Mardi Gras Marbled King Cake: A Beautiful Twist on Tradition⚜️

This Mardi Gras King Cake consists uniquely of dollops of enriched yeast dough marbled throughout with cinnamon and sugar (hence the twist!), baked in a Bundt pan, and topped with a lemon powdered sugar glaze along with purple, green, and gold colored sugar. While this heavenly light dessert is called a cake, it’s actually a brioche-style yeast dough with layers of cinnamon and sugar. The flavors and textures are a cross between a French brioche sweet bread and cinnamon rolls baked in the shape of a cake and topped with lots of sweetness.

Mardi Gras Origins (A Little Taste… A Blend of Christianity & Pagan Festivals)

A form of Mardi Gras celebration began during Europe’s Middle Ages sometime between the 5th and 15th centuries. It was originally a pagan celebration to bring in spring and celebrate fertility. Around the 17th century it made its way to Italy and France and called Boeuf Gras (fatted beef). In Italy, it morphed into a Roman Catholic celebration with the idea of blending Christian teachings and pagan festivals to appeal to the masses.

Mardi Gras found its way just south of New Orleans in 1699 via Montréal’s French-Canadian Jean Baptiste Le Moyne (aka Sieur de Bienville). The first known celebration began in 1703 minus the large parade of celebration it is today. It was still called Boeuf Gras and occurred on Fat Tuesday, Mardi Gras, which eventually became its name. Its purpose was to signify the end of indulgence and the beginning of Lent, the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday, a time for fasting among temptation and sacrifice like what Jesus did in the wilderness. While celebrated worldwide, some of the biggest and most popular celebrations of Mardi Gras (Carnaval, Carnival, etc.) today are in Nice, France; Venice, Italy; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and New Orleans, Louisiana (USA).

The Traditional New Orleans-Style Mardi Gras King Cake: The Basics

Mardi Gras cakes are not difficult to make. The traditional Mardi Gras cake is an enriched with butter, lightly sweetened yeast dough rolled with an in internal swirl of cinnamon (or other flavors like chocolate, cream, or fruit curd), shaped into a wreath, and baked on a cookie sheet. The easiest way to describe this “cake” is that the flavors and texture are reminiscent of frosted cinnamon rolls except the entire dough roll (before slicing like in making cinnamon rolls) is curved around so the ends touch and baked to resemble a wreath.

Mardi Gras King Cake Significance

Did you know that Mardi Gras cakes have a season? That’s right! The idea began during the Middle Ages in Europe commencing on Epiphany (January 6th) and ending on Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday), always 40 days before Easter Sunday with the date changing each year. The idea of the cake is to celebrate the birth of baby Jesus and the acknowledgement of his divinity when the three wise men visited bringing gifts. This is the reason the cake is called “King Cake”. While the cake (bread) began as a simple bread dough baked in the shape of a ring, overtime it has become quite indulgent with cinnamon and lots of sugar to include glazes and colored sugar toppings. The two most significant elements of this cake are the three colors on top (purple, green, and gold) and the plastic baby Jesus hidden within after baking.

Significance of the Traditional Purple, Green, and Gold Colors of Mardi Gras

Purple, green, and gold are the three colors traditional to Louisiana’s Mardi Gras celebration. While no one truly knows the actual reason for these colors, there is a theory. These colors were the choices of King Rex who is the annual Mardi Gras King; a new King is chosen each year. During the first Mardi Gras parade in 1872, King Rex thought he needed his own “kingdom” with designated colors and a flag. The choice of three colors might have been influenced by the many typical tri-color country flags around the world. The specific three colors were selected based on their significant meanings. For simplification, we can say that he likely chose purple as it’s a typical royal color and symbolizes justice. Green stands for faith since the celebration is a combination of Christianity and paganism. And gold/yellow represents metal worn by royalty and symbolizes power.

Mardi Gras Influenced LSU (Louisiana State) & Tulane Universities!

LSU (Louisiana State University) and Tulane each chose one or two of the Mardi Gras colors. It is thought that since those colors were in abundance at local stores and establishments when the universities were selecting their sports signature color(s). LSU drew the long straw (not really) and selected first by buying out the gold and purple. It appears that Tulane drew the short straw (again, not really) since they snagged the remaining green.

Significance of the Fève (Charm), Baby Jesus Hidden Within the Mardi Gras King Cake

Mardi Gras cakes originated to celebrate both the birth of baby Jesus and the end of indulgence. Overtime a small baby or charm was added to the cake to represent that birth and sacrifice. This idea again goes back to the blending of Christian and pagan customs. With that, we can clearly see the elements of both since the Mardi Gras colors on top don’t necessarily represent baby Jesus (though the meanings could be implied) but rather non-religious secularism of the parades and parties.

