King Cake Cinnamon Babka Loaf (Printable Version)

A rich cinnamon and cream cheese loaf with vibrant colors, perfect for festive gatherings and sweet cravings.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 2/3 cup whole milk, lukewarm
06 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened

→ Cinnamon Filling

09 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
10 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
11 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

→ Cream Cheese Filling

12 - 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
13 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
14 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Glaze & Decoration

15 - 1 cup powdered sugar
16 - 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
17 - Purple, green, and gold sanding sugars for decoration
18 - Plastic King Cake baby or almond, optional

# How To Make:

01 - In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine flour, granulated sugar, instant yeast, and salt.
02 - Whisk together lukewarm milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Add to dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
03 - Beat in softened butter until dough becomes smooth and elastic, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
04 - Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm location until doubled in volume, approximately 1 to 1.5 hours.
05 - Mix packed light brown sugar and ground cinnamon together. Stir in softened butter until thoroughly combined.
06 - Beat softened cream cheese with granulated sugar and vanilla extract until smooth and uniform.
07 - Punch down risen dough and roll out on a floured surface into a 16 by 12 inch rectangle.
08 - Spread cream cheese filling over dough, leaving a half-inch border. Spread cinnamon filling evenly on top.
09 - Starting from the long side, roll dough tightly into a log shape.
10 - Slice the log lengthwise in half. Twist the two strands together, keeping cut sides facing up, and form into a loaf shape.
11 - Place twisted loaf into a greased 9 by 5 inch loaf pan. Cover and let rise until puffy, approximately 45 minutes.
12 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
13 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. If browning too quickly, tent with aluminum foil.
14 - Cool loaf in pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
15 - Whisk powdered sugar with milk to make a thick glaze consistency.
16 - Drizzle glaze over cooled loaf. Sprinkle with purple, green, and gold sanding sugars. Insert King Cake baby or almond if desired before serving.

# Cooking Tips:

01 -
  • Those hidden layers taste like you've been baking for years, but the technique is surprisingly manageable even on your first try.
  • The cream cheese cuts through the richness in a way that makes you want another slice before you've even finished the first.
  • It's festive enough for parties but humble enough to enjoy quietly with coffee on a Sunday morning.
02 -
  • Dough temperature matters more than you'd think—if your kitchen is cold, your rise times will stretch to nearly two hours, and that's perfectly fine, so don't panic and crank up the oven.
  • The cream cheese filling prevents the cinnamon from making the dough soggy, which I learned after my first attempt turned into a dense mess because I only used cinnamon sugar.
03 -
  • If you're short on time, you can prepare this through the second rise the night before, cover it tightly, and bake it straight from the refrigerator in the morning—add about five minutes to the baking time.
  • The glaze-to-sugar ratio is crucial: too much milk and the glaze slides off, too little and you'll have a crumbly mess, so whisk gradually and trust your instincts.
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