The BEST King Cake You Can Make At Home 2.0 (3 Ways!)

Last year I made a king cake recipe that was very well received. It's based off of my favorite from Randazzo's bakery near New Orleans. Instead of trying to make it better this year, I figured I would just detail a few variations of it in terms of the filling: cinnamon, cream cheese, and chocolate.
Original King Cake Video: • The BEST King Cake You...
-Mardi Gras Sprinkles: amzn.to/3GjXgaV
-Large 21x15 baking sheet: amzn.to/4g7cPCR
-Odense Marzipan: amzn.to/3jJeFCj
Ingredients:
Tangzhong:
60g bread flour (1/2 cup)
120ml water (1/2 cup)
180ml whole milk (3/4 cup)
Dough:
9g active dry yeast (~1 packet)
100g sugar (1/2 cup)
120ml whole milk (1/2 cup)
660g bread flour (5.5 cups), plus more
10g kosher salt (1.5 tsp)
Grated nutmeg
2 whole eggs
2 egg yolks
113g softened butter (8 tbsp or 1 stick)
Vanilla Icing:
320g Powdered sugar (2.5 cups)
4g Lemon juice (1 tsp)
Pinch salt
4g Vanilla extract (1 tsp)
20g corn syrup (1 tbsp)
56g melted butter (half stick)
Whole milk till desired consistency
Finish:
1 whole egg + splash of whole milk
30ml heavy cream (2 tbsp)
Sprinkles
Fillings:
Original Cinnamon:
160g light brown sugar (3/4 cup)
8g cinnamon
56g softened butter
30ml heavy cream
New Cinnamon:
150g white sugar (3/4 cup)
150g marzipan (3/4 tube)
12g cinnamon (1.5 tbsp)
100g softened butter (7 tbsp)
Cream cheese:
225g cream cheese (8oz block)
120g powdered sugar (1 cup)
1tsp vanilla extract
Zest from 1/2 lemon
Chocolate:
24g Dutch process cocoa powder (1/4 cup)
100g brown sugar (1/2 cup)
90g softened butter (~6 tbsp)
4g cinnamon (1.5 tsp)
1tsp vanilla extract
Pinch salt
4oz chopped semisweet chocolate (113g)
Other products I Use:
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-Tojiro Chef's Knife: amzn.to/3KtcH1F
-Enamel Cast Iron Dutch Oven: amzn.to/3fH6YHz
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-Potato Ricer: amzn.to/3Iit8fA
-Bulk Maldon Flakey Salt: amzn.to/3nFQjIO
-Candy/Frying Thermometer: amzn.to/3qHlzJb

[@cece624]

Hello. I was thinking about how I miss the taste of a good King Cake. Then, your three King Cake videos appeared in my suggestions feed. I’ve watched all three. Thanks for this one with the fillings options (I’m not a fan of cinnamon); cream cheese is my favorite KC filling. Now, no reason for not making King Cake for friends and family in the western US. BTW, you will probably have better luck with joining the ends together if you put the braid on the parchment paper to help move it to the baking tray. Then join it together by gently weaving the two ends of the braid.

[@Brandi_the_Baker]

Matt, I made your king cake recipe and gave it to someone and they told me it was the best they ever had. Thank you so much.

[@matthinkampcooks]

This means so much! Thank you for letting me know how it came out

[@francess9400]

Made the cream cheese version today. My husband announced that it was the best king cake he had ever eaten. We will definitely make it again. Thank you!

[@matthinkampcooks]

So happy to hear this! Cream cheese was my mom’s favorite of the 3 too, glad you found the recipe and had success with it! Thanks for the feedback 😄

[@cadronpickett397]

I've made 6 king cakes with this recipe. I've done the cinnamon sugar filling from the original video, a brown sugar pecan filling, strawberry cream cheese, and bananas foster. The cinnamon filling and pecan filling (basically just 2/3 brown sugar, 1/3 chopped pecans, + cinnamon and cloves) were my favorites. It's a great recipe, thank you!

