King Cake Recipe

The King Cake is derived from a cake eaten in southern France which is a brioche ring called gateau de rois. It is a seasonal specialty associated with the carnival season that begins on January 6^th and ends on Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday, the day before the beginning of Lent. Parties are held throughout this time and King Cake is usually served. There is usually a bean, nut, or even small porcelain figure (a baby, some type of animal, etc.) that is baked inside of the cake. During the party, if you are the one that is served the piece of cake that contains this surprise, it is your responsibility to host the party next year. If you want to include the surprise (like an uncooked bean) in your King Cake, place it inside the cake in step #7 in the recipe below.

Ingredients:
Cake:

½ cup lukewarm water

2 packages active dry yeast

2 tspn granulated sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

4 ½ cup flour

1 tspn ground nutmeg

2 tspn salt

1 tspn finely grated fresh lemon peel

½ cup lukewarm milk

5 egg yolk

8 tbsp butter cut into ½ inch pieces and softened

2 tbsp butter softened

¼ cup of granulated sugar

1 tspn ground cinnamon

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 tbsp milk

Icing:

yellow, green, and purple sanding sugar

¼ cup butter

2 cups confectioners sugar

1 tspn vanilla extract

2 tbsp milk


Preparation:

Cake:

1. Pour the lukewarm water into a small bowl and add the 2 tspn of granulated sugar. Stir in the 2 packages of active dry yeast until they are dissolved. Set aside bowl in a warm location for about 10 minutes.
2. In a large mixing bowl, add 3 ½ cups of flour, ½ cup granulated sugar, the nutmeg, and the salt. Next, add the grated lemon peal to the flour mixture and mix together all of these ingredients until the are well combined.
3. Make a small well in the middle of the flour mixture and pour in the yeast mixture along with the ½ cup of lukewarm milk. Stir together these ingredients.
4. Add the 5 egg yolks to the flour mixture and stir. Next add the 8 tbsp of soft butter one tablespoon at a time. The dough will form a soft ball.
5. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough and slowly add 1 cup more of flour to the dough one tablespoon at a time. You want the dough to be smooth, elastic and not sticky.
6. Use an additional tablespoon of butter to grease a large bowl. Form the dough into a ball and place it in the bowl covered with a kitchen towel. Place the bowl in a warm place for 1 ½ hours.
7. Use the remaining tablespoon of butter to grease a baking sheet. In a small bowl, mix together ¼ cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Form the dough so that it is about 14 to 16 inches long and 6 inches wide. Sprinkle the cinnamon and sugar mixture along a 2 inch band in the middle of the dough. Then fold the dough over the cinnamon so that you end up with a piece of dough that is about 14 inch long and 3 inches wide. Form a ring with this dough and place it on the baking sheet. Cover the dough with a dish towel and let it rest in a warm place for about 45 minutes.
8. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In a small bowl, mix together the egg and the tablespoon of milk. Brush the dough on the baking sheet with the egg mixture. Place the baking sheet on the middle rack of the oven and bake the cake for 25 minutes.
9. Remove the cake from the oven and slide it onto a wire rack to cool to room temperature.

Icing:

1. Construct the icing by combining the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk in a sauce pan. Stir these ingredients over medium-low heat until they form a smooth white icing.
2. Drizzle over cake then immediately spring the 3 colors of sanding sugars in 1/3 sections of the cake.