Mardi Gras King Cake Donuts (Printable Version)

Soft, baked cinnamon swirl donuts with festive colored glaze and sprinkles for a southern celebration treat.

# Ingredient List:

→ For the Donuts

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
05 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
06 - 2/3 cup whole milk
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
09 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ For the Cinnamon Swirl

10 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
11 - 1/4 cup brown sugar
12 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ For the Glaze

13 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
14 - 2-3 tablespoons milk
15 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ For Decoration

16 - Purple, green, and gold/yellow sprinkles

# How to Make:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 12-cavity donut pan thoroughly.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt until evenly distributed.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract until well combined and smooth.
04 - Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix gently until just combined. Do not overmix to maintain tender texture.
05 - In a small bowl, mix softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until a uniform paste forms.
06 - Spoon half the donut batter into the prepared donut pan. Pipe or dot a ring of cinnamon swirl mixture onto each donut. Top with remaining batter to completely cover the swirl layer.
07 - Bake for 10-12 minutes or until donuts spring back when lightly pressed. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
08 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and pourable. Adjust consistency with additional milk if needed.
09 - Dip cooled donuts into the glaze, then immediately decorate with alternating purple, green, and gold sprinkles. Allow glaze to set before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • They are incredibly tender and moist, almost like cake but with that satisfying donut texture that makes everyone reach for seconds
  • The cinnamon swirl creates ribbons of sweetness throughout every bite, mimicking the traditional King Cake experience without any complicated braiding
  • You get the festive Mardi Gras colors in a fun handheld format that feels special but takes about 30 minutes from start to finish
02 -
  • Overfilling the donut cavities will cause them to lose their hole as they bake, so fill each one only about two thirds full
  • The glaze must be the right consistency or it will either run off completely or be too thick to dip properly, so add milk one tablespoon at a time
  • Let the donuts cool completely before glazing or the icing will melt right off and your beautiful sprinkles will slide right onto the counter
03 -
  • Warm your milk slightly before mixing it into the batter, which helps the melted butter incorporate smoothly instead of seizing up into tiny globules
  • If you do not have a donut pan, you can use a muffin tin but the baking time will increase to about 15 to 18 minutes

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