King Cake

On dis da fattest of Tuesdays, 2Bit's a sayin a big Happy Mardi Gras ta ya'll! Dat is da 2Bits tryin a tawk like dey do down dere in Nawleans. 

Here at 2Bit, we like to do things right, and since we are stuck in this 2bit town instead of actually being in New Orleans and GOING to Mardi Gras, doing Mardi Gras right in Lexington means makins ya a King Cake! 

This cake is a staple of Mardi Gras. It is shaped in an oval ring and colored with purple, green and yellow icing or sprinkles. 2Bit would equate it to a delicious cinnamon roll rather than a cake, but either way it tis delicious. The filling consists of either cinnamon and sugar, cream cheese or both if you're 2Bit... For some reason, you are supposed to put a baby in the cake. Not a real one, just the plastic kind or some other non-human / animal baby. 2bit can't imagine how this became part of the tradition, but you can google it for 2Bit if your curiosity can't control itself. 

All parts of this recipe are great, together or individually. 2bit has found a go to icing recipe from it. It tastes like an icing should, sweet and yummy but not too powdered sugary. The bread would make a great sweet bread too. 

Original recipe found here my recipes

Yields 2 cakes (2Bit halved the recipe)

Ingredients:

• 1  (16-ounce) container sour cream
• 1/3  cup  sugar
• 1/4  cup  butter
• 1  teaspoon  salt
• 2  (1/4-ounce) envelopes active dry yeast
• 1/2  cup  warm water (100° to 110°)
• 1  tablespoon  sugar
• 2  large eggs, lightly beaten
• 6  to 6 1/2 cups bread or all-purpose flour
• 1/3  cup  butter, softened
• 1/2  cup  sugar
• 1 1/2  teaspoons  ground cinnamon
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

The Glaze:

• 3  cups  powdered sugar
• 3  tablespoons  butter, melted
• 2  tablespoons  fresh lemon juice
• 1/4  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 2  to 4 tablespoons milk

• Create striped rows alternating purple-, green-, and gold-tinted sparkling sugar sprinkles OR with purple, green and yellow icing.

Directions:

Cook first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until butter melts. Set aside, and cool mixture to 100° to 110°.
Stir together yeast, 1/2 cup warm water, and 1 tablespoon sugar in a 1-cup glass measuring cup; let stand 5 minutes.

Beat sour cream mixture, yeast mixture, eggs, and 2 cups flour at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until smooth. Reduce speed to low, and gradually add enough remaining flour (4 to 4 1/2 cups) until a soft dough forms. (If you don't have a mixer, just use a wooden spoon and then your hands to get the last BIT of flour incorporated).


Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic (5-10 minutes). Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top.
Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until dough is doubled in bulk.

Punch down dough, and divide in half. Roll each portion into a 22- x 12-inch rectangle. Spread 1/3 cup softened butter evenly on each rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border. Stir together 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle evenly over butter on each rectangle. Beat 3/4 cup sugar; 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened; 1 large egg; and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Spread cream cheese mixture evenly on each dough rectangle on top of the cinnamon and sugar layer, leaving 1-inch borders.

It is ESSENTIAL to create rectangles with your dough or else it will be uneven when you roll it up... Look at 2bit's uneven roll, learn from 2Bit's mistakes.

Roll up each dough rectangle, jelly-roll fashion, starting at 1 long side. Place one dough roll, seam side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bring ends of roll together to form an oval ring, moistening and pinching edges together to seal. Repeat with second dough roll.

Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 20 to 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

Bake at 375° for 14 to 16 minutes or until golden. Slightly cool cakes on pans on wire racks (about 10 minutes). 

It taint too pretty but it sure was mighty tasty..

To make the glaze:

Stir together first 4 ingredients. Stir in 2 tablespoons milk, adding additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until spreading consistency. 

Drizzle Creamy Glaze evenly over warm cakes; sprinkle with colored sugars, alternating colors and forming bands. Let cool completely.


*To create colored sugars yourself, take regular sugar, place in three separate bowls and mix green, yellow and purple (red and blue) food coloring in the sugars. For the purpose, mix up the colors to create purple before putting it on the sugar.

Get those beads and enjoy!