• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Living Well Kitchen
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Appetizer & Snacks
      • Snacks
    • Main Dish
      • Vegetarian
      • Seafood
      • Meat
      • Poultry
      • Pork
    • Specific Recipes
      • Vegetarian
        • Vegan
      • Kid Friendly
      • Gluten Free
      • Dairy Free
      • Nut Free
      • Egg Free
      • Soy Free
    • Sides
      • Vegetables
      • Beans
      • Grains
      • Potatoes
      • Bread
      • Sauce
    • Salad
    • Soup
    • Drinks
    • Dessert
    • Slow Cooker
    • Instant Pot
    • Season
      • Winter
      • Spring
      • Summer
      • Fall
  • About
    • Meet Meme
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
  • Videos
  • Easy Meals
  • Quiz
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Favorites
  • Easy Meals
  • Main Dish
  • Health
  • Services
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Favorites
    • Easy Meals
    • Main Dish
    • Health
    • Services
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ร—

    Home ยป Recipes ยป Dessert

    Mini King Cakes

    Published: Feb 19, 2019 ยท Updated: Jan 20, 2020 ยท Post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    mini king cakes with green, yellow, purple colored sugar

    Celebrate Mardi Gras with your own personal Mini King Cakes. This whole grain king cake recipe has less butter and sugar but is just as delicious!

    mini king cakes on clear plate with green, purple, yellow beads and colored sugar

    Why you should make these Mini King Cakes

    King Cake is the quintessential Mardi Gras food. You gotta have a king cake if you want to celebrate Mardi Gras in my humble opinion.

    As a kid, we ate king cake in class every day leading up to Mardi Gras break. Maybe it wasn't every day, but it felt like it. And it was awesome. (And yes, you get "Mardi Gras break" in Mobile, and it's the best thing ever.)

    If you got the baby, you were responsible for bringing the next king cake to class.

    When I lived in New Orleans, we had king cake parties where we all brought a king cake to taste. Hello, king cake hangover.

     

     
     
     
     
     
    View this post on Instagram
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

     

    We're eating all the king cakes 💜💚💛

    A post shared by Meme Inge💃🏻Lazy Dietitian (@memeinge) on Jan 28, 2016 at 6:46pm PST

    Now that I'm in San Diego and almost 2000 miles away from Mardi Gras events, I decided I'd make some king cake.

    What is a King Cake

    What even is a king cake? Well, there are multiple types but for the sake of this post, we're talking about a Mardi Gras King Cake. And a Mardi Gras King Cake is a circular cake that is similar to a coffee cake and a cinnamon roll. It's typically made with brioche dough and covered in icing and colored sugar.

    Why this recipe works

    I've made king cake in the past when I lived in Birmingham and wasn't going home to Mobile for Mardi Gras. That time I used this recipe from Southern Living. I liked it but felt like it was a little dry and kinda boring.

    This go-round, I made them mini, so everyone gets their own, which I personally think is more fun ๐Ÿ™‚

    I used a little extra milk, a little less sugar, whole milk greek yogurt instead of sour cream (for a little extra protein whoop whoop), egg yolks instead of a whole egg (more fat for flavor), and brown sugar on the inside. Plus, orange zest or lemon zest adds a touch extra flavor without overpowering the cake.

    mini king cakes on clear plate with mardi gras confetti

    How to Make King Cake

    Anything that involves yeast can be intimidating. I get it. But it really doesn't have to be hard.

    1. Start by testing your yeast. Make sure it bubbles and is alive before doing anything else.
    2. Then you mix together the wet ingredients. Stir together the dry ingredients, and add the wet to the dry in a mixer.
    3. Use the dough hook to knead the dough.
    4. Let the dough rise.
    5. Roll out the dough and spread with softened butter and sprinkle with brown sugar & cinnamon.
    6. Then roll up and slice into 10 to 12 pieces. Roll into a thinner shape so it can be shaped into a circle.
    7. Bake then let cool slightly and ice. Sprinkle with colored sugar and enjoy!

    pastry flour, lemon, yogurt, egg yolk, sugar, vanilla extract, cinnamon, nutmeg, milk, colored sugar, brown sugar, butter, salt, powdered sugar, yeast

    Tips for Making King Cake

    First of all, be sure to test your yeast is alive. You don't want to add it to too hot milk. The water should feel like a warm bathtub. You'll know it's alive when bubbles form and it foams.

