Pastry Chef Lisa White's King Cake Recipe | Explore Louisiana

Ingredients

• 1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon, divided
• 1½ teaspoons orange zest, divided
• 1 cup whole milk, room temperature
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons dry yeast
• 3¾ cup all-purpose flour, divided, plus more for kneading
• 1 cup butter, melted
• 5 egg yolks, beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1¾ cups salted caramel sauce, divided
• 3 fresh bananas, sliced diagonally
• Mascarpone filling (recipe below)
• ¾ cup toasted pecans
• Praline glaze (recipe below)
• 2 to 3 sheets edible gold leaf
• 1 8-oz. container mascarpone cheese, room temperature
• 1 8-oz. package cream cheese, softened and at room temperature
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
• 1/2 cup praline liqueur
• 2 tablespoons molasses