King Cake

As of January 6th, it’s now the Carnival season! Of course, this means king cakes are back in stores. I absolutely love king cake. It’s a sweet, yeast bread with cinnamon and topped with icing and colored sugars (I made mine in black/gold for the Saints game on Saturday.). They make king cakes with so many fillings too, from cream cheese to apple to bavarian cream! This time, I made a plain king cake, since people are pretty particular about what fillings they like with king cake. 🙂

I’ve made king cake before, and it turned out tasting like bread. It was NOT king cake. This recipe, however, is MUCH better. This recipe actually comes from Haydel’s Bakery, which is where we had our wedding cake and groom’s cake (which was a tiered king cake) made. I found it fairly easy to make too, however, I think their recipe would be much better if you ice and sugar after baking, which is different than what their recipe suggested. When I made it their way (bake with sugar already sprinkled on), most of us just pulled the chunks of sugar off of the king cake while eating it.

King Cake
Source: adapted from WWLTV via Haydel’s Bakery

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup all purpose shortening
• 4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 lg. eggs
• 1 cup milk (room temperature)
• 2 sm. packs active dry yeast
• 1/4 tsp lemon zest
• 1/4 tsp orange zest
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp butter extract
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup cinnamon sugar

For the icing:

• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp. water

For the colored sugars:

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar for each color that you want to make
• assorted food coloring

Directions:

1. In a mixer at first speed combine 1/3 cup granulated sugar, salt, and shortening until well creamed. Add eggs and continue to cream.
2. Dissolve the yeast in the milk and add the flavors. Once dissolved add to creamed mixture and continue to mix.
3. Add flour a cup at a time and mix until dough tightens.
4. Remove from mixer and knead into a ball. At this point sprinkle some flour on top and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rest for 1½ hours.
5. While the dough is resting mix your colored sugars and icing. Mix the 1/2 cup of sugar with a few drops of food coloring until the color you reach is desired.
6. For the icing, whisk the confectioners sugar with the water and vanilla.
7. When dough has rested roll out into an oblong piece. Brush on canola oil covering the entire piece. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar liberally over the whole piece.
8. Once the dough is covered with the cinnamon sugar and oil, fold it in half lengthwise. Cut into 3 strips and braid the dough. Gently roll the dough by starting at one end and working all the way down to the other end. This will make the dough a nice long piece that can then be shaped into a circle. Once shaped place on a baking pan covered with piece of parchment.
9. Allow the dough to rest again until it doubles in size. Bake at 370 degrees F for 12-15 minutes until dough is golden brown.
10. Let the cake cool and spread the icing on top. Then, sprinkle with your colored sugars. Enjoy!