Gluten Free King Cake

easyhealthyrecipes.com/gluten-free-king-cake/

Everything you love about a traditional cinnamon-filled king cake with absolutely none of the gluten!

Prep: 45

Cook: 30

Prove: 2 15

Total: 3 30

Recipe makes approximately 16 servings

Equipment Needed

2 small mixing bowls
2 whisks
medium saucepan
large wooden spoon (or whisk)
candy thermometer (or deep fry thermometer)
stand mixer bowl
stand mixer
dough hook for stand mixer
clean, flat work surface
Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour (to flour work surface and rolling pin)
Large bowl
neutral-flavored oil (avocado oil, vegetable oil, refined coconut oil, etc.)
food-safe plastic wrap
Microwave-safe bowl
Microwave
Fork
large baking sheet
Parchment paper
flour sifter (or fine mesh sieve, optional)
medium mixing bowl

Ingredients Needed

For the Gluten-Free Dough

1 cup milk of choice (at room temperature)
½ cup unsalted butter (at room temperature, cut into small pieces; approximately 8 tablespoons or 1 full-size stick)
½ cup warm water (between 105° and 115° Fahrenheit)
2 packets active dry yeast (approximately 4.5 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon granulated white sugar
2 large eggs (at room temperature)
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
7 tablespoons granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons fresh gluten-free baking powder
¼ teaspoon salt (more or less to taste)
5 ½ cups Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour (see Notes)

For the Cinnamon-Sugar Filling

½ cup unsalted butter
1 packed cup light brown sugar
½ cup Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour (see Notes)
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

For the King Cake Frosting

2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk of choice (plus more as needed)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

To Decorate

1 plastic King Cake baby (or 1 whole coffee bean, optional)
purple sanding sugar (1 4-ounce container recommended, more or less as desired)
yellow sanding sugar (1 4-ounce container recommended, more or less as desired)
green sanding sugar (1 4-ounce container recommended, more or less as desired)

Get Recipe Ingredients

Instructions

To Make the King Cake Dough

Place small saucepan on stovetop over medium heat. Add 1 cup milk of choice to saucepan and warm milk, stirring constantly, approximately 5 minutes or until temperature of milk reaches 110° to 115° Fahrenheit according to candy thermometer.
When temperature of milk reaches target range, remove saucepan from heat. Add ½ cup unsalted butter to saucepan and stir until butter is melted and incorporated into warmed milk.
Set saucepan aside and let mixture cool completely, approximately 10 minutes.
After setting saucepan aside, add ½ cup warm water, 2 packets active dry yeast, and 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar to stand mixer bowl. Stir ingredients together until fully incorporated, then set bowl aside. Let yeast mixture rest until foamy, approximately 10 minutes.
Crack 2 large eggs into small mixing bowl. Whisk eggs together until fully combined, with no streaks of egg whites or yolks remaining. Set aside.
When yeast begins to foam and milk mixture has cooled to room temperature, pour milk mixture into bowl with yeast mixture. Add whisked eggs, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract, 7 tablespoons granulated white sugar, 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, 2 teaspoons fresh gluten-free baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt to bowl.
Using stand mixer fitted with dough hook, mix ingredients together on medium-low speed 30 to 60 seconds or until all ingredients are fully incorporated.
Continue mixing, increasing speed to medium. Slowly add 5 ½ cups Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour to bowl in ½-cup increments, mixing well after each addition until all flour has been added to bowl.
Continue mixing until dough begins to pull away from sides of bowl, approximately 3 to 5 minutes.
Lightly sprinkle additional gluten-free baking flour over flat work surface. Transfer dough to floured surface, then knead dough 8 to 10 minutes or until dough is smooth and stretchy.
Lightly grease bottom and sides of large bowl with neutral-flavored oil. Place kneaded dough in bowl and flip dough over until ball of dough is oiled on all sides.
Cover bowl tightly with food-safe plastic wrap and place bowl in warm area. Prove dough approximately 1 ½ hours or until doubled in size.
When dough has doubled in size, gently press down on dough with clenched fist to release air pockets, then divide dough into 2 equal halves.
Lightly sprinkle additional gluten-free baking flour over flat work surface and rolling pin. Transfer one half of dough to floured surface. Roll dough into large, evenly-thick rectangle, measuring approximately 8 inches by 12 inches.
Repeat process with other half of dough, adding flour to work surface or rolling pin as needed. Make sure both dough rectangles are same overall size and thickness.

