The story of this preparation

I made this for Mardi Gras. It's fun to color sugar brightly and decorate it. I didn't do a filling for this one, but I might try that next time.

What this moment held

Moment

Holiday or season

Why this version matters

Documenting for later

Recipe snapshot

Servings: 8
Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

160 g (1/2 cup) milk
113 g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter
1 large egg + 2 large egg yolks
100 g (3/4 cup) bubbly, active sourdough starter
24 g (2 tbsp) sugar
300 g (2 1/2 cups) all-purpose flour
3 g (1/2 tsp) salt
Oil, for the bowl
28 g (2 tbsp) butter, melted (for brushing)
Colored sugar or icing for decoration (optional)
120 g (1 cup) powdered sugar
1–2 tbsp milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 tbsp granulated sugar for each color
Food coloring

Directions

Feed Your Starter

Feed your sourdough starter the day before baking to make sure it’s bubbly and active.
Make the Dough

Warm the milk and 85 g (6 tbsp) of butter in a small saucepan or microwave. Let it cool slightly.
Make the Dough

Add the egg, egg yolks, sourdough starter, and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix to combine. With the mixer running, slowly pour in the warm milk mixture. Add the flour and salt, mixing until a rough dough forms, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Cover with a damp towel and let it rest for 30 minutes.
Knead the Dough

Knead on medium-low speed for about 6 to 8 minutes or until the dough separates from the sides and bottom of the bowl. The dough should be soft, smooth, and slightly tacky. If it’s too sticky, sprinkle a bit more flour to adjust the consistency.
Bulk Rise

Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with a damp towel and let rise at room temperature until doubled in size, about 8 to 10 hours or overnight.
Shape the Dough

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Shape the Dough

Dump the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Let it rest for 5–10 minutes. Roll the dough into a large rectangle, about 15 x 10 inches (38 x 25 cm). Roll it into a tight log, seam side down. Transfer to your prepared sheet pan, shaping it into a ring. Let it rest for 5 to 10 minutes.
Second Rise

Brush the surface and sides of the dough with melted butter. Cover and let rest until puffy, about 1 hour.
Bake the Brioche

Place the cake in the preheated oven and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown. You can optionally cover with a large roasting pan, sprayed with water, to provide a moist environment. Reduce the heat to 350°F (180°C), remove the cover if using, and continue baking for another 10 to 15 minutes. The cake should be golden brown and hollow-sounding when tapped.
Decorate and Serve

Once the cake has cooled, you can decorate it with a glaze and colored sugar. I brush the bread again with melted butter, drizzle on some glaze, pat on the sugar, and drizzle with glaze again.
How to Make Colored Sugar

Combine regular granulated sugar with a few drops of food coloring.
How to Make Colored Sugar

Stir until the sugar is evenly colored. You can also shake the sugar and food coloring together in a small resealable bag.
How to Make Colored Sugar

Let it dry for 10 minutes before using.
How to Make the Glaze

In a small bowl, whisk together 120 g (1 cup) powdered sugar with 1–2 tbsp milk to reach your desired consistency.
How to Make the Glaze

Add 1 tsp of vanilla extract for flavor.
How to Make the Glaze

Drizzle the glaze over the cooled cake.

Recipe notes

Feed the starter before baking and give the dough enough time to rise before shaping.

What changed

Changes from last time

This version uses sourdough starter in a brioche-style dough and keeps the filling simple with optional glaze and colored sugar.

Remember next time

Consider trying a cinnamon, pecan, jam, or cream cheese filling in a future version.

Sourdough King Cake

The story of this preparation

What this moment held