Best 4 King Cake With Cream Cheese And Apple Filling Recipes

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Indulge in the exquisite delight of a King Cake, a culinary masterpiece that embodies the spirit of Mardi Gras celebrations. This delectable treat, adorned with vibrant colors and intricate designs, holds a cherished place in the hearts of many. Embark on a delightful baking adventure as we unveil two extraordinary recipes that capture the essence of this iconic pastry.

The first recipe introduces a King Cake with Cream Cheese and Apple Filling, a harmonious blend of flavors that tantalizes the taste buds. Imagine the velvety cream cheese filling, swirled with the sweet and tangy notes of apple, all enveloped in a soft, pillowy dough. This remarkable creation is sure to become a favorite among those who appreciate the perfect balance of sweet and tangy flavors.

The second recipe presents a King Cake with Almond Filling, an ode to classic flavors that never go out of style. The rich and nutty almond filling, encased in a flaky, golden crust, is a timeless indulgence that evokes a sense of nostalgia and comfort. This traditional recipe is a testament to the enduring appeal of classic culinary creations.

Both recipes offer step-by-step instructions, ensuring that bakers of all skill levels can recreate these majestic cakes with ease. Detailed ingredient lists and precise cooking times guarantee successful baking endeavors, allowing you to impress your family and friends with these remarkable treats.

Whether you prefer the harmonious blend of cream cheese and apple or the timeless elegance of almond filling, these King Cake recipes are guaranteed to make your Mardi Gras celebration truly unforgettable. Don your apron, gather your ingredients, and let the baking magic begin!

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

CARAMELIZED APPLE KING CAKE



Caramelized Apple King Cake image

Though there are many versions of king cake - the pastry eaten from Twelfth Night through Mardi Gras - many New Orleanians trace their best memories back to their local bakery. Such is the case for the Creole chef and New Orleans native Dominick Lee. His recipe was inspired by childhood memories of king cakes with apple filling served in the city's Gentilly neighborhood. Mr. Lee retains that filling in his cake and takes inspiration from global influences, adding a fragrant orange blossom cream-cheese frosting. True to tradition, a plastic baby is baked inside the dough. The person who finds and eats the slice with the baby is promised luck and prosperity, and - fair warning - is also responsible for providing the next cake.

Provided by Kayla Stewart

Categories     cakes, dessert

Time 6h

Yield 12 to 16 servings

Number Of Ingredients 25

3 medium Granny Smith apples (340 grams/3/4 pound), peeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch wedges
1/2 packed cup/110 grams brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1 (1/4-ounce) packet active dry yeast (2 teaspoons)
1/4 cup warm water
3 tablespoons plus 1 1/2 teaspoons granulated sugar
4 tablespoons/57 grams unsalted butter, plus more for greasing the bowl
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup/226 grams sour cream
1 large egg
3 cups/390 grams all-purpose flour, plus more as needed
Egg wash (1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon water), for brushing the dough
1 plastic baby, for decorating
4 ounces/113 grams cream cheese, at room temperature
4 tablespoons/57 grams unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon orange blossom water
3 cups/330 grams confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
Purple, gold and green sparkling sugar or edible glitter sprinkles, for decorating

Steps:

  • Make the filling: Place the apples, brown sugar, flour, butter, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and 1/2 cup water in a large saucepan and stir well. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the apples are completely softened but still retain their shape, about 25 minutes. Watch carefully near the end and stir as the mixture will begin to stick to the pan as it caramelizes. Set aside.
  • While the apples cook, prepare the dough: In a small bowl, mix yeast, warm water and 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar. Set aside to allow yeast to become active and foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
  • In a medium saucepan, combine butter with salt and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and melt over medium-low heat, about 4 minutes. Whisk in sour cream until incorporated. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, 5 to 7 minutes.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter mixture, yeast mixture, 1 egg and 1 1/2 cups/195 grams flour. Beat on medium-low speed until smooth. Gradually add remaining 1 1/2 cups/195 grams flour and continue to mix until a dough forms.
  • On a floured work surface, knead the dough by hand, adding more flour if needed, until the dough is elastic and smooth, 5 to 12 minutes. It should be sticky but not sticking to the surface. Butter a large bowl and place dough inside. Cover and let rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
  • Gently punch down the dough, transfer it to a floured work surface, and roll it out into a 24-by-12-inch rectangle. Be gentle so as to not tear the dough. Spread the apple filling on one long side of the dough to cover half of the dough, leaving a 1-inch border along the edges. Starting with the long side closest to you, fold the border over the filling and tightly roll up the dough in a spiral, enclosing the apple filling as you go. Carefully transfer the roll seam side down to a large parchment paper-covered baking sheet. Moisten ends with water, then bring both ends together to form a ring. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. While the dough rises, heat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Brush the egg wash all over the cake. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 2 hours before frosting.
  • While cake cools, make the frosting: In a mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and orange blossom water. Mix slowly by hand or with a hand or stand mixer until well combined, then gradually add the confectioners' sugar and mix until incorporated. Continue mixing while slowly adding the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin out the frosting. The frosting should be thin enough to spread, but not too runny.
  • Carefully flip the cooled cake and cut a small X in the bottom of the ring. Insert the plastic baby and flip the cake back over. Frost the cake and decorate with alternating stripes of gold, green and purple sprinkles.

