Getting ready for Fat Tuesday? Be sure to make this gluten free king cake for your festivities. It's like a giant colorful cinnamon roll ready to be shared with your friends and family!
Put all of the dough ingredients in the order in which they appear in the bowl of a stand mixer. Mix or knead on medium speed for 5 minutes. Cover and let proof until doubled in size. Refrigerate overnight.
Make the Pecan Praline Filling
Add the butter to a skillet over medium heat and let melt. Add the rest of the ingredients for the praline filling and stir until the sugar is melted, approximately 2 minutes. Pour into a small bowl and let sit until cool. It will harden upon sitting and can be crumbled.
Make the Cream Cheese Filling
Beat cream cheese, powdered sugar, and vanilla in medium bowl until smooth. If desired, fill a pastry bag with the filling and cut an opening of about one inch. Set aside.
Assemble
Roll out the dough into a 9 by 12-inch, ½-inch thick rectangle. Sprinkle the pecan praline filling in a line about one inch from the top border of the dough (the long side). Pipe or dollop the cream cheese filling on top of the praline. Fold the dough over the filling and pinch to seal. Roll the rest of the dough like you would a cinnamon roll and pinch the seam to seal.
Using your fingers, gently squeeze and stretch the dough cylinder until it is long enough to create a 8 to 9-inch oval shape. Open up one end and tuck the other end into it and seal those edges.
Place it on a parchment-lined baking sheet and cover loosely with plastic wrap. Allow to rise until nearly doubled in size. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Bake the King Cake
Bake the king cake for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.
Make the Glaze
While the cake is baking, mix together all glaze ingredients, only pouring in a little of the milk at a time, until a thick paste forms. I would not suggest using a whisk if you are making your glaze thick (your whisk may break or the icing will clump up inside of it). Use a silicone spatula instead.
When the cake comes out of the oven, immediately spoon the glaze over the warm cake and quickly sprinkle the colored sugars in a purple, green, and gold pattern on top of the glaze. Serve immediately or at room temperature.
This king cake, while best eaten the day it is made, will keep very well covered at room temperature for up to 5 days. It remains soft, but you can also reheat it in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
Notes
Keyword Gluten Free, gluten free king cake, king cake, mardi gras