Mardi Gras King Cake Donuts (Printable)
Tender cinnamon donuts glazed and decorated in vibrant Mardi Gras colors for a festive treat.
# What You'll Need:
→ Donut Batter
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1/2 cup whole milk
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 - Zest of 1 lemon
→ Cinnamon Sugar Filling
11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
12 - 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
13 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
→ Glaze
14 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
15 - 2-3 tablespoons whole milk
16 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ Decoration
17 - Purple, green, and gold colored sanding sugars
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat oven to 375°F. Grease a 12-cavity donut pan thoroughly with cooking spray or butter.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon until well blended.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk milk, eggs, melted butter, vanilla extract, and lemon zest until fully incorporated.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix the batter.
05 - In a small bowl, combine melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir until mixture forms a smooth paste.
06 - Spoon half the batter evenly into donut pan cavities. Create a small ring of cinnamon sugar filling in each cavity, then cover with remaining batter.
07 - Bake for 10-12 minutes until donuts spring back when lightly touched and edges are lightly golden.
08 - Let donuts cool in pan for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a small bowl until smooth and pourable. Add more milk if needed for proper consistency.
10 - Dip tops of cooled donuts into glaze, then immediately sprinkle with purple, green, and gold sugars in alternating sections to create traditional King Cake stripes. Allow glaze to set before serving.
# Expert Hacks:
01 -
- These capture all the nostalgic flavors of King Cake but in half the time with that irresistible baked donut texture
- The cinnamon sugar ribbon running through each donut creates those surprise sweet moments everyone fights over
02 -
- Overfilling the donut cavities will cause the cinnamon sugar to overflow and burn onto your pan, fill them only halfway
- The glaze thickens as it sits, if it becomes too stiff to dip add teaspoon of milk at a time
03 -
- Room temperature ingredients blend more smoothly, pull your eggs and milk out 20 minutes before starting
- A piping bag makes filling the donut cavities so much easier and neater than using spoons