KING CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FILLING



King Cake with Cream Cheese Filling image

Round out your Mardi Gras celebration with a King Cake-a colorful ring-shaped pastry drizzled with green, gold and purple icing. This stunning cake has become the gala holiday's signature dessert.-Alice LeJeune, Ville Platte, Louisiana

Provided by Taste of Home

Categories     Desserts

Time 45m

Yield 16 servings.

Number Of Ingredients 12

2 tubes (8 ounces each) refrigerated reduced-fat crescent rolls
4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup light brown sugar
2 tablespoons butter, softened
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
ICING:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 tablespoons 2% milk
Red, blue, yellow and green food coloring

Steps:

  • Unroll both tubes of crescent dough and separate into triangles. Place triangles on a greased 12-in. pizza pan, forming a ring with pointed ends facing toward the center and wide ends overlapping. Lightly press wide ends together., In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spoon over wide ends of ring. In another bowl, stir the brown sugar, butter and cinnamon until crumbly. Sprinkle over cream cheese mixture., Fold points over filling and fold wide ends over points to seal. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 5 minutes., Meanwhile, combine the confectioners' sugar, vanilla and enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Divide icing among three bowls. Using red and blue food coloring, tint one portion purple. Tint another portion yellow and the remaining portion green. Drizzle over cake. Serve warm.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 184 calories, Fat 8g fat (3g saturated fat), Cholesterol 9mg cholesterol, Sodium 275mg sodium, Carbohydrate 26g carbohydrate (16g sugars, Fiber 0 fiber), Protein 3g protein. Diabetic Exchanges

THE BEST CREAM CHEESE KING CAKE



The Best Cream Cheese King Cake image

If you're looking for a new king cake recipe to celebrate Mardi Gras, you must try this one. If you're a little intimated, don't be. Follow this recipe and don't forget to put the baby in!

Provided by Smart Cookie

Categories     Desserts     Cakes     Holiday Cake Recipes

Time 4h15m

Yield 20

Number Of Ingredients 21

1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
⅓ cup white sugar
¼ cup butter
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees F)
2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
1 tablespoon white sugar
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
6 ¾ cups bread flour, divided
2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
½ cup white sugar
¼ cup packed dark brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted, divided
3 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 tablespoons whole milk, or more as needed
purple, green, and gold/yellow sparkling sugars

Steps:

  • Combine sour cream, 1/3 cup sugar, butter, and salt in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring, until butter melts, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat; let mixture cool to 100 to 110 degrees F, about 15 minutes.
  • Stir together water, yeast, and remaining 1 tablespoon sugar in a 1-cup glass measuring cup; let stand for 5 minutes.
  • Combine sour cream mixture, yeast mixture, eggs, and 2 cups of the flour in the bowl of a heavy-duty electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat at medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Reduce speed to low; gradually add 4 more cups of flour, beating until dough comes together.
  • Turn dough out onto a surface dusted with 1/4 cup of the flour. Knead, gradually adding remaining 1/2 cup flour, 2 tablespoons at a time, until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Dough should be tacky but release easily from surface.
  • Place dough in a well greased bowl; turn to grease top. Cover; let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the filling. Beat cream cheese, sugars, cinnamon, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in egg.
  • Gently punch dough down; divide in half. Roll 1 portion out into a 22x12-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. Keep the other portion covered. Spread 1/2 of the filling over rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup pecans. Carefully roll up, starting from a long edge.
  • Place roll, seam-side down, on a large parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Bring ends of roll together to form a ring. Moisten ends with water; pinch together to seal. Repeat with remaining dough, filling, and pecans. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 45 minutes to 1 hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Uncover dough rings.
  • Bake in the preheated oven until cakes are a deep golden brown, about 25 minutes. Cool cakes completely on wire racks, about 1 1/2 hours.
  • Stir confectioners' sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract together to make the glaze. Stir in 3 tablespoons milk. Add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until pourable but still opaque. Pour evenly over cakes. Sprinkle with sparkling sugars, alternating colors to form bands.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 484.7 calories, Carbohydrate 63 g, Cholesterol 73.2 mg, Fat 22.4 g, Fiber 1.8 g, Protein 9.1 g, SaturatedFat 11.1 g, Sodium 236.1 mg, Sugar 30.9 g

