Mardi Gras King Cake Donuts (Printable)

Baked donuts with cinnamon swirls and a vibrant Mardi Gras inspired glaze.

# What You Need:

→ Donut Batter

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 cup whole milk
06 - 2 large eggs
07 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
08 - 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
09 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ Cinnamon Swirl Filling

10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
11 - 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
12 - 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

→ Glaze

13 - 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar
14 - 2-3 tablespoons milk
15 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 - Purple, green, and yellow sanding sugars for decorating

# Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease a 12-cavity donut pan with cooking spray or butter.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon until well combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk whole milk, eggs, melted unsalted butter, and vanilla extract until smooth.
04 - Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix the batter.
05 - In a small bowl, mix melted butter, light brown sugar, and ground cinnamon until a smooth paste forms.
06 - Spoon half the batter evenly into the prepared donut pan cavities, filling each about one-third full.
07 - Place about 1 teaspoon of the cinnamon swirl mixture on top of the batter in each cavity, then cover with the remaining batter.
08 - Gently swirl a toothpick through each donut to create a marbled cinnamon pattern, being careful not to disturb the pan structure.
09 - Bake for 10-12 minutes until the donuts spring back when lightly touched and are lightly golden around the edges.
10 - Let the donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
11 - Whisk together powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth and pourable. Adjust consistency with additional milk if needed.
12 - Dip the top of each cooled donut into the glaze, allowing excess to drip off. Immediately sprinkle sections with purple, green, and yellow sanding sugars to create King Cake stripes.
13 - Let the glaze set for 10 minutes at room temperature before serving. Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Baked instead of fried means less mess and guilt while keeping that tender cake-like texture
  • The cinnamon ribbon running through each donut creates those beautiful swirled surprises in every bite
  • Decorating with the traditional Mardi Gras colors turns your kitchen into a festive celebration
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter will make your donuts tough, so stop as soon as the flour disappears
  • The cinnamon swirl sinks during baking, so don't be afraid to place it closer to the top when layering
  • Work quickly when adding the sanding sugars—the glaze starts setting within seconds
03 -
  • Use a piping bag for filling the donut cavities—it's much neater than spooning and gives you more control
  • Warm your donuts slightly in the microwave for 10 seconds before serving if they've cooled completely

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