Directions for Using Baby Jesus in a Mardi Gras King Cake

Once the cake is baked and has cooled, poke a small hole anywhere in the underside of the cake. Push the little plastic baby (small toy, almond, or bean, etc.) into the hole. You can use anything small to represent the charm/fève. When you serve slices of the cake, whoever receives the slice with the baby (or designated charm) is king or queen for the day and is responsible for supplying the next year’s Mardi Gras cake. You can give the lucky new royal a crown to wear on their head for the remainder of the day. Many of the store-bought Mardi Gras cakes sell cakes with a plastic baby for the buyer to put in the cake themselves along with a paper gold crown for the “winner” to wear. Such a fun tradition!!

My Mardi Gras Marbled King Cake Inspiration

I dreamed up this cake during the middle of night (my most productive working and thinking time of day). Since I knew a traditional Mardi Gras cake consists of a lightly sweetened yeast dough with cinnamon and sugar, I woke up with the idea of taking the basic Mardi Gras cake and turning it into a monkey bread/pull apart bread. I created a cinnamon roll dough recipe with the traditional lemon and nutmeg nuanced flavors and followed a cinnamon roll-type filling with just cinnamon and sugar, no butter needed.

On my first recipe test, I realized that the pull-apart idea didn’t pan out exactly as planned. Instead, I ended up with the dough pieces fusing together to create a beautiful marbled bread with lots of swirls of cinnamon and sugar. I was pleasantly surprised and actually LOVED how it turned out. It tasted incredible with the lemon glaze and crunchy sugar on top. I’m excited to share my version of a traditional New Orleans-style Mardi Gras cake with the unique twist of marbled cinnamon and sugar dough pieces fused together in a tall cake-like bread with the common lemon and nutmeg nuances. Let’s check it out…

My Mardi Gras MARBLED King Cake Ingredients

For my Mardi Gras Marbled King Cake ingredients, the dough consists of yeast, granulated sugar, milk, butter, salt, eggs, vanilla, nutmeg, lemon zest, and all-purpose flour. In addition, the filling includes ground cinnamon. For the glaze and colored sugar topping, you’ll need, powdered sugar, lemon juice, and purple, green, and yellow decorative sugar. For the colored sugar you can use either store-bought or homemade; I used a simple homemade version for this blog post with the directions listed in the Notes section of the recipe at the end of this post.

Activate the Yeast

Pour 236 milliliters (1 cup) milk into a measuring cup. Heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds until the mixture reaches 100˚F-110˚F (38˚C-43˚C). Measure out the 100 grams (½ cup) of granulated sugar into a small bowl.

In a stand mixer bowl, add 14 grams (2 packages) of yeast. Add 1 tablespoon from the measured-out granulated sugar. Pour in about half of the heated milk (118 milliliters / ½ cup). Whisk until the yeast is dissolved. Set the mixture aside for about 10 minutes until bubbly and frothy.

TIPS: I prefer using whole milk in this recipe since the extra fat produces a tender bread crumb. If not using a stand mixer, use a large mixing bowl and continue following the directions.

Combine & Heat Milk & Butter

Dice 57 grams (4 tablespoons / ½ stick) of softened butter. Add the diced butter to the remaining 118 milliliters (½ cup) of milk in the measuring cup. Microwave it for 30 seconds. Stir the mixture until the butter is just melted adding 5 to 10-second increments until the butter is completely melted.

TIP: Very soft room temperature butter or diced, cold butter melts more quickly. Warmer or less mass requires less heat. If heating just until butter is melted, you likely don’t need to let it cool. It should be at just the right temperature between 100˚F-110˚F (38˚C-43˚C).

Stir in Sugar & Salt

Add the remaining granulated sugar and 7.5 grams (1¼ teaspoons) of salt (if using salted butter) or 9 grams (1½ teaspoons) of salt (if using unsalted butter). Stir and set the mixture aside until it has cooled to 100˚F-110˚F (38˚C-43˚C) if needed. The mixture may already be cool enough to use if you heated the butter just until melted.

Add Eggs, Vanilla, Nutmeg, & Lemon Zest

Whisk the milk mixture into the yeast mixture. Crack 2 eggs in a separate bowl and add them separately. Then, add 1 teaspoon of vanilla, ½ teaspoon of nutmeg, and the zest from one large lemon (yes, all of it!). Whisk the mixture until combined. Lemon and nutmeg are commonly found in traditional Mardi Gras cakes adding freshness and a little spice.

TIP: Crack each egg separately into a small bowl to eliminate stray eggshells and a bad egg from getting into the other ingredients.

