Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup whole milk
- ⅓ cup butter (room temp, I use salted butter)
- ¼ cup cane sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs (room temp)
- 4 – 5 cups bread flour (or all-purpose flour, it may be tougher, see note 1)
- 2 ¼ teaspoons instant dry yeast (= 1 packet yeast. I prefer Saf Brand. See note 2)
- ½ cup butter (room temp)
- 1 ½ tablespoons cinnamon (add 1/4–1/2 teaspoon nutmeg if desired)
- 1 cup packed brown sugar (or half brown sugar, half granulated)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (fresh squeezed is best!)
- 2 tablespoons melted butter (I use salted, but add a little bigger pinch if using unsalted)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 – 3 tablespoons milk or cream
- pinch of salt
- 1 egg yolk (room temp)
- 1 tablespoon milk (or water for a crisper finish)
- 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- 1 – 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Making the Dough
- Making the Cinnamon Filling
- Rolling and Shaping the Dough
- Baking the King Cake
- Making the Frosting
- Decorating and Serving