King Cake

It's that time of year. Mardi Gras needs a King Cake. What is a King Cake? Not really a "cake", more like a fancy cinnamon roll. The tradition was for someone to host an annual party. A pecan or bean was hidden in the cake. Whoever got the slice of cake with said bean or pecan had to host the next year's party. Today, it's a plastic baby and these cakes are seen almost every day at offices around the city of New Orleans. Whoever gets the baby brings the next cake. But these everyday cakes are a sad imitation of the real thing. (One can get a really good or fancy variety at an upscale bakery, but it will cost you). You can get them here in Texas at the local HEB and other stores, but still pathetic compared to the homemade version. So, in preparation for next week, here is a great recipe I copied from a neighbor's cookbook. She bought her cookbook at the 1984 World's Fair, the year it was held in New Orleans.

King Cake - Makes 2 9 X 12 inch cakes

Cake
1 stick, plus 1 Tablespoon butter
2/3 cup 99% fat free skim evaporated milk
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
2 package yeast
1/3 cup warm water
4 eggs
1 Tablespoon grated lemon rind
2 Tablespoon grated orange rind
6 cups flour

In a saucepan, heat the milk until butter melts; add 1/3 cup sugar and salt. Cool to lukewarm. In a large mixing bowl, combine 2 Tablespoon sugar, yeast and water. Let stand until foaming, about 5 to 10 minutes. Beat eggs into yeast; then milk mixture and rinds. Stir in flour 1/2 cup at a time, reserving 1 cup flour for kneading surface. Knead dough until smooth, about 5 - 10 minutes. Place in large greased mixing bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 and 1/2 to 2 hours.

Filling Topping
1/2 cup dark brown sugar Make butter or cream cheese icing, divide
3/4 cup granulated sugar into 3 parts and color green/yellow/purple
1 Tablespoon cinnamon 2 plastic babies, beans or pecans
1 stick butter melted

When dough has doubled, punch down and divide in half. On a floured board, roll half into a rectangle 30 X 15. Brush with half of the melted butter and cut into 3 lengthwise strips. Sprinkle half of sugar mixture on strips, fold and seal each strip. Braid the 3 strips and make a circle by pinching ends together.
Place each cake on a 10 X 15 baking sheet, cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled, about 1 hour. Bake at 350 about 20 minutes. Remove from pan immediately. While still warm, insert pecan/bean/baby. Let cool. Ice - alternate colors.