King Cake With Strawberry and Cream Cheese Filling

Preparation

1. Step 1

   Prepare the dough: Activate the yeast by pouring the warm milk into the bowl of a stand mixer. Sprinkle the yeast on top, then whisk to combine. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes. (It will start to foam and bubble around the edges.) Add the melted butter, sugar, eggs, flour and salt. Attach the bowl to the stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low until combined and a mass of dough forms.

2. Step 2

   Increase the speed to medium and mix until the gluten fully develops and the dough is very elastic. After 10 minutes, do a windowpane test: Pinch off a small piece of dough and use your fingers to flatten it into a thin layer. Slowly stretch the dough until it forms a thin membrane through which light can pass. If it tears, continue to mix the dough and repeat the test every 2 minutes. Cover the bowl with plastic or a damp towel and set aside to proof until it doubles in size, 1 to 1½ hours.

3. Step 3

   While the dough is proofing, prepare the filling: In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar and cinnamon. In a separate bowl, combine the cream cheese, flour, powdered sugar and lemon zest; transfer the mixture to a piping bag or resealable plastic bag and set aside. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

4. Step 4

   Once the dough has doubled in size, tip it out onto a floured work surface. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough to a 12-by-26-inch rectangle. Cut the dough lengthwise in half so you have two 6-by-26-inch strips. Using a small offset spatula, evenly spread the softened butter in a thin layer onto both strips of dough, leaving a ½-inch border on all sides. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture on top and lightly press it into the dough.

5. Step 5

   If using a disposable piping bag, snip about ½ inch off the tip. Pipe the cream cheese mixture along one long side of each strip of dough. Dollop the strawberry jam a spoonful at a time onto both strips of the dough, alongside the cream cheese. Starting with the edge nearest the filling, carefully roll each piece of dough lengthwise into a log, pressing the dough together at the seams. Line up the two logs side by side and twist them into a braid.

6. Step 6

   Transfer the dough to the parchment-lined baking sheet and press the ends together to form a ring. Roll a piece of foil into a disk that’s at least 4 inches in diameter and place in the center of the dough ring. (This will keep the cake from rising and collapsing into its center during baking.) Cover the dough with plastic or a damp kitchen towel and set the aside to rise again.

7. Step 7

   Heat the oven to 350 degrees and place a rack in the center. Once the ring of dough appears puffy, about 30 minutes, place in the oven and bake until browned all over, 33 to 38 minutes. Remove from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool completely, about 20 minutes. Remove the foil disk from the center.

8. Step 8

   Once the cake has cooled, prepare the glaze: Sift powdered sugar into a bowl. Add lemon zest, lemon juice and vanilla and stir until completely smooth, adding more lemon juice as needed to make a thick but pourable glaze. Spoon the glaze on top of the cake, then, in sections, sprinkle the top of the cake with green, gold and purple sugar. Transfer the cake to a platter and serve. (The cake can be wrapped tightly and kept at room temperature for up to 4 days.)