Vegan King Cake Recipe
Ingredients
For the Dough:
- 4½ cup All Purpose Flour 560g
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar 100g
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cardamom
- ½ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 3¼ teaspoons Dry Yeast
- ½ cup Aquafaba or more Plant Milk 118ml
- 1 cup Vegan Butter soft 227g
- ¾ cup Plant Milk 180ml
For the Cheese Filling:
- 12 ounces Vegan Cream Cheese 336g
- 2 Tbs Vegan Butter 28g
- ½ cup Confectioners Sugar 60g
- 3 Tbs Cornstarch 24g
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract 5ml
Cinnamon Sugar filling:
- 5 Tbs Light Brown Sugar 70g
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
For the Glaze:
- 2 cups Confectioners Sugar 240g
- 4 Tbs Plant Milk 60ml
- Purple~Green & Yellow Food Color
Instructions
- First prepare the dough by adding a pinch of sugar to the plant milk then add the dry yeast and whisk smooth Let stand for 5 minutes and the yeast will get frothy and prove that it is alive.
- Combine the flour, sugar, spices & salt in a large mixing bowl OR the work bowl of your stand mixer and whisk to combine evenly
- Once the yeast is frothy add to the flour mixture along with the aquafaba or the other measure of plant milk & start mixing with a spatula by hand OR with a dough hook attachment for your electric mixer
- Mix just to combine everything together, about 1 minute or so & you will have a shaggy looking dough
- At this point if you are mixing by hand turn it out onto the table & knead it together until it forms a smooth pliable dough ~ adding a tablespoon of flour as needed no more than 1/4 cup total *see video tutorial
- Otherwise if you are mixing with the electric mixer ~ mix on medium speed for approximately 5 minutes
- Now add the softened butter a little bit at a time continuing mixing until it all gets incorporated
- Place the dough into a lightly greased bowl, cover & let riser in a warm spot for an hour or more depending on the temperature in your room *This dough will rise slightly but will not double in size
- Meanwhile prepare the optional cheese filling by combining the vegan cream cheese with the super soft vegan butter, the sifted confectioners sugar & cornstarch gently with a spatula in a medium sized mixing bowl
- Add the vanilla extract & fold together~ reserve in the refrigerator until needed
- Combine the brown sugar with the cinnamon ~ reserve until needed
- Once the dough has risen gently take a piece of the dough & pull it up stretching it to develop the gluten, go around the bowl doing this on all edges of the dough (4x) as it stretches gently & release the excess gasses.
- Now turn it out onto a lightly floured table & press it out to a rectangle shape then roll it to 12" x 18" (the same size as a half sheet pan)
- Spread the cold cheese filling over the dough & then sprinkle withe cinnamon sugar
- Roll it up like a cinnamon bun ~jelly roll style from the long edge rolling towards you and place onto a parchment lined half sheet pan forming a circle & sealing the edges together
- Make snips or cuts with a sharp knife around the dough on top for steam vents then place in a warm spot again to rise ~approx 1 more hour
- Once the King Cake has risen after an hour or so~ Preheat the oven to 350F
- Brush with your favorite vegan egg wash & bake for approx 35-40 minutes until golden brown & the dough temperature inside is 190F
- Remove from oven ~ cool & then glaze with the 3 colors of sugar glaze, by dividing the confectioners sugar between 3 small bowls, add 1 Tablespoon of plant milk & the vegan food color to each bowl & mix smooth~ adjust the consistency with more plant milk if needed
Video
Notes
Be sure to read all the notes for success section above this recipe
Storage Like all yeast pastries this Vegan King Cake will go stale before it actually goes bad. Best served the day it is made, leftovers can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 days wrapped for freshness. Refrigerate for longer storage up to 4 days, but rewarm before serving
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