King Cake Recipe

Ingredients

• One ¼-oz. package active dry yeast
• ¼ cup sugar, divided
• ½ cup whole milk
• 2 Tbsp. light brown sugar
• ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 large egg plus 1 yolk
• 2¾ cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• ¾ tsp. kosher salt
• 8 Tbsp. unsalted butter, softened
• Two 8-oz. packages cream cheese
• ½ cup packed dark brown sugar
• ½ cup chopped pecans
• 2 Tbsp. cane syrup or maple syrup
• 2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1½ tsp. finely grated lemon zest
• ½ tsp. kosher salt
• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• ¼ cup buttermilk
• Green, gold, and purple sanding sugars, for garnish