Gluten Free King Cake Inspired Mardi Gras Pound Cake

Laisses les bon temps rouler!

Let the good times roll with this decadent, King Cake-inspired pound cake recipe that's sure to bring the flavors of New Orleans your Mardi Gras celebration! Buttery and rich with notes of warm Maple Cinnamon, creamy almond, and nutty browned butter goodness, this King Cake-Inspired Mardi Gras Pound Cake is sure to become a fast favorite for your Fat Tuesday festivities.

Ingredients for Cake

• 1.5 cups 1:1 gluten free flour (we like Bob's Red Mill and King Arthur)
• 1.5 cups blanched almond flour (any brand without skins is fine)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
• 1 cup granulated sugar + 1 tablespoon reserved
• 2 tablespoons Station 1923 Maple Cinnamon All-Purpose Sweet Blend
• 10 tablespoons butter + 1 tablespoon reserved
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract (or as much as your heart desires)
• 2/3 cup buttermilk
• 4 eggs
• food coloring (purple, green, yellow; or red, blue, and yellow to DIY)

Ingredients for Glaze + Decorative Sugar

• 1 cup powdered/confectioner's sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons heavy cream
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon Station 1923 Maple Cinnamon All-Purpose Sweet Blend
• food coloring (purple, green, yellow; or red, blue, and yellow to DIY)

Things You'll Need

• Nonstick bundt pan
• Mixing bowls
• Whisk
• Spatula
• Hand mixer (optional, but recommended)
• Food-safe gloves (optional, but recommended to avoid staining)
• Silicone or pastry brush
• Small bowls
• Ziplock bags

Yes, this recipe is a little more involved than our go-to's, but we're baking today, family! Once you've gathered everything up, jump to the recipe steps. There's quite a few of them, but they're easy to follow!

Step 1: Brown The Butter

Browned butter is one of those game-changers for baking that only takes a few minutes, but can really take your baking game to the next level. It adds a nutty, caramel-esque flavor, thanks to the toasted milk solids — and all you need to make it happen is some butter, a sauce pan, and a rubber spatula!

To make browned butter for this gluten free King Cake-Inspired Mardi Gras Pound Cake, place your small sauce pan over a medium-low flame and add 10 tablespoons of butter, stirring intermittently for 4-6 minutes until the butter turns a light shade of golden brown and a beautiful caramelized aroma develops. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside until it begins to cool. Be careful not to let it burn, otherwise it'll turn bitter and unusable.

Tip: If you're using a thicker pan that retains heat for longer, transfer the browned butter to a dish or bowl to avoid continued cooking.

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients and Pre-Heat Oven

In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients (except sugar and Maple Cinnamon) with a whisk until fully incorporated. Set aside, and preheat your oven to 325°F.

Step 3: Combine Sugar and Wet Ingredients

In a separate bowl, combine sugar (except the 1 reserved tablespoon), Maple Cinnamon, browned butter (cooled), extracts, eggs, and buttermilk. Whisk vigorously or use a hand mixer until fully combined. Don't forget to set that reserved sugar and butter to the side!

Step 4: Combine it All

Using your spatula, gently fold wet ingredients into the dry mix, whisking by hand until fully combined. Be sure to not overmix the batter.

Step 5: Separate and Color

For this step, you'll need two additional bowls. Measuring by eye, divide the pound cake batter evenly across three bowls. In one bowl, add yellow food coloring (starting out with 5-6 drops) and whisk gently by hand until desired color is reached. Set aside and repeat for the two other bowls; one for purple, and another for green. 

If you don't have purple food coloring, start out with 5 drops of red and 5 drops of blue. Whisk gently until purple color forms. For a warmer purple, add more red. For a deeper, cooler purple, add more blue.

For green, follow similar steps as to above, starting out with 5 drops of yellow and 5 drops of blue. For a brighter green, add more yellow. For a deeper green, slowly add more blue until the desired color forms.

Step 6: Prep Bundt Pan

Grab that 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of sugar you set aside. Pop the butter into the microwave for about 20-30 seconds, until fully melted. Using your brush, spread the butter around until it coats the nooks and crannies of the bundt pan. 

Sprinkle the tablespoon of sugar around, using the brush to again spread the sugar (it's going to mix in with the butter and that's fine) around the bundt pan. This will help enhance the nonstick features of the bunt pan, so your cake will come out easier.

Alternatively, you can use cooking or baking spray (just watch out for gluten!)

Step 7: Layer in Batter

Going in a circle around the bunt pan, layer each color in one by one. Ideally, you should have enough batter to go around the bundt pan 2-3 times. Once all the bowls are empty, use a spatula to scrape the last of each color into the bundt pan.

Step 8: Bake

Once your oven is ready, put the pound cake in the oven and bake for about 55-60 minutes, or until a toothpick runs pretty clean. Once baked, remove and set aside to cool.

Step 9: Glaze and Sugar

While your King Cake Inspired Mardi Gras Pound Cake cools, the fun can begin! In a small bowl, whisk together your confectioner's sugar, extracts, and heavy cream. For a thicker glaze, add a bit more confectioner's sugar. For a thinner glaze, add more cream.

Next, take your cup of granulated sugar, mix it with the Station 1923 Maple Cinnamon All-Purpose Sweet Blend, and divide the mixture in to three small bowls. Following your color mixology steps from above, create yellow, purple, and green sugars by mixing sugar and food coloring together. Transfer each color to its own Ziplock bag and set aside.

Step 10: Assemble Cake

Once your cake has cooled, turn it out onto a dish or cooling rack. If using a cooling rack, make sure you put a dish or tray underneath to avoid making a mess when you pour the glaze.

Coat your cake in the glaze, pouring it around and allowing it to move through the ridges of the cake. Next, take your colored sugars and sprinkle throughout.

Step 11: Serve and Enjoy!

Now your gluten free King Cake Inspired Mardi Gras Pound Cake is ready to slice and serve!

Shop Station 1923 Maple Cinnamon All-Purpose Sweet Blend