    Then you really want to make sure you roll your dough really wide and pretty thick. You don't want the dough too thin when you are about to spread it with the butter for filling. This will prevent tearing. You want it to be as wide as you can make it so you can cut it into long enough pieces to shape into a circle.

    You can always make these a little bit bigger if you want. I have made them into bigger mini cakes and they are obviously great too ๐Ÿ™‚

    The best ingredients for Mini King Cakes

    Be sure to use full fat or 2% yogurt and milk. The extra fat will help your dough be more tender and delicious.

    Recipe was tested using regular whole wheat flour and whole wheat pastry flour. The pastry flour was a little lighter, but both were tasty.

    stand mixer with dough in bowl with dough hook

    Make Ahead Tips

    These treats are great for making ahead of time because I personally think king cake is much better at room temperature and dare I say, a day old... (I really do. I always like the way king cake tastes a day after you make it or buy it from the store)

    Variations

    Substitutions:

    If you don't have yogurt, use sour cream or buttermilk. If you use buttermilk, use โ…ž cup instead of 1 full cup.

    Storage Tips:

    You can keep these in the fridge, on the counter, or in the freezer. Make sure they are tightly wrapped so they don't absorb flavors in the fridge or freezer or get anything on them from sitting on the counter.

    These keep well for about 3 days, and then they'll get a little too stale. When they turn stale, you can always make them into a breakfast casserole.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Can you freeze king cake?

    Yes, you can freeze king cake. Keep it tightly wrapped and freeze up to one month. Thaw at room temperature for around one hour.

    Can you mail king cake?

    I've never actually mailed a king cake, but I know people do it often. The nice thing is that it's usually pretty cool outside during Mardi Gras season, so you don't have to worry about the king cake getting too hot or weird.

    Personally, I keep my king cake in the fridge because of the icing but I don't think it's completely necessary.

    plate of Mini King Cakes with purple, yellow, green sugar

    What to serve with Mini King Cakes

    Depends on when you plan to enjoy your king cake. I love mine for dessert or as a snack served with a cup of tea or coffee. I also eat them for breakfast with some fruit and hard boiled egg or bacon.

    Final thoughts:

    Can't go wrong with king cake any time of day, and you really need to have king cake at least once during Mardi Gras season!


    MORE MARDI GRAS RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE:

    • Mardi Gras Tacos
    • Bananas Foster Toast
    • Boozy Mardi Gras Cupcakes
    • King Cake Smoothie
    • Seafood Gumbo

    mini king cakes on clear plate with green, purple, yellow beads and colored sugar

    Mini King Cakes

    Celebrate Mardi Gras with your own personal Mini King Cakes. This whole grain king cake recipe has less butter and sugar but is just as delicious!
    5 from 3 votes
    Print Rate
    Prep Time: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 2 hours hours 45 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12
    Author: Meme

    Ingredients

    For the cake:

    • โ…“ cup milk warm, 110-120*F
    • 3 tablespoon granulated sugar
    • ยผ oz yeast
    • 1 cup plain yogurt Greek or regular, preferably not fat free
    • 2 tablespoon butter melted
    • 2 large egg yolks
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ยฝ teaspoon orange zest or lemon zest
    • 3 cup whole grain flour
    • ยฝ teaspoon nutmeg
    • ยฝ teaspoon salt

    For the filling:

    • 2 tablespoon butter softened
    • 3 tablespoon brown sugar
    • ยพ teaspoon cinnamon

    For the glaze:

    • 1 ยฝ cups powdered sugar
    • 1-3 tablespoon milk
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 6 tablespoons sugar purple, green and gold colored

