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PrintMardi Gras King Cake
15 servings
- 1/2 cup warm water (110 to 115°F)
- 2 packages active dry yeast
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 3 1/2 – 4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 cup warm milk
- 5 egg yolks
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter cut into slices and softened
- 1 tablespoon additional butter for bowl
- 1 egg slightly beaten with 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
Pour water into a small bowl and sprinkle with yeast and 2 teaspoons sugar. Stir. Set bowl in a warm place for ten minutes or until yeast bubbles up and mixture doubles in volume. Combine 3 1/2 cups of flour, 1/2 cup sugar, cardamom, allspice and salt, then sift into a large mixing bowl. Stir in lemon zest. Make a hole in the center and pour in yeast mixture and milk. Add egg yolks and using a hook attachment on the mixer or a wooden spoon slowly combine dry ingredients into the yeast/milk mixture. When mixture is smooth, beat in softened butter, 1 tablespoon at a time and continue to beat 2 minutes or until dough can be formed into a medium soft ball.
With hook attachment, knead dough for 10 minutes on medium speed or place ball of dough on a lightly floured surface and knead like bread. While kneading add up to 1 cup more flour (1 tablespoon at a time) sprinkled over the dough. When dough is no longer sticky, knead 5 minutes more until shiny and elastic.
Using a pastry brush, coat the inside of a large bowl evenly with one TB softened butter. Place dough ball in the bowl and rotate until the entire surface is buttered. Cover bowl and place in a warm spot for about 1 1/2 hours, or until the dough doubles in volume.
Remove dough from bowl and place on lightly floured surface. Using your fist, punch dough down with a heavy blow. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top, pat and form dough into a long rope. Pinch ends together to form a large circle. Cover dough with towel and set it in warm spot for 45 minutes until the circle of dough doubles in volume. Pre-heat oven to 375°F.
Brush top and sides of cake with egg wash and bake on middle rack of oven 25 to 35 minutes until golden brown. Place cake on wire rack to cool. Hide your trinket in the cake from the bottom.
Icing
- 3 cups confectioner's sugar
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- 3–6 TB water
- natural food colorings (green, purple and yellow)
Combine sugar, lemon juice and 3 TB water until smooth. If icing is too stiff, add more water until spreadable. Divide icing and color with food coloring, stirring well. Spread icing over top of cake. Ice cake in alternate colors, about 2 sections each color.
Nutrition Info
including icing
Per Serving (110g-wt.): 340 calories (80 from fat), 9g total fat, 5g saturated fat, 1g dietary fiber, 6g protein, 58g carbohydrate, 100mg cholesterol, 320mg sodium