Best Apple Filled King Cake Recipes

CARAMELIZED APPLE KING CAKE

Steps:

• Make the filling: Place the apples, brown sugar, flour, butter, lemon juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and 1/2 cup water in a large saucepan and stir well. Bring to a simmer over high heat, then reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring frequently, until the apples are completely softened but still retain their shape, about 25 minutes. Watch carefully near the end and stir as the mixture will begin to stick to the pan as it caramelizes. Set aside.
• While the apples cook, prepare the dough: In a small bowl, mix yeast, warm water and 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar. Set aside to allow yeast to become active and foamy, 5 to 10 minutes.
• In a medium saucepan, combine butter with salt and remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and melt over medium-low heat, about 4 minutes. Whisk in sour cream until incorporated. Remove from heat and let cool slightly, 5 to 7 minutes.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine butter mixture, yeast mixture, 1 egg and 1 1/2 cups/195 grams flour. Beat on medium-low speed until smooth. Gradually add remaining 1 1/2 cups/195 grams flour and continue to mix until a dough forms.
• On a floured work surface, knead the dough by hand, adding more flour if needed, until the dough is elastic and smooth, 5 to 12 minutes. It should be sticky but not sticking to the surface. Butter a large bowl and place dough inside. Cover and let rise in a warm place until it has doubled in size, 1 to 1 1/2 hours.
• Gently punch down the dough, transfer it to a floured work surface, and roll it out into a 24-by-12-inch rectangle. Be gentle so as to not tear the dough. Spread the apple filling on one long side of the dough to cover half of the dough, leaving a 1-inch border along the edges. Starting with the long side closest to you, fold the border over the filling and tightly roll up the dough in a spiral, enclosing the apple filling as you go. Carefully transfer the roll seam side down to a large parchment paper-covered baking sheet. Moisten ends with water, then bring both ends together to form a ring. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour. While the dough rises, heat oven to 350 degrees.
• Brush the egg wash all over the cake. Bake until golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 2 hours before frosting.
• While cake cools, make the frosting: In a mixing bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and orange blossom water. Mix slowly by hand or with a hand or stand mixer until well combined, then gradually add the confectioners' sugar and mix until incorporated. Continue mixing while slowly adding the milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, to thin out the frosting. The frosting should be thin enough to spread, but not too runny.
• Carefully flip the cooled cake and cut a small X in the bottom of the ring. Insert the plastic baby and flip the cake back over. Frost the cake and decorate with alternating stripes of gold, green and purple sprinkles.

KING CAKE WITH CREAM CHEESE AND APPLE FILLING

Steps:

• To Make The Apple Filling: In a large skillet over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir in the apple slices, brown sugar, cinnamon and salt, and cook, stirring frequently, just until the apple starts to soften, 3 to 4 minutes (the slices should still be crisp). Remove from heat and stir in the raisins and toasted pecans. Spread the apple mixture onto a baking sheet to stop the cooking process and allow the apples to cool quickly, then cover and refrigerate until needed.
• To Make The Cream Cheese Filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat together the cream cheese with the vanilla, salt and sugar. Add the beaten egg to the cream cheese mixture and beat until thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerate until needed.
• To Make The Cream Cheese Glaze: In the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a medium bowl using a hand mixer, whisk together the cream cheese, butter, vanilla and salt until completely combined. With the mixer running, add the sifted powdered sugar, one spoonful at a time, until fully incorporated.
• To Make The Dough: In a small pan, heat one-half cup plus 2 tablespoons of milk over medium heat just until warmed. Remove from heat and pour the milk into a small bowl or measuring cup. Stir in the yeast and 1 teaspoon of sugar, then set aside until the milk is foamy and the yeast is activated, about 10 minutes.
• Whisk the 2 eggs in the bowl of a stand mixer using the whisk attachment (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer) until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Stir in the yeast mixture and remaining one-third cup of sugar until fully incorporated.
• If using a stand mixer, switch to the paddle attachment. With the mixer running, add the butter, 1 tablespoon at a time, until incorporated.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. With the mixer running, add the flour mixture, one spoonful at a time, until fully incorporated.
• Remove the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead until it is soft and somewhat silky (it's a rich dough and won't be entirely smooth), 5 to 7 minutes. Place the dough in a large, oiled bowl and lightly cover with plastic wrap. Set aside in a warm place until doubled in size, 1 to 1½ hours.
• Meanwhile, make an egg wash: Combine the remaining beaten half egg with the remaining 2 tablespoons of milk.
• When the dough is doubled, punch it down (it will be very smooth and elastic) and roll it out onto a lightly floured surface into a 10-by-28-inch rectangle. Lightly score the dough lengthwise to divide the dough into 2 equal halves.
• Spoon the apple filling down the length of one side, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border on the top, bottom and sides. Repeat with the cream cheese filling down the other side of the dough, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border on the top, bottom and each side. Lightly brush the edges and center of the dough (along the score) with the egg wash to moisten. Gently and carefully pull the dough over the cream cheese filling, sealing the edge of the dough along the score mark. Repeat with the apple filling. Press the sealed edges, making sure they are secure (otherwise the fillings could spill out while the cake bakes).
• Gently twist the length of the dough to form a braid-like shape. Wrap the dough so it forms an oval wreath and gently press the edges together. Carefully transfer the wreath to a parchment-lined baking sheet.
• Brush the top of the wreath lightly with egg wash and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise until almost doubled in volume, 45 minutes to an hour, or loosely cover and refrigerate the dough overnight, removing it from the refrigerator about 1 hour before baking for the dough to come to room temperature.
• Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Lightly brush the wreath with any remaining egg wash and place the sheet in the oven.
• Bake the cake until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (the toothpick will remain moist if it hits the cream cheese filling, but there should be no crumbs sticking to it), about 30 minutes. Rotate the pan halfway through baking for even coloring.
• Allow the cake to cool slightly before it is frosted (if it's too hot, the glaze will run off the cake and not adhere). Drizzle the glaze evenly over the cake, then lightly sprinkle over the colored sugars. If using the plastic baby, hide it somewhere in the cake (press the baby in through the bottom of the cake so as not to disturb the top or sides of the cake). Serve the cake warm or at room temperature.

