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featured king cake cheesecake.

King Cake Cheesecake Recipe

Course: cheesecake, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Chill Time: 8 hours
Total Time: 11 hours
Servings: 12 slices
Calories: 711kcal
This colorful Mardi gras cheesecake is the perfect way to celebrate!
Print Recipe

Equipment

  • Kitchen Scale (optional)
  • 9-inch Springform Pan
  • Stand Mixer
  • Piping Tip Set

Ingredients

For the Crust

  • cups graham crackers 355 grams, from about 23 cracker sheets
  • 3 tablespoons brown sugar 40 grams
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter 113 grams, melted (1 stick)

For the Cheesecake

  • 24 ounces cream cheese 681 grams, room temperature (3 bricks)
  • ½ cup granulated sugar 100 grams
  • 14 ounces sweetened condensed milk 396 grams (1 can)
  • ¼ cup sour cream 57 grams, room temperature
  • 4 large eggs 200 grams, room temperature
  • tablespoons ground cinnamon 14 grams
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice 14 grams, from ½ lime
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 grams
  • 2 tablespoons cornstarch 14 grams
  • Food coloring green, yellow, and purple

For the Frosting

  • 1 cup powdered sugar 113 grams
  • 8 ounces cream cheese 227 grams, room temperature (1 brick)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon 6 grams
  • ½ cup unsalted butter 113 grams, room temperature (1 stick)
  • ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract 2 grams
  • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper and spray with nonstick spray. Set aside.
    ingredients for king cake cheesecake in individual bowls.

For the Crust

  • Whisk the graham cracker crumbs and brown sugar together in a medium-sized bowl. Add in the butter and stir until the mixture resembles wet sand.
    2½ cups graham crackers, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, 8 tablespoons unsalted butter
    cheesecake crust ingredients in a white bowl.
  • Press the crust mixture into the bottom and up the sides of the springform pan in as even of a layer as possible.
    graham cracker crust pressed into a springform pan.
  • Place the pan into the oven to bake for 15 minutes.
  • Once baked, remove from the oven and place onto a cooling rack to cool slightly while you make the cheesecake batter.
  • Increase the oven heat to 400°F.

For the Cheesecake

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the cream cheese and sugar together on high speed for 2 minutes to ensure that it is smooth and that no cream cheese lumps remain.
    24 ounces cream cheese, ½ cup granulated sugar
    cream cheese and sugar in a stainless mixing bowl.
  • Add in the sweetened condensed milk and sour cream and mix until fully combined. Be sure to scrape the sides of the bowl down after mixing in each ingredient.
    14 ounces sweetened condensed milk, ¼ cup sour cream
    sweetened condensed milk and sour cream added to creamed cream cheese and sugar in a stainless mixing bowl.
  • Add in the eggs, cinnamon, lime juice, vanilla, and salt and beat together for 30 seconds, then add in the cornstarch and stir for 30 seconds.
    4 large eggs, 1½ tablespoons ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon kosher salt, 2 tablespoons cornstarch
    eggs, cinnamon, lime juice, vanilla, and salt added to cheesecake batter in a stainless mixing bowl.
  • Divide the cheesecake batter evenly into 3 separate bowls (about 494 grams per bowl). Separately, add green, yellow, and purple food coloring to the cheesecake batters and mix well so that one bowl of batter is green, another yellow and a final bowl is purple.
    Food coloring
  • Pour half of the purple batter into the crust. Pour half of the green batter into the center of the purple batter then pour half of the yellow batter into the center of the green batter. Repeat these steps using up the remaining cheesecake batter.
    king cake cheesecake batter poured in rings into a graham cracker crust.
  • Wrap the bottom and sides of the springform pan with aluminum foil to prevent any water from seeping in. Place the wrapped springform pan into a larger baking pan or broiler pan. Fill the broiler pan with 1 inch of water to create a water bath.
    king cake cheesecake in a water bath.
  • Place the pans into the oven to bake for 15 minutes.
  • Reduce the oven heat to 250°F and allow the cheesecake to bake for 70 minutes.
  • Once baked, turn the heat off and leave the cheesecake in the oven with the door closed for 30 minutes. Prop the door open and let the cheesecake continue cooling for another 30 minutes.
  • After the hour, remove the cheesecake from the oven, unwrap the aluminum foil and place the springform pan onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
  • Once cooled, cover the springform pan with aluminum foil and place it into the refrigerator to chill for at least 8 hours or up to overnight.

For the Frosting

  • Once the cheesecake has chilled, make the frosting: Add all of the ingredients to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat together on low speed for 30 seconds, until the powdered sugar starts to become incorporated.
    1 cup powdered sugar, 8 ounces cream cheese, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ½ cup unsalted butter, ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    ingredients for king cake cheesecake frosting in a stainless mixing bowl.
  • Increase the mixer speed to high and beat for 1-2 minutes, or until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
    king cake cheesecake frosting in a stainless mixing bowl.
  • Spoon the frosting into a piping bag fitted with an open star tip.

For Assembly

  • To release the cheesecake, run a butter knife around the inside edge of the springform pan. Release the springform and remove the sides of the pan from around the cheesecake.
    overhead view of king cake cheesecake on a white cake stand.
  • Place the cheesecake onto a cake stand or serving platter. Pipe swirls of frosting onto the top of the cheesecake. Slice and serve.
    frosting piped over king cake cheesecake on a white cake stand.

Notes

  • For a slightly different flavor, use vanilla wafers or Golden Oreos in the crust.
  • You can use granulated sugar in the crust instead of brown sugar.
  • ⅔ cup heavy cream can be used instead of the sweetened condensed milk.
  • Plain yogurt can be used instead of sour cream.
  • All-purpose flour can be used in place of the cornstarch; simply increase the amount used to 2½ tablespoons.
  • When making the cheesecake, be sure to beat the cream cheese well at the beginning to ensure that it is smooth. If, when the cheesecake batter is complete, you still have lumps, simply press them against the side of the bowl using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula.
  • Use room temperature ingredients for best results.
  • Do not overmix the cheesecake batter as it will add air and result in uneven baking and can cause it to crack at the end.
  • Be sure to leave the cheesecake in the oven for the hour after baking to rest. This allows the cheesecake to set, thus preventing or at least lowering the chances that the cheesecake top cracks.
  • Once the cheesecake is baked, placing it onto a cooling rack allows all of the cheesecake to be exposed to the air to cool more quickly. However, you can place the cheesecake onto a hot pad to cool, it may just take a little longer.
Storage: Store king cake cheesecake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 711kcal | Carbohydrates: 60g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 49g | Saturated Fat: 28g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 13g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 193mg | Sodium: 674mg | Potassium: 302mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 47g | Vitamin A: 1698IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 217mg | Iron: 1mg