    Instructions

    • In a small bowl, stir together warm milk, sugar, and yeast. Set aside for 5-10 minutes.
    • In a medium bowl, stir together yogurt, melted butter, egg yolks, vanilla extract, and orange zest. Add the yeast mixture.
    • In the bowl of a stand mixer using the dough hook attachment, add the flour, nutmeg, and salt. Stir.
    • Add in the yogurt-yeast mixture. Stir until combined, pushing down sides a few times.
    • Knead using the dough hook attachment for about 5 minutes.
    • Meanwhile, oil the inside of a mixing bowl.
    • Add the dough to the mixing bowl, and cover with a towel. Set aside until it doubles in size, about 90 minutes.
    • When ready, punch down the dough and roll into a large 18x12 inch rectangle. Spread with the softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Roll and cut into 12 pieces.
    • Roll each piece into a circle and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Set aside for 25-45 minutes - until they have just about doubled in size.
    • Preheat the oven to 375*F.
    • Bake the mini king cakes for 12-16 minutes until lightly golden. Let cool.
    • Stir together the powdered sugar, a tablespoon of milk, and vanilla. Add more milk if needed to make the glaze.
    • Drizzle the glaze over the cooled king cakes and sprinkle with colored sugar. Enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

    *Be sure your yeast is alive and bubbly before doing anything else.
    *Make sure you roll your dough really wide and pretty thick. You don't want the dough too thin when you are about to spread it with the butter for filling. This will prevent tearing. You want it to be as wide as you can make it so you can cut it into long enough pieces to shape into a circle.
    *Based on this recipe from Southern Living
    Did you try this recipe?Be sure to leave a comment & recipe rating below. Bonus points for tagging @memeinge & #livingwellkitchen on Instagram! THANK YOU! xo

    [showhide type="post" more_text="Click here for Nutrition Facts" less_text="Clear Nutrition Facts"]
    *

    Nutrition Facts
    Mini King Cakes
    Serving Size
     
    1 mini king cake
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    251
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    5
    g
    8
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    2
    g
    13
    %
    Cholesterol
     
    44
    mg
    15
    %
    Sodium
     
    143
    mg
    6
    %
    Potassium
     
    154
    mg
    4
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    45
    g
    15
    %
    Fiber
     
    3
    g
    13
    %
    Sugar
     
    23
    g
    26
    %
    Protein
     
    6
    g
    12
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    170
    IU
    3
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    0.1
    mg
    0
    %
    Calcium
     
    46
    mg
    5
    %
    Iron
     
    1.2
    mg
    7
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    *
    [/showhide]

    What to use in this recipe:


    Meme

    This post was originally published on February 17, 2017. Text, recipe, and photos have been updated.

    Doesn't this recipe look good?! You should probably share it:

    More Dessert

    • microwaved baked apples topped with vanilla ice cream on a green napkin surrounded by sliced almonds, lemon, apple, and cinnamon sticks
      Microwave Baked Apples
    • silver spoon, mini food processor bowl, small pumpkins, and a clear bowl with pumpkin banana ice cream sprinkled with cinnamon
      Pumpkin Banana Ice Cream
    • four glasses with frozen cocktail topped with cherries on a white wicker table
      Bushwackers
    • stack of almond butter banana cookies with one cookie facing the front on wooden cutting board with a glass of milk, banana, oats, vanilla extract, and almond butter container
      Almond Butter Banana Cookies
    442 shares
    • Yummly
    • Share
    • Tweet

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Liz says

      February 18, 2017 at 3:09 am

      So creative!!!!! I never knew how they were made--- I love this!!!

      Reply
    2. Aimee says

      February 21, 2023 at 11:25 am

      5 stars
      This recipe is Amazing! I love wheat flour but was out so swapped with bread flour. Had nonfat greek yogurt, so I used sour cream. These baked up perfectly outside and in; Not too dark outside and softer inside (11min for me) Definitely note you can taste the lemon zest and nutmeg Yummy. ~Thank you!

      Reply
      • Meme says

        February 23, 2023 at 2:27 pm

        YAY!! Thanks for coming back to share!

        Reply
    3. Luzette says

      February 22, 2023 at 5:24 pm

      25-45 minutes for the second rise is quite a range; when do you decide they are ready to bake?

