A traditional New Orleans King Cake with a light, tender dough that is flavored with cinnamon sugar and sweet cream cheese filling
Grease a medium-sized bowl with 1 tablespoon softened butter. Set aside to be used for dough to rise in.
Using a different bowl and a mixer (a dough hook is best, but a regular paddle attachment is ok too) on low speed, mix together flour, sugar, yeast, salt, and warmed milk until combined.
Increase mixer speed to medium and add eggs one at a time until mixed in. Add sliced, room temperature butter gradually and continue to mix until all butter is incorporated (this may take several minutes) and dough is sticky, elastic, and comes away from the side of the bowl. Remove dough from mixing bowl and hand-knead for about 5 minutes on counter. Sprinkle very lightly with flour if it is sticking.
Place dough in prepared, greased bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Allow to rest and double in size in a warm place for at least 1 1/2 hours.
Once doubled in size, punch dough down and allow to rise again in the same manner for another hour or so until doubled in size again. Make the cream cheese filling during this rise.
Mix together all cream cheese filling ingredients and place in a medium-sized plastic zipper bag (using a bag is optional, but helpful). Set aside.
In a separate small bowl, mix together cinnamon-sugar mixture ingredients. Set aside.
This recipe makes one large or two smaller king cakes. If you want to make two (as I have here), split the dough in half at this point and keep the second half covered as you roll the first.
Place a rectangular piece of parchment paper on your counter and sprinkle lightly with flour. Roll dough into a long rectangle, about 1/8 of an inch in thickness. Using a sharp knife or a pizza wheel, slice the dough in half lengthwise, as in the photo.
Snip the corer of the plastic bag and pipe (or spoon) a thick line of cream cheese filling lengthwise an inch away from the top edge of each dough rectangle (see photo). Sprinkle both all over with cinnamon sugar. (Remember to save half of the filling and cinnamon-sugar for the second king cake, if you are making two)
Roll each dough rectangle into a log starting at the top to encase the filling. Seal each log at all seams and ends by pinching the dough together tightly.
Twist/braid both dough logs together and then join ends to form a ring. Pinch ends together. (Repeat steps 2-4 with reserved dough if making two). Place on a large parchment-lined baking sheet.
Cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise and double in size, for 1-2 hours. Placing in a warm place helps it rise faster. This is the final rise before baking.
Place oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Bake king cake(s) uncovered for 18-20 minutes or until light golden brown.
Allow to cool at room temperature for about 45 minutes. Make glaze while cakes cool.
Mix all glaze ingredients together and keep covered until ready to use.
Brush glaze on king cake(s) with a pastry brush or drizzle on with the help of a spoon. Decorate as desired with sprinkles or pearl dust.
This recipe makes either 2 small King Cakes or 1 large one.
Best eaten the same day it's made. Store covered at room temperature.