King Cake Shot

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 12/10/21
King cake shot recipe with colored sugar rims

The Spruce / S&C Design Studios
Prep: 5 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 5 mins
Servings: 3 servings
Yield: 3 shots
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
126 Calories
1g Fat
11g Carbs
0g Protein
Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3
Amount per serving
Calories 126
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 1g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 2%
Cholesterol 2mg 1%
Sodium 2mg 0%
Total Carbohydrate 11g 4%
Dietary Fiber 0g 1%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 4mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 11mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Celebrate Mardi Gras with a round of King Cake shots. The recipe is simple and the flavor is utterly delicious. It even makes a round of three, so you can share with friends or work down the line yourself.

These shots replicate all the taste of a traditional King Cake. A cake-flavored vodka forms the base, a cream liqueur (either Irish cream or RumChata) gives it a luscious mouthfeel, and cinnamon schnapps offers a kick of spice. The shooters are poured into shot glasses rimmed with gold, green, and purple sugars for a festive and colorful touch. To make them even more irresistible, each one is topped with whipped cream and a dusting of nutmeg.

Ingredients

  • Gold, green, and purple sugar, for rimming

  • 1 1/2 ounces Irish cream liqueur, plus more for rimming

  • 1 1/2 ounces cake vodka

  • 1 1/2 ounces cinnamon schnapps

  • Whipped cream, for garnish

  • Ground nutmeg, for garnish

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for a King Cake Shot
    S&C Design Studios

  2. To begin rimming the glasses with sugar, dip the rim of 1 shot glass in a shallow dish of the cream liqueur. Let the excess drip off while the glass is still upside down.

    Rimming a Shot Glass for the King Cake Shooter
    S&C Design Studios

  3. Quickly dip the wet edge of the glass in a dish of the colored sugar. Ensure you get a nice, even coat all the way around. Tap off any excess sugar. Repeat with 2 more shot glasses, rolling one each in either the green, gold or purple sugars.

    Rimming a Shot Glass With Purple Sugar
    S&C Design Studios

  4. In a cocktail shaker, pour the vodka, cream liqueur, and cinnamon schnapps. Fill with ice.

    Mixing the King Cake Shot in a Cocktail Shaker
    S&C Design Studios

  5. Shake well.

    Shaking King Cake Shots
    S&C Design Studios

  6. Strain into the prepared shot glasses.

    Straining the King Cake Shots from a Cocktail Shaker
    S&C Design Studios

  7. Top with whipped cream and a sprinkle of ground nutmeg. Serve and enjoy.

    King Cake Shots With Colored Sugar Rims
    S&C Design Studios

Tips

  • It's easy to make colored sugar at home if you can't find the three colors at the store. Simply add four to five drops of food coloring to about 1/8 cup of white sugar. Stir with a fork until the sugar becomes one color, about 1 to 2 minutes. Lay the sugar out in a thin pile on waxed paper to dry overnight.
  • When using liquid food coloring, you will have to break up the resulting sugar cake into fine crystals again. A muddler makes quick work of that. Gel food coloring doesn't cake up as much.
  • You'll get the most vibrant colors if you can avoid mixing food coloring; use purple gel rather than blue and red liquid food coloring.
  • Fill each shot glass just below the sugar line. If the liquid touches homemade colored sugar, the color will run into the drink and look quite messy. This generally isn't a problem if the whipped cream touches the sugar.

Recipe Variations

  • If you prefer, any vodka with a sweet flavor can be used as a substitute for the cake vodka. Whipped cream vodkas are fun and a standard vanilla-flavored vodka is a nice choice as well. You can also pour lemon vodka (or limoncello) to replicate that lemon zest found in many King Cake recipes.
  • Amaretto is a good substitute for cinnamon schnapps. The flavor will change, of course, but it is a nice option if you don't have the schnapps in your bar.
  • Alternatively, pour a cinnamon-flavored whiskey, such as Fireball or Jim Beam Fire, instead of cinnamon schnapps.
  • If you really want to get in the King Cake spirit, drop a rum-soaked raisin in the bottom of each glass. Other trinkets that are typically hidden in King Cake—including nuts and coins—can be a choking hazard in a drink, but the raisin is a nice, relatively safe surprise.

How Strong Is the King Cake Shot?

The King Cake shots are deceptively delicious because their sweet taste masks the high alcohol content. Though it will vary depending on which brands you pour for the three liquors, on average this shot weighs in around 27 percent ABV (54 proof). It's not a straight shot of tequila, but it's also not as light as a grasshopper.

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