This Sourdough King Cake is a labor of love, but is so worth it! I found some Vanilla Bean Paste at Trader Joe’s and it really made this cake a treat, but you can always use any extract or flavoring.

Sourdough King Cake with Cream Cheese Filling

This cream cheese filled sourdough king cake takes 8-10 hours. Read through the entire recipe before beginning, for best results.

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, French

Keyword: Sourdough

Servings: 10 people

Ingredients

Sourdough Bread

1 1/2 cup sourdough starter fed, bubbly
1 cup water warm
4 cups flour all purpose
1/2 cup butter unsalted, melted
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt any kind, I use sea salt

Cream Cheese Filling

8 oz cream cheese softened
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract I used Bourbon Vanilla Bean Paste from Trader Joe's
1/2 cup butter softened, unsalted
1 1/2 cup sugar granulated white; separated into 1 cup and 1/2 cup
2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon

Icing

4 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup butter softened, unsalted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or Bourbon Vanilla Bean Paste
1/4 cup milk

Colored Sugars

1 cup sugar granulated, white (divided into 3)
1 Teaspoon Yellow Food Coloring Gel
1 Teaspoon Green Food Coloring Gel
1/2 Teaspoon each Red and Blue Food Coloring Gel, to make Purple

Instructions

Make the Sourdough Bread

The night before (or at least 6 hours) Mix all bread ingredients together in a large bowl. It will be sticky. I used an electric mixer on medium speed until well combined.
Spray another glass bowl with avocado oil or use butter to grease the bowl. Transfer the dough into that bowl and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Leave covered in a warm place for at least 6 hours.

Cream Cheese Filling

Using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese, butter, sugar, and vanilla until fluffy.
Once the dough has risen slightly and can spring back to the touch, roll it out on a lightly floured surface. You're aiming for a rectangle about the size of a baking sheet. Like you would do to begin cinnamon rolls.
Spread 1/2 of the cream cheese filling over the dough.
Sprinkle 1 cup of sugar and the 2 Tablespoons of cinnamon over the cream cheese filling.
Using the rest of the cream cheese mixture, make 3 rows across the length of the rectangle. One near each edge and one in the middle. Then, fold each long side over the 2 rows of cream cheese. Then, fold exterior long side toward the middle again to overlap the middle row of cream cheese. It'll look like a thick roll. Pinch the edges to enclose and fold end to end forming a circle (crown). Pinch the ends together to seal as well.
Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper. Place the crown in the center and cover with a kitchen towel for 1 hour minimum and no more than 10 hours. It will get rise and spring back when touched again.
When you are ready to bake the cake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Soften butter to room temperature and spread over the top of the cake. This will help in turn golden brown.
Bake for 30 minutes or until browned and let cool.

Icing and Colored Sugars

In a mixer, combine the powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, and milk. Mix until fluffy. Set aside.
For the colored sugars, use 3 separate small bowls to mix 1/3 cup sugar with Red Food Coloring, 1/3 cup sugar with Yellow Food Coloring, and 1/3 Cup sugar with red and blue food coloring (to make purple).
When the cake is cooled, pipe the white icing over the top. Sprinkle the colored sugars in whatever pattern you like!
Enjoy!

Sourdough King Cake