Add Flour & Knead

Measure out 480 grams (4 cups) of all-purpose flour. Whisk in about half of the flour (2 cups /240 grams). Use the dough attachment of your stand mixer and begin on low speed (levels 1-2). Gradually, add the remaining 2 cups (240 grams) of flour while the machine is running.

Scrape down the bowl edges as needed. If the dough is sticky, add 1 tablespoon of additional flour at a time until the dough is elastic, tacky, and pulls away from the bowl. The dough should not be sticky or look dry. Continue to scrape down the bowl edges as needed. I usually need 4-5 more tablespoons of flour for my environment. Increase the speed to low-medium and knead in the stand mixer for 8-10 minutes.

TIP: If not using a stand mixer, stir all the ingredients as described in a large mixing bowl. As the dough becomes too thick to stir, transfer dough to a floured surface and begin kneading by hand for 10 minutes.

Shape Dough & Cover to Rise

Use a spatula and scrape down the bowl edges. Spray the top and sides of the dough with cooking spray or oil and roll the dough around in the oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap or towel (or both). Place the bowl in a warm area to rise for 1-2 hours or until doubled in size.

TIP: Rolling the dough in oil or cooking spray prevents a crust from forming on the exposed dough as it sits and aids in releasing the dough from the bowl.

Prepare Pan, Deflate Dough, & Roll Flat

Prepare the Bundt or fluted pan by greasing it if needed. If using a nonstick pan, there’s no need to grease it. Once prepared, set it aside.

Once the dough has risen, deflate and roll it out flat. Treat the dough like you would cinnamon roll dough. Deflate it in the bowl with a spatula and turn it out onto a lightly floured work surface. Pat or roll out the dough into a 16×10-inch rectangle.

Make Cinnamon Sugar Filling & Top Dough

In a small bowl, use a fork to combine 50 grams (¼ cup) of granulated sugar and 9 grams (1½ tablespoons) of ground cinnamon. Sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mixture over the dough to the edges and pat the mixture lightly into the dough.

TIP: Patting the filling into the dough helps it to adhere keeping most of it within the dough while cutting it.

Roll Dough like a Cinnamon Roll & Divide

Start at one short end and roll up the dough tightly. For a typical Mardi Gras cake, you would at this point curve the ends around in the shape of a wreath, seal the ends, and place it on a baking sheet to rise. For a tall, marbled cake, we have an extra step. Use a serrated knife to cut the dough in 12 “equal” slices like you were making cinnamon rolls.

TIPS: A serrated knife works well to cut the rolls and prevents smashing as you slice. Eyeball the 12 slices by cutting the roll in half. Cut each half in have again. Then cut each quarter in thirds. That will result in 12 relatively equal portions.

Quarter Rolls & Place in Bundt Pan (The Unique Marbled Twist!)

Place each slice, one side down, on the work surface. Cut each slice into quarters. Roll or lightly squeeze each quarter in a ball as best as you can to keep the cinnamon and sugar contained. Place each dough piece in the prepared pan. Scatter the dough pieces placing them on top of others. If any cinnamon and sugar mixture has fallen out, simply roll the quarters in it before placing the quarters in the pan. If you have any cinnamon and sugar remaining on the work surface, just add it at the end to the top of the dough in the pan.

Cover Dough & Rise

Cover pan with plastic wrap or a towel. Allow the dough to rise in a warm area for 30 to 45 minutes until nearly doubled in size.

Preheat Oven & Bake

During the last 20 minutes or so of the rise, preheat the oven to 350˚F (177˚C).

Bake for 35 to 45 minutes or until golden brown. If you have a food thermometer, the internal temperature should reach 190°F (88˚C). Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes.

Remove Cake & Add Charm

After cooling, run a knife around the inside edge of the cake pan to loosen the cake. Invert the cake to release it onto a serving plate to cool completely. At this time, you can add the traditional plastic baby (called a fève) or other charm or small toy through the bottom of the cake; simply push it up and through.

Make Lemon Powdered Sugar Glaze & Top Cake

To make the glaze, add 240 grams (2 cups) of powdered sugar to a small bowl. Whisk in 1 teaspoon of vanilla, 2 teaspoons of lemon juice (traditional to Mardi Gras glaze), and milk (1 tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency).  I find 3 tablespoons is enough in my environment for drizzling as it holds its shape while still oozing just a little down the sides.

Once the cake has cooled, spoon the glaze over the top of the cake to cover and use a sweeping motion so the glaze touches the sides to allow it to seep down the cake sides. The glaze should ooze down a little along the cake edges.

TIP: To keep a “clean” serving plate, place strips of wax paper along the bottom edges of the cake to catch dripping glaze and sugar.

