Mardi Gras King Cake Donuts (Printable Version)
Enjoy a festive twist on classic King Cake with these soft, sweet baked delights, adorned with Mardi Gras colors. Perfect for celebrations!
# What You Need:
→ Donuts
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2/3 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
05 - 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
07 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
08 - 3/4 cup buttermilk
09 - 2 large eggs
10 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - Zest of 1 lemon
→ Cream Cheese Filling (Optional)
13 - 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
14 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
15 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Glaze
16 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
17 - 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
18 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Decoration
19 - Purple sanding sugar
20 - Green sanding sugar
21 - Gold sanding sugar
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Thoroughly grease a 12-cavity donut pan.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg until uniformly combined.
03 - In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, large eggs, melted unsalted butter, vanilla extract, and fresh lemon zest until well blended.
04 - Pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredient mixture. Stir gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix the batter to maintain tenderness.
05 - If using, in a small bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with powdered sugar and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
06 - Transfer the donut batter to a piping bag. If incorporating the cream cheese filling, pipe a thin layer of batter into each donut cavity, add a small dollop of the cream cheese mixture, then cover with additional batter. If not using the filling, simply fill each cavity approximately two-thirds full with batter.
07 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the donuts are golden brown and spring back lightly when touched. Allow them to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 - For the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth and pourable. Dip each completely cooled donut into the glaze, ensuring an even coating.
09 - Immediately after glazing, sprinkle the donuts generously with purple, green, and gold sanding sugars, applying them in sections to emulate the traditional Mardi Gras King Cake. Allow the glaze to set for a few minutes before serving.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- You get all the fun and flavor of a King Cake without any of the yeast dough fuss or the search for a baby!
- These baked beauties are ridiculously soft and moist, making them an instant crowd-pleaser for any celebration.
02 -
- The biggest lesson I learned early on is that overmixing the batter leads to dense, rubbery donuts; mix *just* until combined for that perfect, light texture.
- Also, resist the temptation to overfill the donut cavities; about two-thirds full is the sweet spot for perfectly shaped, fluffy rings.
03 -
- Always ensure your dairy and eggs are at room temperature; this helps them emulsify better with the other ingredients, leading to a smoother batter and a more even bake.
- For the best adhesion and brightest colors, sprinkle your sanding sugars immediately after dipping the donuts in the glaze, before it has a chance to set.