King Cake is a yummy tradition for Mardi Gras and is many people’s favorite tradition. Delicious cakes, a tiny baby hidden inside, and the excitement of seeing who has to bring next year’s cake are all a part of the fun. Join in this year by making your own following this recipe from AllRecipes!
Ingredients for King Cake
For your pastry, have one cup of milk, ¼ cup of butter, ⅔ cup of warm water, ⅓ cup of white sugar, 2 packets of yeast packages, two eggs, one and ½ teaspoons salt, ½ teaspoon of freshly ground nutmeg, and five and ½ cups all-purpose flour.
For your filling, gather one cup of packed brown sugar, ⅔ cup of chopped pecans, ½ cup of all-purpose flour, ½ cup of raisins, one tablespoon of ground cinnamon, and ½ a cup of melted butter. For your glaze, get one cup of confectioners sugar and one tablespoon of water. Plus, a plastic baby figurine.
How to Make King Cake
Start with your pastry. Scald milk over medium heat and stir in butter off the heat. Let this cool to room temperature. Next, stir warm water, one tablespoon of white sugar, and yeast in a large bowl and leave for 10 minutes. Add the milk and water mixtures together and whisk in the eggs. Stir in white sugar, salt, and nutmeg. Beat the flour one cup at a time into the mixture. Once dough forms, knead for eight to 10 minutes on a lightly floured surface.
Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and turn to coat. Cover the dough with plastic wrap for two hours. When it has doubled in size, divide the dough in half. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and grease two cookie sheets. Combine brown sugar, pecans, flour, raisins, and cinnamon for filling. Top with melted butter and mix until a crumbly texture.
Roll both dough pieces into 10 by 16 rectangles and sprinkle the filling. Roll the dough pieces tightly, and bring the ends together to make two ovals. Put rings on their own cookie sheet and make ⅓ cuts at one-inch intervals with scissors. Let the rings rise in a warm spot for 45 minutes. Bake for 30 minutes and mix the confectioner’s sugar and water in a bowl until smooth for the glaze. Push the baby into the warm cake and top with glaze.
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How to Store King Cake
You can store your King Cake for three days at room temperature in an air-tight container. Or, you can freeze the King Cake if unfrosted. Freeze individual pieces in storage wrap and at least one layer of aluminum foil for three months.
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