Sprinkle with Traditional Purple, Green, & Gold Colored Sugar

Cover the top of the cake glaze with sections of purple, green, and gold colored sugar. Add as much as you want. Ensure the colors are defined on top of the cake. A simple homemade recipe for making these colored sugars are in the Notes section of the recipe at the end of this post. You can dive into the cake and eat immediately, but it’s best to let it sit so the glaze dries and solidifies against the cake edges. Drying may take an hour, but you can leave it covered overnight to consume the following day.

TIP: If using wax paper to catch the glaze and sugar, once dry, carefully slide the wax paper strips out from under the cake maintaining all dripping glaze and sugar that falls. Scrape off the excess glaze and sugar from the wax paper and use it to top the serving pieces for extra sweetness.

Mardi Gras King Cake Close Ups

This cake (or bread) is sturdy and holds its shape. The glaze solidified against the bread. The colored sugar sticks well to the glaze. The white glaze looks nice as the backdrop to the sparkling-colored sugar. Since this is a bread, it slices cleanly particularly if using a serrated knife. Upon removal, the cake is tall with the marbled cinnamon and sugar throughout each slice. Notice that the dough dollops fused during baking thus looking like a single unit of bread. Baby Jesus made a surprise appearance since I didn’t mark where he was… total coincidence that I cut right to him!! 😊

Storing the Mardi Gras King Cake

Store the Mardi Gras King Cake covered at room temperature for several days. For longer storage, slice and place each in a sealed bag or container and store in the freezer for several months. When ready to eat it from frozen, remove desired slices and heat in the microwave for 30-45 seconds and enjoy.

Mardi Gras King Cake Final Thoughts

This Mardi Gras cake makes a great sweet breakfast bread like a coffee cake or cinnamon roll. While Mardi Gras cakes are significant to Mardi Gras, if you eliminate the colored sugar or use different colors, you can happily eat and serve this cake any time of year or for any holiday celebration. It’s a fantastic less-sweet alternative to a regular cake for dessert. If you like cinnamon rolls, you’ll definitely enjoy this.

Mardi Gras King Cake Baker’s Perspective

This cake is a cinnamon roll-type dough made like any enriched, sweetened bread dough. There are quite a few steps from start to finish but nothing difficult. A little time is needed to roll out the dough into a rectangle. Since I liked the marbled idea of fused dough pieces, I chose not to brush the flattened roll with butter like a traditional cinnamon roll but instead just top the dough with a mix of cinnamon and sugar (one less step. 😉) Rolling the dough into a long roll, slicing it into 12 pieces, and quartering each piece is very easy and require little work. The dough pieces in the Bundt pan are beautiful and create an interesting visual texture to the top.

The toppings to include the lemon powdered sugar glaze is simple to made just like any other glaze. I discovered homemade sugar is so easy to make and MUCH cheaper than buying it commercially. Unless you have an abundance of “fancy” colors, I found that a simple food coloring pack of 4 colors that you buy for dyeing Easter eggs works just as well. AND, you have another use for those dyes. In fact, I’m hoping to share a post in the future on using natural dyes like beets, blueberries, turmeric, etc. as food coloring. More to come on that one! 😊

Mardi Gras King Cake Taster’s Perspective

This recipe is such a nice twist and an incredibly good take on the traditional Mardi Gras King Cake. We loved the consistent flavors of cinnamon and lemon throughout the cake. The nutmeg was very nuanced but added a little spice. If you really like nutmeg, you can certainly double the quantity to ensure it receives a welcomed seat at the flavor table. 😉

While this cake (bread) is uniquely tall since it’s baked in a Bundt/fluted pan, the lemony powdered sugar glaze drizzled all over along with the crunchy colored sugar on top add balance in flavors and textures. We loved the crunchy sugar topping… more texture and defined sweetness! This cake, while a sweet bread, is not as sweet as you might think because the glaze and colored sugar are limited in proportion to the tall cinnamon and sugar swirled bread.

Altogether, the flavors, textures, and visual appeal complement each other making this unique version a keeper in my household. We crave this cake (bread) and hope you enjoy making and eating it as much as we do. 😊

Check out my YouTube video on each step in making and decorating this cake. “Mardi Gras Marbled Bundt King Cake: Unique Twist on Tradition with Cinnamon & Sugar Swirls”

Check out these other sweet treats.

Scottish Shortbread Cookies

Argentine Alfajores Sandwich Cookies

Czech Palačinky: Thin Sweet Pancakes

Chinese Almond Ginger Cookies

Angel Food Cake

Australian & New Zealand Pavlova

Coconut Flan: Gluten Free & Dairy Free

German Bienenstich Cake

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