Best Mardi Gras Kings Cake Optional Bread Machine Version Recipes

KING CAKE IN A BREAD MACHINE

Steps:

• Place the warm water, salt, softened butter, egg, sour cream, 3 1/2 tablespoons of sugar, flour, and yeast into a bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer, select the dough cycle, and start the machine. Check the dough after about 5 minutes of mixing, and add 1 to 2 more tablespoons of water or flour if the dough is too dry or wet.
• Mix 1/4 cup of sugar, the cinnamon, 2 1/2 tablespoons of melted butter together in a bowl. Grease a baking sheet, and set aside.
• When the dough cycle is finished, remove the dough and roll out to a 10x28-inch rectangle on a floured surface. Spread the cinnamon-butter mixture over the dough, and sprinkle on an even layer of pecans. Pick up one of the long edges, and roll the dough into a 28-inch long log.
• Place the rolled dough onto the prepared baking sheet, seam side down, and form the dough into a ring. Moisten the ends of the dough with a little water; pinch the two ends together to seal. Cover the dough ring with a cloth or greased plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 30 minutes.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Bake the cake in the preheated oven until the top is golden brown, about 15 minutes.
• Mix the confectioners' sugar, 1 1/2 tablespoons of melted butter, vanilla extract, and just enough milk to make a smooth but not thin glaze.
• Remove the cake from the oven, and cool for about 10 minutes on a wire rack. While the cake is still warm, spoon the glaze onto the cake, allowing drips of glaze to dribble down the sides of the cake. Immediately sprinkle the cake with alternating bands of purple, green, and yellow colored sugar. Allow the cake to cool completely before serving.

QUICK MARDI GRAS KING CAKE

Steps:

• Mix 2 1/2 cups flour and yeast in mixing bowl of stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, on low for about 30 seconds.
• Heat milk, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and milk is between 120°F to 130°F.
• With mixer on low, pour in liquids and mix until incorporated. Add eggs one at a time. Continue mixing until a shaggy dough forms. Clean off paddle and switch to dough hook. Mix in the remaining 1 cup flour a little at a time, adding more or less flour as needed to make a soft dough. Add the softened butter, a piece at a time, kneading until each piece of butter is absorbed.
• Knead for eight minutes on low. The dough should completely clear the sides of the bowl. If it is too sticky, add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing in thoroughly before determining if more flour is needed. If the dough seems too dry, spritz with water from a spray bottle a couple of times, mixing in thoroughly before determining if more water is needed. Every 2 minutes, stop the machine, scrape the dough off the hook, and then continue kneading.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times by hand to be sure it's smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a ball. Place dough into a greased bowl. Turn once so greased surface is on top. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• While the dough is chilling, make cinnamon filling. In small bowl, combine the brown sugar and ground cinnamon. Combine butter with cinnamon mixture and mix well.
• Roll the chilled dough into a 10 x 20 inch rectangle. Spread the filling on half of the long side of the dough. Fold the dough in half covering the filling. Pat dough down firmly so the dough will stick together. Cut dough into three long strips. Press the tops of the strips together and braid the strips. Press the ends together at the bottom. Gently stretch the braid so that it measures 20 inches again. Shape it into a circle/oval and press the edges together.
• Transfer the ring to a parchment lined or greased baking sheet. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled, about 1 hour. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350°. Bake the cake until it is golden brown, 20 - 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes on baking sheet and then place it on a cooling rack to cool completely before icing. To hide the baby in the cake, if desired, make a small slit in the bottom of the cake and put the miniature plastic baby in after the cake has cooled.
• Icing: In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth (add additional milk if mixture is too thick or powdered sugar if too thin).
• Spoon icing over top of the cake. Immediately sprinkle on colored sugar, alternating between the three colors.

MARDI GRAS KING CAKE

Steps:

• Combine butter or margarine, evaporated milk, granulated sugar, and salt in a small saucepan.
• Heat slowly until butter is melted; cool to lukewarm.
• Beat four of the eggs in a large bowl with a wire whip; stir in milk mixture.
• Sprinkle yeast and 1 teaspoon sugar into warm water in a cup.
• Stir until yeast dissolves; allow to stand until mixture bubbles (approximately ten minutes).
• Add to egg mixture, blending well.
• Add lemon and orange rind.
• Mix flour into egg mixture, one cup at a time to make a stiff dough.
• Turn out onto a lightly floured pastry cloth or board; knead until smooth and elastic (about ten minutes), adding only enough extra flour to keep the dough from sticking.
• Place in a large greased bowl; turn dough to coat all over with shortening.
• Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk.
• Punch down; knead a few times and divide in half.
• Using the palms of your hands, roll half into a 20" rope; lift ends and twist loosely one or two times.
• Place on a large greased cookie sheet in a half circle.
• Repeat with the other half of the dough, pinching the ends of the ropes together to form a large ring about 12 inches in diameter.
• Lift the ring slightly at one side and push the bean about an inch into the dough from the bottom.
• Cover and let rise again until double.
• While the dough rises, beat remaining egg in a small bowl and brush over dough.
• Preheat the oven to 375F during the second rising.
• Bake for 30 minutes, or until a golden brown and the bread gives a hollow sound when tapped.
• Slide carefully from the baking sheet to a wire rack; cool thoroughly.
• Before serving, mix the powdered sugar slowly with water until smooth and of drizzling consistency (you should only need a couple of tablespoonsful of water).
• Drizzle over the ring and decorate with candied citron and sprinkles.