For the Cinnamon-Sugar Filling

When both halves of dough have been rolled flat, place ½ cup unsalted butter in microwave-safe bowl. Microwave butter until just melted.
Add 1 packed cup light brown sugar, ½ cup Bob's Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour, and 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon to small mixing bowl. Use fork to mash and stir ingredients together until well-blended.
Pour melted butter over cinnamon-sugar mixture, then continue mixing ingredients together with fork until combined and crumbly.
Divide cinnamon-sugar mixture in half. Spread half of cinnamon-sugar mixture evenly over one dough rectangle.
Repeat with remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture and other dough rectangle.
Use hands or silicone spatula to gently press cinnamon-sugar mixture into dough. Be careful not to tear or press through dough.

To Form the King Cake

Line large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
Beginning on long side of one dough rectangle, gently lift edge of rectangle. Carefully roll dough toward opposite long side of rectangle, creating long dough roll or log.
Transfer dough roll to prepared baking sheet. Place dough off center and slightly curved, forming one side of large oval. Set aside.
Repeat with other dough rectangle, making sure both dough rolls are same length and thickness.
Transfer second dough roll to prepared baking sheet. Arrange dough to form other side of large oval, then pinch both ends of each dough roll together to close oval.
Using kitchen scissors or sharp knife, cut vents into top of dough. Space vents approximately 1-inch apart. Note: Be careful not to cut too deeply. Vents should only go through top 25% of dough.
Cover baking sheet with food-safe plastic wrap and place baking sheet in warm area. Let dough rise 30 to 45 minutes or until again doubled in size.
Toward end of proving time, preheat oven to 375° Fahrenheit. Position oven rack in dead center of oven.

To Bake the King Cake

When dough has doubled in size, uncover baking sheet and discard plastic wrap. Place baking sheet in preheated oven.
Bake king cake 10 to 15 minutes, then carefully rotate baking sheet 180 degrees. Bake king cake 10 minutes more.
Check that cake is baked through by inserting toothpick or butterknife into center of dough, then immediately removing. Continue baking king cake as needed, checking every 3 minutes or so, until toothpick or butterknife is clean or covered in very few crumbs when removed from cake.
Carefully remove baking sheet from oven. If desired, carefully insert 1 plastic King Cake baby into cake while dough is still warm.
Set baking sheet aside and let cake rest approximately 30 minutes or until cooled.

To Decorate the King Cake

Sift 2 cups powdered sugar into medium mixing bowl, then add 2 tablespoons milk of choice and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract to bowl.
Whisk ingredients together until fully incorporated into smooth frosting or glaze. Note: Whisk in additional milk as needed to achieve desired consistency.
When satisfied with consistency, spread frosting (or pour glaze) evenly onto top of king cake.
Sprinkle purple sanding sugar, yellow sanding sugar, and green sanding sugar over frosting (or glaze), keeping colors in separate blocks or mixing colors together as desired.

To Serve

Once king cake has been decorated, slice king cake as desired and serve warm or at room temperature.

Recipe Notes

Flour: Please note that we did not test this recipe with other brands or types of gluten free flour. While you are welcome to use any flour you like, we can't guarantee the results or provide any assistance with other brands or types.
Leftovers: Store leftover king cake at room temperature in an airtight container or tightly covered with food-safe plastic wrap. Serve leftovers at room temperature or warmed. Oh, and remember - the knife stays in the ~~box~~ container!

Nutrition Info (Approximate)