King Cake with Frangipane
King Cake with Frangipane is a medium French recipe that serves 8. 725 calories per serving. Recipe by Oum Arwa on YouTube.
Prep: 1 hr 25 min | Cook: 35 min | Total: 2 hrs 15 min
Cost: $8.76 total, $1.10 per serving
Ingredients
- 2 rolls (≈500 g) Thick puff pastry (prefer thick, 25 cm diameter)
- 125 ml Whole milk (for the pastry cream)
- 30 g Granulated sugar (for the pastry cream)
- 100 g Granulated sugar (for the almond cream)
- 1 bean or 1 tsp Vanilla bean or extract (or vanilla sugar)
- 15 g Cornstarch (for the pastry cream)
- 1 units Egg yolk (for the pastry cream)
- 110 g Unsalted butter (100 g for the frangipane, 10 g for the pastry cream)
- 2 small Eggs (for the almond cream)
- 100 g Almond powder (for the frangipane)
- 1 tsp Liquid fresh cream (for the glaze (or milk))
- 20 g Sugar (syrup) (for the glaze)
- 20 g Water (syrup) (for the glaze)
Instructions
Prepare the pastry cream
In a bowl, mix the milk, sugar, vanilla, cornstarch and egg yolk. Pour the mixture into a saucepan off the heat, stir, then place over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened.
Time: PT15M
Temperature: Low heat
Incorporate the butter into the pastry cream
Remove the saucepan from the heat, add 10 g of unsalted butter and mix until fully dissolved. Transfer the cream to a bowl, cover in contact with plastic wrap and let cool at room temperature or in the refrigerator.
Time: PT10M
Prepare the frangipane
In a large bowl, cream 100 g of softened butter with 100 g of sugar until a pale paste forms. Add the 2 eggs one at a time, mixing well. Incorporate 100 g of almond powder, then add 140 g of cooled pastry cream. Mix until a homogeneous texture is achieved without incorporating too much air.
Time: PT10M
Prepare the pastry discs
On a lightly floured work surface, cut two circles of puff pastry 25 cm in diameter. Moisten the edge of the first disc with a little water (about 2 cm from the edge) to facilitate sealing.
Time: PT5M
Fill the first disc
Pour the frangipane in the centre of the first disc leaving a 2 cm border. Smooth the surface with a spatula.
Time: PT5M
Assemble and seal the cake
Place the second pastry disc on the filling. Lightly moisten the edges, then press firmly to seal. Trim the excess and decorate the edges with a knife or fingers.
Time: PT5M
Chill the cake
Place the assembled cake on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes so the puff pastry stays cold before baking.
Time: PT20M
Glaze and decorate
Beat the egg yolk with the fresh cream (or a little milk). Brush the surface of the cake, avoiding the edges. Decorate with patterns (spikes, stripes, etc.) using a brush or a fork.
Time: PT5M
Preheat the oven
Preheat the oven to 200 °C using static heat (no fan).
Time: PT10M
Temperature: 200°C
Bake the cake
Bake the cake on the lower rack and cook 30‑35 minutes until the pastry is golden and the frangipane is set. At the end of baking, lightly pierce the centre with a skewer to release steam.
Time: PT35M
Temperature: 200°C
Apply the shine syrup
In a small saucepan, bring 20 g of sugar and 20 g of water to a boil for 5 minutes. Brush the still‑warm cake with this syrup to give it shine.
Time: PT5M
Temperature: Medium heat
Let cool and serve
Remove the cake from the oven, let it cool for 5 minutes, then cut into 8 equal slices. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Time: PT5M
Nutrition Facts
- Calories
- 725
- Protein
- 8 g
- Carbohydrates
- 41 g
- Fat
- 44 g
- Fiber
- 5 g
Dietary info: vegetarian, contains nuts, contains gluten, high-fiber
Allergens: gluten, milk, eggs, almonds
Ingredient Substitutions
- Instead of Thick puff pastry: classic puff pastry
- Instead of Whole milk: semi‑skimmed milk, almond milk
- Instead of Granulated sugar: cane sugar
- Instead of Granulated sugar: cane sugar
- Instead of Vanilla bean or extract: vanilla extract
- Instead of Cornstarch: potato starch
- Instead of Egg yolk: whole egg (use the white separately)
- Instead of Unsalted butter: vegetable margarine
- Instead of Eggs: medium chicken eggs
- Instead of Almond powder: almond flour
- Instead of Liquid fresh cream: milk
- Instead of Sugar (syrup): powdered sugar
Equipment Needed
- Saucepan
- Whisk
- Mixing bowl
- Kitchen scale
- Pastry bag or freezer bag
- Baking sheet
- Oven
- Kitchen brush
- Knife or cookie cutter
- Plastic wrap (optional)
- Silicone spatula (optional)
- Oven thermometer (optional)
Critical Steps — Do Not Skip
- Thicken the pastry cream properly without it sticking
- Seal the two pastry discs hermetically to avoid frangipane leaks
- Chill the cake before baking so the layers develop
- Bake at 200 °C until golden without burning
Chef Tips from the Video
- Use thick puff pastry for a lighter, airier puff
- Add a pinch of almond flower to the frangipane for a stronger aroma
- For an elegant decorative pattern, draw lines with the back of a knife before sealing the edges
Troubleshooting
The pastry cream forms lumps
Blend the cream with an immersion blender or strain before adding the butter
The puff pastry does not rise, stays flat
Make sure the dough was well chilled before baking and the oven was preheated to 200 °C
Frangipane leaks between the two discs
Moisten the edges and pinch the seam well; add a slight extra pastry rim if needed
Storage
Refrigerator: Store the cake in an airtight container for up to 2 days
Freezer: Wrap each slice in plastic wrap then freeze for up to 1 month
Room temperature: Can stay at room temperature for 2 hours, then refrigerate
Make-Ahead Tips
- Prepare the pastry cream the day before and keep it refrigerated
- Frangipane keeps for 24 h in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap
- The assembled cake can be frozen before baking and baked directly in a hot oven (add 5 min baking time)
Last updated: August 21, 2026