MARDI GRAS KING CAKE

Steps:

• Scald milk, remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of butter. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water with 1 tablespoon of the white sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• When yeast mixture is bubbling, add the cooled milk mixture. Whisk in the eggs. Stir in the remaining white sugar, salt and nutmeg. Beat the flour into the milk/egg mixture 1 cup at a time. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.
• Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours. When risen, punch down and divide dough in half.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 2 cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.
• To Make Filling: Combine the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, chopped pecans, 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup raisins. Pour 1/2 cup melted butter over the cinnamon mixture and mix until crumbly.
• Roll dough halves out into large rectangles (approximately 10x16 inches or so). Sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough and roll up each half tightly like a jelly roll, beginning at the wide side. Bring the ends of each roll together to form 2 oval shaped rings. Place each ring on a prepared cookie sheet. With scissors make cuts 1/3 of the way through the rings at 1 inch intervals. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.
• Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Push the doll into the bottom of the cake. Frost while warm with the confectioners' sugar blended with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water.

MARDI GRAS KING CAKE

Steps:

• FOR THE CAKE:.
• Gently heat the milk to a warm body temperature (about 100 degrees). In a small bowl, whisk the warm milk with the yeast and sugar. Set aside for 5 to 10 minutes until bubbly.
• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the creme fraiche, eggs and vanilla extract. Mix on low to combine. Add the yeast mixture, melted butter and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt.
• On low speed, add the flour one cup at a time, and mix until the dough comes together. It's okay if it's not completely smooth, there is more kneading to come!
• Remove the dough from the bowl, and place on a large counter or work surface. Divide the dough into 3 equal portions. Working with one portion at a time, add desired amount food coloring and knead by hand to distribute evenly. This will take some time, and it's okay if the color is streaky - it's more important that the dough is smooth. Well-fitted disposable gloves are great to prevent staining your hands.
• Place the colored dough balls into three small, greased bowls and cover with plastic wrap. Let them rise for 45 minutes to an hour in a warm spot. The dough is ready when it is almost doubled in size.
• In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, ground cinnamon and 1 teaspoon kosher salt.
• Lightly flour the work surface and roll each dough portion out to roughly 18 by 6-inch rectangles. Evenly scatter the brown sugar filling over each rectangle. Roll each piece of dough into a spiraled log, like a cinnamon bun, moistening the end with water to seal.
• Once all three pieces are rolled, joint the ends of all three together with some water and braid the logs together. Move the braid to a parchment lined baking sheet and form the braid into a large ring, joining the ends together by firmly pressing them together with warm water.
• Cover the sheet with plastic wrap and let rise for 20 to 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
• Once the ring has puffed slightly, bake at 375 degrees F for 30 to 35 minutes. It should be golden brown on top, and not gooey when poked with a knife. Let cool.
• FOR THE ICING:.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla extract and salt until smooth. Add the warm water. Divide the icing into three portions and tint with the desired amount of food coloring.
• Ice the cooled cake as desired. To get a stringy effect, use 3 piping bags with very small tips and zig zag the icing over the cake alternating the colors.

MARDI GRAS KING CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven 350 degrees F. Combine the yeast, sugar, and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a dough hook. Add the milk and with the mixer on low speed, beat the mixture for about 4 minutes to dissolve the yeast. Gradually add yolks to the yeast mixture.
• In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, nutmeg, and lemon zest. Add this mixture to the yeast mixture. Mix on low speed until it lightly comes together, then increase the speed to medium and beat until the mixture pulls away from the sides of the bowl, forms a ball, and climbs slightly up the dough hook. Remove the dough from the bowl.
• Coat the dough with the remaining teaspoon of vegetable oil. Return the dough to the bowl and turn it to oil all sides. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, set in a warm, draft-free place, and let rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.
• Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and 1/2 cup powdered sugar. Mix well.
• In another small bowl, combine the remaining powdered sugar, lemon juice and milk. Mix well and set aside.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Roll the dough out 30 inches long and 6 inches in diameter. Spread the cream cheese filling across the center of the dough. Bring the two long edges together and seal all sides completely. Using your hands shape the dough into a long cylinder and place on a greased baking sheet, seam side down. Shape the dough into a ring.
• Place a clean well-greased (free of all paper, etc.) 2 pound coffee can or shortening can in the center of the ring to maintain the shape during baking.
• Press the baby (small plastic doll) into the ring from the bottom so that it is completely hidden by the dough. Cover the ring with a towel and place in a warm, draft free place. Let the dough rise for about 45 minutes or until the dough doubles in size.
• With a sharp knife, make several slits around the top of the ring. Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown.
• After baking remove the coffee can immediately. Allow the cake to cool. Drizzle the cake with the sugar glaze. Sprinkle the cake with sprinkles, alternating colors. Cut the cake into individual pieces and serve.