[@matthinkampcooks]

Thanks for coming to share your experience! Those are amazing flavor variations and I’m glad this one works for you 😃

[@cadronpickett397]

@@matthinkampcooks I am back again. I’m making a chocolate cream cheese version in the shape of the Olympic rings for a party I’m going to. So far it’s looking my good but I haven’t put it in the oven yet.

[@devoidjames1]

Great recipe. The wife and I agree that this is our favorite result so far. We've transplanted to Denver - so it's nice to find this for a taste of home. 🙂👍💪

[@matthinkampcooks]

Wow thanks Jeff! Always good to hear from a local who’s since moved away, I’m really glad this made it to your table and greatly appreciate your feedback

[@bslevans]

Hi Matt. I make your king cake last year and got nothing but compliments on it, especially the bread. I am a baker and made 2 different flavor versions last year to test out. One was a pineapple filled and the other was a savory filled with a special recipe usinig boudin. OMG, the compliments were awesome. Giving it another shot this year and going to try YOUR cream cheese over mine and the chocolate. Looking forward to it. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe have a wonder Mardi Gras!!

[@matthinkampcooks]

Thanks so much! This means a lot coming from a baker like yourself…I hope the cakes come out great this year…I was thinking of re-working the cream cheese filling because I think it could use a little more quantity than what I put, just a heads up if you do actually make that one. Let me know how it turns out!

[@caroltennant4767]

Hey Matt, I made your chocolate King Cake for our Mardi Gras party, and it was fabulous! I’ll definitely do this again. Thanks for the great video.

[@matthinkampcooks]

Really glad to hear that Carol! I loved the chocolate one a lot, I’m happy you got to share it with friends at the party. Thanks for the kind comments

[@monicamccombs8139]

Last year I made your King Cake recipe (my first ever) ... it was a hit and really fun to make. This year I made two. Just added the Mardi Gras sprinkles, so I'm ready to celebrate Fat Tuesday. Great recipe; great video. Thank you!

[@matthinkampcooks]

Thanks again Monica! I’m glad you came back to it and had good results again, happy Mardi Gras! Thanks for sharing

[@ecologist18]

I made this with a lemon curd filling, and it was super tasty! The dough is very forgiving and easy to roll up and braid. Thank you!

[@matthinkampcooks]

That’s a great twist! Thanks for the kind comments, I’m glad it worked out for you 😃

[@kellilawson2116]

I haven’t made his king cake before but will today. I made a lemon curd one last week but struggled with the filling coming out while rolling. What is the trick to keeping the fruit filling from squeezing out?

[@adamsnelson4689]

​​@@kellilawson2116~ pipe your filling inside the cake from the bottom AFTER its baked & cooled using a piping pastry bag & tip .. Happy Baking

[@ecologist18]

@@kellilawson2116 maybe it was the thickness or temperature of the curd, or just that I did a thin layer and rolled it gently? Not sure why. Good luck!

[@TVNation]

Just made my first king cake and man was it labor intensive! Well worth it though! I will definitely try one of your recipes IF I dare to make another next year.

[@matthinkampcooks]

Yeah they are definitely a labor of love but sooo worth it! If you try mine hope it comes out well 😄

[@AfterCovidthefoodchannnel]

Woow amazing the king cake that you make friend! Like a lot how you prepare it! Excellent work! 🦇

[@matthinkampcooks]

Gracias amigo! Thanks for watching

[@TheSarahJoy]

Hey Matt! Thanks for your recipe! Currently waiting for my dough to rise. Making an attempt at strawberry cream cheese filling! Can’t wait to taste it! 🎉

[@matthinkampcooks]

Thanks Sarah for coming to comment! I hope everything turned out well, strawberry cream cheese sounds like an amazing filling and I bet it’s gonna be incredible!!

[@kellyrachal9869]

Sarah... Do you use fresh strawberries or strawberry preserves in the cake? and how did your finished product come out.

