Happy Mardi Gras!
When I was in college, the local supermarket sold King’s Cakes for Mardi Gras. I loved them but I haven’t been able to find them since. This year, I decided to take a stab at making one myself. Thanks to the bread machine, it was a synch! I think this is going to become a yearly tradition.
King’s Cake
(adapted from What’s Cooking America)
1/2 c. warm water (110 degrees F.)
1/2 c. warm milk (110 degrees F.)
1/2 c. sugar
2 t. salt
1 t. ground nutmeg
1 t. lemon zest
5 egg yolks, room temperature
1/2 c. butter, room temperature
4 3/4 c. bread flour
3 t. instant active dry yeast
1 t. ground cinnamon
1 egg white beaten with 1 T. milk
Colored Sugars
2/3 c. powdered sugar
Juice of 1 lemon
In the bread machine, add in milk, water, egg yolks and butter followed by sugar, salt, nutmeg, lemon zest and bread flour. Make a well in the dry ingredients and add yeast to well; select dough setting and press start. After a few minutes, check the dough. It should form a nice elastic ball. If you think the dough is too moist, add additional flour (a tablespoon at a time). The same is true if the dough is looking dry and gnarly. Add warm water (a tablespoon at a time).
When dough cycle has finished, remove dough from pan and put into a lightly oiled bowl. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and place in a draft free place to rise for approximately 1 hour or until the dough doubles in volume.
Remove dough from bowl and place on a lightly-oiled surface. Using your fist, punch dough down with a heavy blow. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top, pat and shape dough into a cylinder. Twist dough to form a curled cylinder and loop cylinder onto a baking stone. Pinch the ends together to form a circle. Cover dough with plastic wrap and let sit for approximately 45 minutes or until the dough doubles in volume.
Preheat oven to 375F degrees. Brush top and sides of cake with egg white wash and bake on middle rack of oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until golden brown.
Remove from oven and place on a wire rack to cool.
Once cake is cool, mix together powdered sugar and lemon juice. Spoon over the top of the cake and sprinkle with colored sugars.