APPLE FILLED KING CAKE

Steps:

• 1. Place frozen bread doughs into an oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap until thawed out.
• 2. Roll out on a floured surface into a large rectangle, at least 10 x 18 or as large as you can without tearing the dough. Gently brush with melted or very soft butter leaving a 1-inch border around edges.
• 3. Combine cinnamon and sugar. Sprinkle evenly over dough, avoiding edges so that ends will seal.
• 4. Spread most of the apple pie filling along the center of the dough, longways, stopping at least an inch from then ends.
• 5. *(See Note) Take one end of the dough and fold it all the way over to the other side of the dough. Seal edges with wet fingers. Gently roll the dough from the center where the filling is, rolling towards the sealed edge, making a long tube and keeping the filling from coming out of the ends.
• 6. Place on a parchment-lined pan, seam down with ends of roll meeting to form a circle or oval. Pinch the ends together. Use water if necessary to make the ends stick together.
• 7. Spray the top of bread lightly with cooking spray and cover with plastic wrap for about 45 minutes or until it has doubled in size. I put a butter or Cool Whip tub to keep the hole open while it rises, otherwise, it will completely close up while it's baking. (You can skip the rising step if you're in a hurry, but the King Cake won't get as light and fluffy.)
• 8. Bake at 375 degrees for about 30 minutes. Hide the baby from underneath after baking.
• 9. Combine powdered sugar with just enough milk or water to make a thick icing that's just thin enough to spread.
• 10. Quickly pour or spread icing over hot King Cake then sprinkle sections with purple, green, and yellow sugar before the icing dries. You can buy pre-colored decorating sugar or make your own by shaking granulated sugar with a few of drops of liquid food color in a mason jar.
• 11. *NOTES: For unfilled King Cakes, some bakeries braid their bread dough or make two long ropes and twist the two together then form a circle or oval before baking. You can cut the bread dough into two or three long strips, then spread with cinnamon sugar before rolling, twisting, or braiding if desired.
• 12. FILLED KING CAKES: Instead of, or in addition to, the cinnamon sugar, spread one of these fillings over the plain bread dough and roll-up. Bake as shown above. Cream Cheese Filled: 2 (8 oz) blocks cream cheese, softened 1 cup powdered sugar 2 tsp vanilla Combine with a hand mixer until light and fluffy. Spread down the long edge of plain bread dough and roll-up. Bake as directed above. Decorate as directed above. Chocolate Filled: 1/2 cup vegetable shortening (Crisco) 8 oz. unsalted butter (softened) 1 cup cocoa powder 4 cups powdered sugar (sifted) 7 Tbsp heavy cream Cream all ingredients together and spread along the long edge and roll up from the filled edge. Bake as directed above. Decorate as directed above. Fruit Filled: 1 (16 oz) can of Apple, Cherry, Peach, Lemon, Strawberry, Raspberry, or Blueberry Pie Filling 1 tsp vanilla (Apple, Cherry, Peach) 1 tsp cinnamon (Apple, Cherry, Peach) 1/2 cup sugar (Cherry) 1 Tablespoons cornstarch (Cherry) Spread filling down the long edge of bread dough and roll up from fruit filling side. Bake as directed above. Decorate as directed above.