It seems like Mardi Gras is early this year. Fat Tuesday and Valentine’s day all in one week is a bit overwhelming, but all will be calm next week! If you still haven’t made your King Cake yet, don’t worry, you’ve got all afternoon!
This year I’m doing a cherry filling for the cake. I’m actually delivering this one to my husband’s work. The kids will have theirs after our pancake supper.
I’m pretty sure that I write about King Cake every year, but I’m not sure if I’ve mentioned my tip on colored sugar. King Cake takes a ton of purple, gold and green sugar. You would probably need to use one full bottle of sprinkles for each color to top the cake. That can make for an expensive snack. If you want to make your own colored sugar, just add a couple of drops of food coloring into a Ziploc bag with granulated sugar, and shake it up. You’ll get the same effect for pennies!
King Cake
Ingredients:
Cake:
- 1 c. lukewarm milk
- 1/2 c. granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp. yeast
- 1 cup melted butter
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 3 3/4 c. flour
Topping:
- Powdered Sugar
- Milk
- Purple, Yellow and Green sprinkles
Instructions:
- For the cake, pour the warm milk into the bowl of a large mixer. Whisk in the granulated sugar and yeast, mixing until both the sugar and the yeast have dissolved.
-
Once bubbles have developed on the surface of the milk and it begins to foam, whisk in the butter, egg, and vanilla. Add the flour and fold into the wet ingredients with the dough hook of the mixer.
-
Mix the dough for about 5 minutes.
-
Cover the dough with a warm towel and set aside in a draft-free place to let it proof, or rise, for 1 1/2 hours or until the dough has doubled in volume.
-
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Once the dough has risen, punch it down and roll it into a rectangle. Spread the filling on the dough, leaving about an inch around all the edges. Roll the dough cinnamon roll style, seal edges and form a ring. Let it rise until it doubles in size, about 30 minutes.
- Bake for 30 minutes until cake is golden brown. Let cool.
- While cake is cooling, prepare glaze by combining powdered sugar and milk.
- Top the glaze with huge amounts of gold, green and purple sugar.
- Don’t forget to insert the plastic baby before serving!
- Cake:
- 1 c. lukewarm milk
- ½ c. granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp. yeast
- 1 cup melted butter
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- 3¾ c. flour
- Topping:
- Powdered Sugar
- Milk
- Purple, Yellow and Green sprinkles
- For the cake, pour the warm milk into the bowl of a large mixer. Whisk in the granulated sugar and yeast, mixing until both the sugar and the yeast have dissolved.
- Once bubbles have developed on the surface of the milk and it begins to foam, whisk in the butter, egg, and vanilla. Add the flour and fold into the wet ingredients with the dough hook of the mixer.
- Mix the dough for about 5 minutes.
- Cover the dough with a warm towel and set aside in a draft-free place to let it proof, or rise, for 1½ hours or until the dough has doubled in volume.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Once the dough has risen, punch it down and roll it into a rectangle. Spread the filling on the dough, leaving about an inch around all the edges. Roll the dough cinnamon roll style, seal edges and form a ring. Let it rise until it doubles in size, about 30 minutes.
- Bake for 30 minutes until cake is golden brown. Let cool.
- While cake is cooling, prepare glaze by combining powdered sugar and milk.
- Top the glaze with huge amounts of gold, green and purple sugar.
- Don’t forget to insert the plastic baby before serving!
Katie
/ February 12, 2013I made a king cage most years since moving here but the last two my mom has come in from Louisiana and brought one. I have the giant fancy central market sugars and don’t get overboard and have used them for several king cakes with plenty left. The glaze is sweet enough I don’t go overboard on sugars.
Lisa @ Crazy Adventures in Parenting
/ February 12, 2013I totally forgot to do this lol bookmarking your recipe though, maybe for this weekend?
Kozue
/ February 12, 2013I’ve heard of Mardi Gras, and Fat Tuesday, but I didn’t really know what it was about until I saw your post and looked it up. So, it’s a French Tradition! I learned something new today!
Julie B
/ February 13, 2013I actually work with your husband and this cake was delicious! Thank you for making it for us…and thank you for the recipe! Can’t wait to check out your blog.