Written By Recipe Coordinator

This traditional king cake recipe is a must have during Mardi Gras celebrations! King Cake colors are a a wonderful Mardi Gras tradition. Gold is for power. Purple is for justice. Green is for faith. Have a slice and wish all your loved ones a Happy Mardi Gras. Who came up with the baby Jesus?

 

For dough:

 

1/4 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)

 

1 envelope active dry yeast

 

1/4 cup warm milk (105 to 115 degrees)

 

1/2 cup butter, softened

 

2 tablespoons sugar

 

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

 

1/2 teaspoon salt

 

3 to 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

 

2 eggs

 

Red bean, pecan half or plastic baby

 

For cinnamon filling:

 

1/4 cup melted butter

 

1/3 cup packed light brown sugar

 

1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

 

For icing:

 

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

 

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

 

1 to 2 tablespoons milk

 

Purple, green and yellow food coloring

 

 

1. Place warm water in large warm bowl. Sprinkle in yeast; stir until dissolved.

 

2. Add warm milk, softened butter, sugar, nutmeg and salt; then add 1 cup flour; blend well.

 

3. Stir in eggs and enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.

 

4. Knead on lightly floured surface until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes.

 

5. Place in greased bowl, turning to grease surface of dough. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.

 

6. Punch down dough. Remove to lightly floured surface; roll to 30- by 9-inch rectangle.

 

7. Brush with melted butter; then sprinkle to within half-inch of edges with brown sugar and cinnamon.

 

8. Beginning at long end, roll up tightly as for jelly roll; pinch seam to seal.

 

9. With sharp knife, cut roll in half lengthwise; carefully turn halves so that the cut sides face up.

 

10. Twist halves together, keeping cut sides up so filling is visible. As you are twisting, place charm somewhere in the center of the dough.

 

11. Transfer dough to greased baking sheet. Shape into ring; pinch ends together to seal.

 

12. Cover; let rise in warm, draft-free place until doubled in size, about 20 to 40 minutes.

 

13. Bake at 350*F for 30 minutes, or until done. Remove from baking sheet and let cool on wire rack.

 

14. Mix all icing ingredients together until smooth; then divide into three small bowls and tint purple, green and gold.

 

15. Drizzle the three colors over the top of the cake.

 

Makes 1 ring loaf.

 

Recipe courtesy of Judy Walker and The Times-Picayune. Recipe published 2/10/2010.

Photo courtesy of southernliving.com.

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