[@TheSarahJoy]

@@kellyrachal9869 hi there! I used about two cups of fresh chopped strawberries and like 3 TABLESPOONS of sugar simmered on the stove! I combined it with the cream cheese filling Matt listed in his recipes. To be honest, it was awesome… but could have used more filling! My cake come out HUGE. I swear it was 10 lbs after it was iced. Haha! I made a tiktok video that Matt did a duet with if you want to see the final!

[@kellilawson2116]

@@TheSarahJoyI would love to see the video

[@louannebertrand9898]

I made your original recipe - WOW! So good, family approved. My husband said it's better than Randazzo's! I'm a Philistine and I love apple and cream cheese filled king cakes. 😆 So I'm going to use your freak cheese filling along with my fried apple pie filling mixture. Thanks for a fantastic recipe!

[@matthinkampcooks]

Thanks again for sharing your experience! And the apple and cream cheese sound like fantastic ideas! Hope those come out great too. It’s nice to not have to buy a king cake

[@sweetteestreatsla491]

Thanks for sharing! Can’t wait to give it a try. Do you use salted or unsalted butter?

[@matthinkampcooks]

Unsalted! Happy baking!

[@TheSarahJoy]

Hey Matt, when can I start making King Cake? Thinking about making them into mini cinnamon/chocolate rolls tonight 🎉🎉🎉

[@matthinkampcooks]

Hope you’ve started making them again this year! I know I have

[@laurabueso2512]

Does using instant yeast make a difference

[@matthinkampcooks]

Nah

[@blakethomas8897]

Matt I have never been a fan of King cake but your's looks delicious! Looks fresh and not dry like the ones I have had. What do you think about a lemon cream cheese poppy seed filling for spring/summer? Thank you for the video!

[@matthinkampcooks]

That filling sounds really great for warmer weather! Hope you get to try it someday

[@Kokeshiflower]

Hi Matt - could this recipe be split by half and made into a Babka type loaf?

[@matthinkampcooks]

I believe so! But I’ve never tried it…the dough contents are similar

[@Kokeshiflower]

thanks - will try it out! @@matthinkampcooks

[@lelavelion1356]

I'm going for a chocolate filling with no cinnamon. My family loves cinnamon but unfortunately my mom is allergic so I may replace it with a small amount of tumeric 🤔

[@matthinkampcooks]

I think omitting the cinnamon will still make for a fine filling, the turmeric could help supplement, or maybe some cardamom! But either way I hope it comes out great and wish you the best! Thanks for the comment

[@MileHighHiker8888]

Yes, all my Asian friends bake their super soft bread by cooking their dough like this. I didn’t realize it was a certain technique

[@matthinkampcooks]

I can never bake my brioche or milk breads without it!

[@angelcross8887]

The marzipan mixture just needed to be warmed a little bit

[@LukeBrouillette]

Was great. Prefer more filling (cream cheese) and added cinnamon.

[@matthinkampcooks]

More cream cheese is always welcome 😋

[@TheSarahJoy]

Having company today. They’re originally from Houma… tempted to make a chocolate King Cake for them. 😅 🎉

[@matthinkampcooks]

Do itttttt 😃😃

[@TheSarahJoy]

@@matthinkampcooks Oh my word, tastes like Oreo! 😮 I doubled the filling recipe. These cakes are huge! Thanks for sharing 🎉

[@matthinkampcooks]

@@TheSarahJoy doubling the filling is a great idea! Glad this one came out great too 🥳🥳

[@commitmenttoexcellence]

i cant wait to copy cat this looks delicious

[@matthinkampcooks]

It’s fire!

[@spagosicooks]

❤️❤️❤️

[@matthinkampcooks]

🔥🔥

[@familiabartolome9725]

😋 I'm tryna be thicker in 2023

[@matthinkampcooks]

Ayyyy

[@commitmenttoexcellence]

voice is boring funny easy going personality

[@matthinkampcooks]

The monotone marauder