King Cake Cinnamon Babka (Printable)

Sweet layered loaf featuring cinnamon and cream cheese with colorful sugar toppings.

# What You Need:

→ Dough

01 - 3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 2/3 cup whole milk, lukewarm
06 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - 1/3 cup unsalted butter, softened

→ Cinnamon Filling

09 - 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
10 - 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
11 - 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened

→ Cream Cheese Filling

12 - 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
13 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
14 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ Glaze and Decoration

15 - 1 cup powdered sugar
16 - 2 to 3 tablespoons milk
17 - Purple, green, and gold sanding sugars for decoration
18 - Plastic King Cake baby or almond, optional

# Directions:

01 - In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.
02 - Whisk together lukewarm milk, eggs, and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
03 - Beat in softened butter until dough is smooth and elastic, approximately 8 to 10 minutes.
04 - Place dough in a greased bowl, cover, and let rise in a warm spot until doubled in volume, approximately 1 to 1.5 hours.
05 - Mix brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir in softened butter until combined.
06 - Beat cream cheese with sugar and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
07 - Punch down risen dough. Roll out on a floured surface into a 16 by 12 inch rectangle.
08 - Spread cream cheese filling over dough, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Spread cinnamon filling evenly on top.
09 - Starting from the long side, roll dough tightly into a log.
10 - Slice the log lengthwise in half. Twist the two strands together, keeping cut sides up, and form into a loaf shape.
11 - Place twisted loaf into a greased 9 by 5 inch loaf pan. Cover and let rise until puffy, approximately 45 minutes.
12 - Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
13 - Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown and cooked through. If browning too quickly, tent with foil.
14 - Cool loaf in pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
15 - Whisk powdered sugar with milk to make a thick glaze. Drizzle over cooled loaf.
16 - Sprinkle with purple, green, and gold sanding sugars. Insert King Cake baby or almond if desired before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cream cheese and cinnamon layers create this unexpected tender-richness that makes it feel fancy without being fussy.
  • One loaf becomes a showstopper centerpiece, and people genuinely lose their minds over the twisted babka structure and colorful sugars.
  • It's impressive enough for celebrations but simple enough that a medium-level baker can nail it the first try.
02 -
  • Cold cream cheese will chunk up and refuse to blend smoothly—room temperature is non-negotiable, so pull it out at least an hour before you start.
  • The milk temperature matters more than you think; use a quick thermometer if you have one, because yeast dies above 120°F (49°C) and won't activate below 105°F (40°C).
  • When you twist those dough strands, keep the cut sides facing up so the layers actually show in the finished loaf—this is what makes it look like a bakery creation.
03 -
  • Use a stand mixer for this dough if you have one—hand mixing takes twice as long and your arms will feel it, plus the mixer's consistency beats what hands alone can achieve.
  • Cream cheese can be substituted with mascarpone for a slightly lighter, airier filling that's equally delicious and a tiny bit less rich.
  • Don't skip weighing your flour if you can—it eliminates so much of the guesswork that leads to dense, dry loaves, and it's genuinely the difference between good and great here.
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