Sourdough King Cake

Most King Cake recipes use yeast. This recipe substitutes sourdough for the yeast. This is a mix of ingredients from various recipes. The following makes a small cake (4 – 6 servings) so double if you need a larger cake.

Ingredients

Dough

• 120 ml milk heat to scalding then cooled to room temp.
• 100 g feed sourdough starter
• 50 g butter, melted and slightly cooled
• 35 g cane sugar
• 1 large eggs, at room temperature 
• 300 g all-purpose flour, plus additional flour as needed
• 1 tsp kosher salt

Filling

• 60 g light or dark brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon  
• 4 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
• 1 tbls all-purpose flour 
• 2 tbls powdered sugar 
• Zest from ½ lemon 
• 1 tbl butter, softened to room temperature 
• 1/2 cup fruit jam – strawberry, blueberry,…

Glaze / Icing / Decoration

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• Zest from ½ lemon
• 2 tlbs fresh lemon juice, plus more as needed
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• Green, gold and purple sanding sugar

1. Prepare the dough: In your mixer bowl, add the sourdough and milk (cooled). Add the melted butter, sugar, eggs, flour and salt. Attach the bowl to the stand mixer fitted with your paddle (what you would use to make cookies). Mix on low until combined. The dough should be fairly sticky.
2. Increase the speed to medium and mix until the gluten fully develops and the dough is very elastic. After 10 minutes, check the dough to see if it will hold, do a windowpane test or if the dough has pulled from the side it is ready. The dough will be similar to a focaccia.
3. Put the dough in a bowl or proofing bin. Need a container that has a cover. Let the dough rise 1 to 1½ hours. Do a stretch and fold like you would for sourdough bread. Repeat the process one more time.
4. While the dough is proofing, prepare the filling: In one bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. In another bowl, combine the cream cheese, flour, powdered sugar and lemon zest then mix well. Transfer the mixture to a piping bag or resealable plastic bag and set aside. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
5. Once the dough has doubled in size, move it to a floured work surface. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough to a 8-by-14-inch rectangle. Cut the dough lengthwise in half so you have two 4-by-14-inch strips. Evenly spread the softened butter in a thin layer onto both strips of dough, leaving a ½-inch border on all sides. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top and lightly press it into the dough.
6. Using a piping bag, snip about ½ inch off the tip. Pipe the cream cheese mixture along one long side of each strip of dough. Spread the jam a spoonful at a time onto both strips of the dough, alongside the cream cheese.
7. Carefully roll each piece of dough lengthwise into a log, pressing the dough together at the seams. Set the two logs side by side and twist them into a braid.
8. Transfer the dough to the parchment-lined baking sheet and form into a ring. Put a small bowl or a piece of foil shaped into a disk in the center of the dough ring to keep the cake from collapsing into the center. Cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel and let rise again.
9. Heat the oven to 350 degrees and place a rack in the center. Once the dough appears puffy, after about 30 minutes, place in the oven and bake until browned all over. ~20 to 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely, When cooled, remove the foil disk from the center.
10. Prepare the glaze: Sift powdered sugar into a bowl. Add lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla and stir until completely smooth, adding more lemon juice or powdered as needed to make a pourable glaze. Gently pour the glaze on top of the cake, Decorate with colored sugars or sprinkles. Common colors are green, gold and purple. Transfer the cake to a platter and serve.