Raspberry Cream Cheese King Cake is a marvelous traditional pastry associated with the celebration of Mardi Gras, particularly in the Gulf Coast region of the United States, most notably in Louisiana. It is a sweet and colorful cake that is typically enjoyed during the Carnival season, which starts on January 6th (Epiphany or Twelfth Night) and ends on Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent. This Raspberry Cream Cheese King Cake recipe will not disappoint!
Laissez les bons temps rouler (Let the good times roll) ―
Anonymous
Inspiration for the Raspberry Cream Cheese King Cake Recipe
I’m originally from the North, so I wasn’t privy to the local obsessions with regional Southern foods. I never even heard of king cake until I left! This ignorance was magnified by my New York City upbringing. Nearly every food was available at my leisure and sometimes done better than at its place of origin. However, some things just aren’t better in New York City. New York doesn’t always have the historical and cultural significance of a food that can get some of us excited in a nostalgic, happy, and proud way.
After trying king cake for the first time, I honestly wasn’t WOWED. It was one of the prepackaged box brands we sold in tower high stacks at the bakery where we worked. The cake tasted good, but the sickeningly sweet filling and tooth numbing icing was just too much. It took me 5 years after that experience before I tasted king cake again. This time it was a homemade traditional king cake, just sweet enough for my mouth to be comfortable, raging in nutmeg and lemon flavors with a punch of cinnamon. My tongue was as happy and colorful as the parade!
I quickly learned that Mardis Gras King Cake is an essential culinary centerpiece to the entire Carnival season of Louisiana, pockets of Alabama, Mississippi, Florida, and pretty much anywhere along the Gulf Coast. Each region celebrates Mardi Gras differently, but the most extravagant, colorful, loud, and exhilarating celebration is in New Orleans. There, the celebration is called “the greatest free party on earth”.
Why You’ll Love This Raspberry Cream Cheese King Cake Recipe
- Traditional King Cake
- Decadent flavor with fresh fruit
- Delicious with cream cheese filling
- Fillings are interchangeable
- Fluffy pastry with a gooey inside
- Raspberry Filled King Cake
Origin of King Cake
King cake originated in various European and Catholic traditions. Its history is closely tied to the celebration of Epiphany and the Christian holiday of Twelfth Night, marking the visit of the Three Wise Men (or Magi) to the baby Jesus:
Roman and Pagan Roots: The custom of celebrating the winter solstice with a special cake dates back to ancient Roman and pagan traditions. These early cakes often contained hidden tokens and coins, symbolizing good fortune and fertility.
Christian Adaptation: With the spread of Christianity, these solstice traditions were incorporated into the celebration of Epiphany, the Christian holiday commemorating the visit of the Wise Men to the baby Jesus. The cake became associated with the Feast of Epiphany, which falls on January 6th.
Medieval Europe: In medieval Europe, the cake took on different regional forms and names, such as the “Twelfth Night Cake” or “Kings’ Cake.” These cakes were rich, sweet, and often contained hidden tokens or figurines representing the Magi.
French Influence: The King cake, as we know it today, was brought to Louisiana and other parts of the United States by French and Spanish settlers. The French version of the cake, known as the “Galette des Rois,” is still a popular tradition in France and other French-speaking regions. In New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, it became a beloved part of Mardi Gras celebrations.
Carnival Season: Over time, the King cake’s association with Epiphany evolved into a more extended celebration, the Carnival season, which begins on Twelfth Night and culminates on Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday and the start of Lent. King cakes are enjoyed during this season.
A Traditional King Cake Includes:
- Circular Shape: King cakes typically have a round or oval shape, symbolizing the unity of faith.
- Colorful Icing: Decorate the cakes with the traditional Mardi Gras colors of purple, green, and gold. Purple symbolizes justice, green symbolizes faith, and gold symbolizes power. These colors represent the “royalty” associated with the Three Wise Men who visited the infant Jesus.
- Hidden Trinket: Hide a small plastic baby or a dried bean inside the cake. Finding the hidden trinket is considered a sign of good luck and responsibility. The person who discovers it is expected to host the next King cake event.
- Flavor and Fillings: King cakes often consist of sweet, cinnamon-flavored bread or pastry. Other fillings, such as cream cheese, praline, fruit, or chocolate, add an extra layer of flavor.
- Glaze or Frosting: Cover the cake with glaze or frosting. You can also add colored sugar or sprinkles.
- Decorations: Some King cakes have additional decorations, like beads or plastic figurines, to enhance the festive, Mardi Gras atmosphere.
Where to Find Authentic King Cakes
If you crave a decadent king cake and live nowhere near the Gulf Coast, Randazzo’s Camellia City Bakery and Haydel’s Bakery are excellent places to start because you can have them shipped to anywhere in the United States. The only downside is that the cost for these quality cakes will vary between $50 and $80 depending on the fillings you prefer.
