King Cake Sweet Bread (Printable)

Festive ring-shaped sweet bread with colorful sugars and a hidden surprise inside.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3/4 cup warm milk (110°F)
02 - 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast (1 packet)
03 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 4 cups all-purpose flour
05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 1 teaspoon salt
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
09 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ Filling

10 - 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
11 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
12 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

→ Icing & Decoration

13 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
14 - 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
15 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 - Purple, green, and gold colored sugars
17 - 1 plastic baby figurine (optional)

# Directions:

01 - Dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in warm milk; let stand until frothy, about 5 to 10 minutes.
02 - In a large bowl, mix flour, remaining sugar, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Add softened butter, eggs, and yeast mixture, then mix until dough forms.
03 - Knead dough on floured surface for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in greased bowl, cover, and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 to 1.5 hours.
04 - Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.
05 - Punch down dough and roll into 10x20-inch rectangle. Spread softened butter evenly, then sprinkle cinnamon sugar mixture over surface.
06 - Roll dough tightly from long side to form log. Pinch seam closed and shape into ring; place on parchment-lined baking sheet.
07 - Cover ring and let rise until puffed, 45 to 60 minutes. Preheat oven to 350°F.
08 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a rack.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and pourable.
10 - Drizzle icing over cooled cake. Immediately sprinkle colored sugars in alternating purple, green, and gold bands.
11 - Carefully insert plastic baby figurine into bottom of cake before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's the kind of cake that makes people stop mid-conversation the moment they smell it baking.
  • Creating that ring shape yourself feels like actual magic, even though it's just dough rolled and connected.
  • The hunt for the hidden baby transforms an ordinary dessert into a genuine event.
02 -
  • The milk temperature for the yeast is everything—too hot kills it, too cold and it never wakes up, so use a thermometer if you're unsure.
  • Don't skip the second rise; it's what makes this cake tender instead of bread-like, and those 45 to 60 minutes completely change the outcome.
  • The icing needs to go on while the cake is completely cool, or it'll melt straight through and leave you with a disappointing puddle.
03 -
  • Use a candy or instant-read thermometer for the milk temperature—it's the one moment where precision actually matters.
  • Shape the ring on your baking sheet instead of trying to move it afterward; uncooked dough is forgiving, but you want to minimize handling.
  • If you want the colored sugars to stay vibrant and not bleed together, let each band set slightly before adding the next one.
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