      Reply
      • Meme says

        February 23, 2023 at 2:24 pm

        Great question! They are ready when they have just about doubled in size. That can vary depending on your environment. (I updated the recipe. Hope this helps!)

        Reply

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    Welcome!

    Meme (a brunette female) is holding umbrella and spinning around in front of the Eiffel Tower wearing a denim jacket, skirt, and blue shoesHi, I'm Meme, a thirty-something registered dietitian nutritionist from Alabama living in San Diego. Here to help you enjoy food, feel better in your body at any size, and live free of diets & shame.
    Read More

    Let's Connect

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

    Most Popular

    silver fork on a white plate with green beans and pork tenderloin with mashed potatoes covered in gravy.

    Crock Pot Pork Tenderloin

    jar of chocolate sauce with a spoon in it. empty small glass ice cream cups with a bowl of cherries on a wicker table

    Easy Chocolate Sauce

    Slow Cooker with French Toast Casserole syrup and blueberries

    Slow Cooker French Toast Casserole

    chicken salad and a ritz cracker in a glass bowl on white table with green napkin

    No Mayo Chicken Salad

    bowl of turkey white bean chili topped with fresh avocado next fresh avocado and cilantro.

    White Bean Turkey Chili

    white plate with cream cheese stuffed peppers surrounded by baby bell peppers, walnuts, jalapeno, and a napkin

    Cream Cheese Stuffed Peppers

    close up of a bowl of lamb curry over rice sprinkled with mint and coconut flakes.

    Instant Pot Lamb Curry

    cream colored plate with veggie egg muffins on blue table with sliced oranges and a white napkin

    Spinach Egg Muffins

    Intuitive Eating

    brunette female holding a heart shaped pizza in a Parisian cafe

    Why Emotional Eating Isn't Bad

    hand holding an apple in front of apple trees

    Should I Eat Conventional or Organic Produce?

    havanese dog standing on arm of cream chair with a quilt in chair

    Intuitive Eating and Weight Loss

    brunette female sitting in a blanket in Versaille garden smiling and holding a container of container of food she is about to be eating

    What is Intuitive Eating

    Easy Meals

    zucchini pizza bites

    bowl of turkey white bean chili topped with fresh avocado next fresh avocado and cilantro.

    White Bean Turkey Chili

    Ranch Burgers from Living Well Kitchen

    Ranch Burgers

    Roasted Garlic Tuna Salad from Living Well Kitchen

    Roasted Garlic Tuna Salad

    Salad

    bag of lentils, fresh tomatoes, and a clear bowl with lentils, mozzarella, walnuts, tomatoes, and basil on a straw mat.

    Caprese Lentil Tomato Salad

    glass bowl of roasted vegetable lentil salad next to fresh rosemary, lemon, and scattered green lentils.

    Roasted Vegetable Lentil Salad

    white bowl with avocado egg salad.

    Avocado Egg Salad

    white countertop with clear bowl of miso dressing with a silver spoon next to a container of miso paste and a microplane with fresh ginger

    Miso Dressing

    As Seen On:

    As Seen On

    In Season

    white bowl with tomato salsa next to fresh cilantro, garlic, onion, and lemon on a wooden table.

    Low Sodium Salsa

    white bowl of mango salsa black beans on a white counter.

    Mango Black Bean Salsa

    stacked chicken salad melt sandwich surrounded by fresh tomatoes, parsley, and a bowl of chicken salad.

    Chicken Salad Grilled Cheese

    plate with a bowl of salsa, english muffin, and yellow breakfast stuffed pepper.

    Breakfast Stuffed Peppers

    Footer

    Living Well Kitchen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.

    • Home
    • Recipes
    • About
    • Videos
    • Easy Meals
    • Quiz

    Copyright © 2023

    We use cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish.Accept Reject Read More
    Privacy & Cookies Policy

    Privacy Overview

    This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
    Necessary
    Always Enabled
    Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
    Non-necessary
    Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
    SAVE & ACCEPT
    442 shares