Unfortunately, many people opt for the hit or miss prepackaged king cakes at supermarkets that cost between $7 and $12. These cakes aren’t inherently bad, but are often juiced up with cheap fillers and a lot of extra sugar. They also don’t taste as much like a traditional king cake.
Unless you have one made in Louisiana where baking king cakes is an art form (and a matter of life and death), you’re best tackling the tasty dessert at home. The ingredients will run you approximately $20, but you’ll have a wholesome, rich, and gorgeous king cake as your party showstopper.
Our Raspberry Cream Cheese King Cake Recipe
For those of you who prefer to get down and dirty in the kitchen, roll out sticky dough, and sweep up explosions of flour, I present to you this recipe for a brioche style raspberry cream cheese king cake. It is inspired by the traditional homemade and bakery style king cakes of Louisiana.
The flavors are well balanced with delicious spiced cream cheese and fresh raspberry swirled into buttery, soft dough. The cake has extra zest with a lemon based icing. This cake makes your house smell heavenly as it bakes. For the best taste, eat it fresh within an hour after you make it. The dough will be plush, the filling warm, and the crystal sprinkles full of crunch.
As some of our wonderful readers have already done, you may substitute the fillings. You can try apple, cinnamon, strawberry, or lemon curd (just to name a few).
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Special Tools and Equipment
- Stand mixer or bread machine – for mixing and prepping the dough
- Rubber or silicone spatula – for mixing and spreading fillings
- Large and medium mixing bowls – for prepping ingredients
- Rolling pin – for rolling out dough
- Glass cup – for shaping the King Cake into a ring
- Sheet pan – for baking
Raspberry Cream Cheese King Cake
Ingredients
For The Dough
- 1 stick (113g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 3/4 cup (175ml) whole milk room temperature
- 2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk save the egg white for glazing
- 4 cups (520g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (60g) granulated sugar
- 3 tsp (15g) instant yeast
- 1 1/4 tsp (8g) sea salt
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- zest of 1 lemon
For Cream Cheese Filling
- 8 oz (227g) cream cheese, room temperature
- 1/4 cup (60g) cane sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
For The Raspberry Filling
- 7 oz (200g) raspberry preserves
- 6 oz (170) fresh raspberries
For The Icing
- 1 cup (100g) powdered sugar
- juice of a whole lemon
- 1 tbsp (15g) melted butter
For The Garnish
- Green, purple, and gold glitter sprinkles or crystallized sugar
Instructions
Make The Dough
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In a bread machine with a dough setting or a large mixing bowl with a hook attachment, mix all of the dough ingredients until a smooth, slightly sticky ball of dough forms. Alternatively, you can mix the dough with a oiled wooden spoon and your hands. Just be aware that the dough will be sticky. Do not add additional flour.
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Oil a separate clean bowl with approximately 3 tbsp of vegetable oil and place the ball of dough inside. Coat the top of the dough with a little more oil and place a sheet of plastic wrap on top. Allow the dough to proof overnight in your refrigerator.
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The next day, take the dough out of the refrigerator and allow it to come to room temperature.
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Generously flour a clean surface and place the ball of dough on top. Using a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough until you have a rectangle that is 15”x20”.
Make The Cream Cheese and Raspberry Filling
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In a medium mixing bowl, cream together the cream cheese filling ingredients until smooth. Evenly spread the filling all over the dough. Leave about an inch of seam allowance.
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Next, evenly layer the raspberry jam over the cream cheese. Mash the fresh raspberries in another bowl and spread them evenly over the jam and cream cheese.
Shape The Cake
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Using floured hands and starting from the longest side of the dough, roll the dough into a log and seal the seams.
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Alternatively, you can cut the dough lengthwise and roll each section separately. Twist the two rolls together to create an attractive, twisted bread.
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Place the dough on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper with the seams facing down. Connect the ends of your cake, creating a ring. It is okay if it does not look perfect; the icing will cover any imperfections. Place a glass cup in the middle to prevent the inside from touching.
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Coat the top of the cake with cooking spray or vegetable oil and cover it loosely with plastic wrap or cheese cloth. Allow the cake to proof for 1 to 3 hours so that it doubles or triples in size.
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Once the cake has doubled in size, preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C)
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Take the plastic wrap off the cake and bake it in the oven for 20 minutes.
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Loosely cover the top of the cake with foil to prevent additional browning, and bake the cake for another 30 minutes. It should be an attractive golden brown on the top.
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Take the cake out of the oven and allow it to cool for 15 to 20 minutes.
Make The Icing and Decorate The Cake
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Mix all of the icing ingredients together and spread the glaze evenly across the cake. It is okay if the cake is still a little warm; the frosting should still set. Add the colored sprinkles, alternating gold, green, and purple.
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If you’re having a Mardi Gras party, stick a little baby figurine underneath the cake! Just tell your guests to be careful and to check their slice for the toy before eating the cake.