BUTTERMILK KING CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE FILLING



Buttermilk King Cake with Cream Cheese Filling image

I grew up eating king cake in NOLA but never really LIKING it. I finally decided to give it a go myself and have to say that this is, hands down, the best I've ever eaten. A conglom of several recipes, it's great with coffee, not too sweet, not too bready, with a rich, tender crumb and the traditional lemon/nutmeg flavors of a genuine NOLA king cake. Best eaten same day but pretty darn good the day after (if there are leftovers!). Enjoy, y'all!

Provided by mississippimarion

Categories     Desserts     Cakes     Holiday Cake Recipes

Time 4h40m

Yield 12

Number Of Ingredients 20

4 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup white sugar
1 (.25 ounce) package rapid rise yeast
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
3 eggs at room temperature
6 tablespoons butter
¾ cup Bulgarian-style buttermilk
¼ cup all-purpose flour
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese at room temperature
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 egg
¼ cup water
1 cup confectioners' sugar
4 teaspoons corn syrup
4 teaspoons milk
1 teaspoon lemon juice, or as needed

Steps:

  • Mix 4 cups of flour, white sugar, yeast, and salt together in the work bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook.
  • Whisk 3 eggs in a separate bowl. Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat and whisk buttermilk into melted butter; heat until an instant-read thermometer reads 120 degrees F (49 degrees C). Whisk buttermilk mixture into beaten eggs and cool the mixture to 110 degrees F (43 degrees C).
  • Beat egg mixture into flour mixture on medium-low speed to make a firm, elastic dough, about 10 minutes. If dough doesn't separate from the sides of the mixing bowl during kneading, beat in 1/4 cup more flour.
  • Turn dough out onto a work surface and knead for 1 minute; form into a ball and place into a buttered bowl, turning dough around to lightly coat with butter. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 2 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter the outer edge of an 8-inch cake pan.
  • Stir cream cheese, 1 cup confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons flour, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and nutmeg in a bowl until filling is smooth.
  • Punch down dough and turn out onto a lightly floured piece of parchment paper. Roll dough into a 10x28-inch rectangle. Spread cream cheese filling over the rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border along each edge. Lift an edge of the parchment paper sheet to roll dough into a log shape, starting at a 28-inch edge. Pinch seams closed to seal in filling, keeping roll on the parchment paper.
  • Wrap the filled dough around the outside of the buttered 8-inch cake pan to form the dough into a ring; pinch the edges closed. Use parchment paper to lift the cake and cake pan and slide a baking sheet beneath the parchment. Gently free cake pan, leaving the ring-shaped cake. Whisk 1 egg with water in a small bowl; brush cake with egg wash.
  • Bake king cake in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 40 minutes. Let cake cool.
  • Stir 1 cup confectioners' sugar, corn syrup, and milk in a bowl; mix in 1 teaspoon lemon juice, or amount needed to thin icing to a thick but slightly runny texture. Drizzle king cake with icing.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 435.7 calories, Carbohydrate 67.6 g, Cholesterol 98.4 mg, Fat 14.6 g, Fiber 1.4 g, Protein 9 g, SaturatedFat 8.4 g, Sodium 380.8 mg, Sugar 30.6 g

Tips:

  • To make the perfect king cake dough, use active dry yeast and make sure it is fresh. Proof the yeast in warm water with a little sugar before adding it to the dough. This will help ensure that the yeast is active and will help the dough rise properly.
  • Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, about 5-7 minutes. This will help develop the gluten in the dough and make it strong and chewy.
  • Let the dough rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, about 1-2 hours. This will give the yeast time to work and produce carbon dioxide, which will make the dough light and fluffy.
  • When making the cream cheese filling, use high-quality cream cheese. This will make the filling smooth and creamy.
  • Add some grated lemon zest to the cream cheese filling for a bright, citrusy flavor.
  • When assembling the king cake, be sure to spread the cream cheese filling evenly over the dough. This will help ensure that every bite is filled with deliciousness.
  • Bake the king cake in a preheated oven until the crust is golden brown and the filling is set, about 30-35 minutes.
  • Let the king cake cool slightly before serving. This will help the filling set and make it easier to slice.

Conclusion:

King cake is a delicious and festive treat that is perfect for Mardi Gras or any other special occasion. With its sweet dough, creamy filling, and colorful decorations, king cake is sure to be a hit with everyone who tries it. So next time you're looking for a special dessert, give this king cake recipe a try. You won't be disappointed!

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