Mardi Gras King Cake Donuts (Print version)
Soft, pillowy baked donuts with cinnamon filling, glazed icing, and festive Mardi Gras colors of purple, green, and gold.
# Ingredient List:
→ Dough
01 - 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
02 - 3/4 cup warm milk (110°F)
03 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
06 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
07 - 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
09 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
→ Filling
10 - 1/4 cup light brown sugar
11 - 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted
12 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
→ Icing
13 - 1 cup powdered sugar
14 - 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
15 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Decoration
16 - Purple, green, and gold sanding sugar
# How To Make It:
01 - Dissolve yeast in warm milk with a pinch of sugar in a large bowl. Let stand for 5 minutes until foamy.
02 - Add remaining sugar, egg, melted butter, salt, flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Mix until a soft dough forms.
03 - Knead the dough on a floured surface for 5 to 7 minutes until smooth and elastic. Place in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour or until doubled in size.
04 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
05 - Roll out dough to 1/2-inch thickness. Cut out donuts using a 3-inch round cutter and a 1-inch cutter for the centers.
06 - Transfer donuts to prepared baking sheet, cover, and let rise for 20 minutes.
07 - Mix brown sugar, melted butter, and cinnamon. Brush the mixture onto the tops of the donuts.
08 - Bake for 12 to 15 minutes until lightly golden. Cool on a wire rack.
09 - Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
10 - Dip cooled donuts in icing, then immediately sprinkle with purple, green, and gold sugar in sections to mimic traditional King Cake colors.
11 - Allow icing to set completely before serving.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- These donuts give you all the festive flavors of a traditional King Cake but in adorable individual portions that bake in just 15 minutes instead of the hours youd spend on the real thing.
- Theyre baked instead of fried, making them less intimidating to prepare even if youve never worked with yeasted dough before.
02 -
- The milk temperature is crucial for yeast activation - too hot will kill it (over 115°F), too cool and it wont activate properly, so use a thermometer if youre unsure.
- If your kitchen is cold during the rising time, create a warm environment by preheating your oven to its lowest setting, then turning it off and placing the covered dough inside with the door cracked.
03 -
- To get perfectly even sections of colored sugar, pipe lines of icing first to create boundaries between the purple, green, and gold areas before sprinkling.
- For the most tender donuts, count your kneading time carefully - overworking the dough develops too much gluten and results in tough rather than pillowy treats.