Cinnamon–Cream Cheese King Cake
 
Makes 1 cake
Ingredients
  • CAKE
  • 6 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • ⅔ cup confectioners’ sugar
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • King Cake Dough (recipe follows)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon water
  • FROSTING
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
  • Garnish: purple, gold, and green sanding sugars
Instructions
  1. For cake: In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Add confectioners’ sugar, egg yolk, cinnamon, vanilla, and salt; beat at low speed until combined and smooth.
  2. Lightly punch down King Cake Dough. Cover and let stand for 5 minutes.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon water.
  4. Turn out King Cake Dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide in half. Roll one half into a 24x6-inch rectangle. Using a small offset spatula, spread half of cream cheese mixture onto dough, leaving a ½-inch border on one long side. Brush border with egg wash. Starting with long side opposite border, roll up dough, jelly roll style, pinching seam to seal. Gently shape log to even thickness, if necessary. Repeat procedure with remaining dough and remaining cream cheese mixture.
  5. Carefully twist dough logs together, and place on a sheet of parchment paper. Form dough twist into a circle, twisting and pinching ends to seal. (Use egg wash, if needed.) Slide parchment with dough onto a baking sheet. Cover and let rise in a warm, draft-free place (75°) until puffed, 30 to 45 minutes.
  6. Preheat oven to 350°.
  7. Brush dough with egg wash.
  8. Bake until lightly golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted in center registers 190°, 20 to 25 minutes, loosely covering with foil halfway through baking to prevent excess browning, if necessary. Let cool on pan for 10 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.
  9. For frosting: In a medium bowl, beat cream cheese, milk, vanilla, and salt with a mixer at medium speed until smooth. Gradually add confectioners’ sugar, beating at low speed until smooth. Spread frosting on top of cake. Garnish with sanding sugars, if desired.
Recipe by Taste of the South at https://tasteofthesouthmagazine.com/cinnamon-cream-cheese-king-cake/