Mardi Gras King Cake Donuts (Printable)

Tender cinnamon donuts glazed and adorned with vibrant Mardi Gras colors for a festive touch.

# What You'll 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 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1/2 cup whole milk
07 - 2 large eggs
08 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
09 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 - Zest of 1 lemon

→ Cinnamon Sugar Filling

11 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
12 - 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
13 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

→ Glaze

14 - 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
15 - 2-3 tablespoons whole milk
16 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Decoration

17 - Purple, green, and gold colored sanding sugars

# How to Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 375°F and grease a 12-cavity donut pan with cooking spray or butter.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon until well combined.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk milk, eggs, melted butter, vanilla extract, and lemon zest until fully incorporated.
04 - Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter.
05 - In a small bowl, mix melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon until smooth and set aside.
06 - Spoon half of the batter evenly into the donut pan cavities. Create a small ring of cinnamon sugar filling in each, then cover with remaining batter.
07 - Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until donuts spring back when lightly touched and edges are golden brown.
08 - Let donuts cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract in a bowl until smooth and reaches desired consistency.
10 - Dip tops of cooled donuts into the glaze. Immediately sprinkle with purple, green, and gold sugars in alternating sections to create King Cake stripes. Allow glaze to set before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • These baked donuts capture all the cinnamon sugar warmth of traditional King Cake but in half the time with half the mess
  • The tender crumb stays moist for days, making them perfect for sharing at Fat Tuesday celebrations or weekend brunch
  • That moment when you press the warm donuts into the glaze and watch the carnival colors scatter across the top feels like pure joy
02 -
  • Overmixing the batter will result in dense donuts, so stop as soon as the flour disappears
  • The glaze needs to be thick enough to coat the donuts but thin enough to dip smoothly, so adjust carefully
  • Work quickly when adding the colored sugars because the glaze starts setting almost immediately
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients blend more easily and create a more uniform batter
  • If your glaze is too thick, add milk one teaspoon at a time until it flows like warm honey
  • A piping bag makes filling the donut cavities much cleaner than using spoons

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