step felt like a small act of celebration. It reminded me that even simple acts of creating can bring a profound sense of joy and connection to tradition. The anticipation of revealing the hidden baby Jesus, and the fun of sharing it with loved ones (even across the miles through video calls), made this baking adventure far more meaningful than I'd ever imagined.
This year's king cake wasn't just a delicious treat; it was a journey, a personal act of preserving tradition while infusing it with my own creativity. It’s a memory I’ll cherish, and a recipe I’ll undoubtedly revisit year after year, making it my own little piece of tradition wherever my travels might take me.
So, if you're looking for a unique and delicious twist on a classic treat, I highly recommend trying this King Cake with Cream Cheese Dough. Prepare to be amazed by the subtle creaminess of the dough, the rich frangipane filling, and the delightfully sweet cream cheese glaze. It's a perfect way to celebrate, whether you're gathering with loved ones or simply enjoying a moment of delicious solitude.
Ingredients: (The full ingredient list is provided in the original recipe.)
