Easy Mardi Gras King Cake

By Kids Cooking Activities

• Category: Dessert
• Oven: 375°F
• Skill Level: Intermediate

Prep: 25 minutes | Rise: 60 minutes | Bake: 15 minutes | Yield: 1 king cake

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup sugar
• 16 oz sour cream
• 1/4 cup butter
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 oz dry yeast
• 1/2 cup warm water
• 1 tablespoon sugar (for yeast)
• 6 1/2 cups flour
• 2 eggs
• Icing (for drizzling)
• Purple, green, and gold colored sugar (or matching frosting)
• Optional: plastic baby/trinket (insert after baking; see note)

Instructions

1. In a saucepan, heat sugar, sour cream, butter, and salt until butter melts. Set aside to cool slightly.
2. In a small bowl, mix yeast with warm water and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let sit 5 minutes to activate.
3. In a large bowl, combine flour and eggs. Add sour cream mixture and yeast mixture; beat well.
4. Knead dough for about 10 minutes. Cover and let rise about 1 hour.
5. Shape dough into a large oval ring and place on a baking sheet.
6. Bake at 375°F for about 15 minutes (or until lightly golden and baked through).
7. Cool completely. Drizzle with icing and sprinkle with purple, green, and gold sugar.

Mardi Gras Fun Fact

• Purple = Justice
• Green = Faith
• Gold = Power

Kid-Friendly Tips

• Kids can help sprinkle the colored sugar and drizzle icing (use a spoon or zip bag with the corner snipped).
• Let kids "paint" icing on in stripes: purple, green, then gold.
• Turn it into a math lesson: count how many stripes or sections you decorate.

Safety Note

Choking hazard: If you include a baby/trinket, insert it into the bottom of the cooled cake after baking and clearly warn everyone before serving.