It's All About a King (take two)...

Nobody likes a good tradition better than me, so what better way to start the new year than actually celebrating Epiphany with a King cake!

On school days, I love to leave little notes with it so my son can dig in for breakfast.  On weekends, I love to enjoy it for dessert with my family.  There is nothing quite like it and it's always fun to find the baby!

For those of you who may not be familiar with it, Epiphany is a Christian holiday that officially marks the end of the festive season.  It is also known as the 12th day of Christmas, and a good old fashioned King cake is how we celebrate it in our home!

What is a King cake you might ask?

It's a filled, circular, almost bread like cake that has a baby inside!  How fun is that?!

 
In New Orleans, most people eat it during Mardi Gras, but it probably has roots that stretch back further than that.  Having grown up in Texas, I was introduced to it early in life and fell in love with it.  It is called "King cake" because it represents the three kings who brought baby Jesus gifts and the baby represents none other than the baby Jesus!  There are three traditional colors you use for the icing and those three colors honor the kings and stand for justice (purple), faith (green) and power (gold). In New Orleans, tradition says that the person who gets the baby in their piece of cake, must make (or provide) the King cake next year.  *My son has received many a baby over the years, so I'm fairly certain I'll be provided for in my old age.  Fingers crossed!

Read on for the step by step instructions.  I have a quick trick if you do not have a lot of time on your hands. I posted this quick recipe several years back and you can whip one up in no time!  Fast & Easy King Cake. It's easy-peasy and as far as I'm concerned, if it's made in your home, it's still homemade! Like the star the wise men followed-shine bright, my friends! Oh and HAPPY EPIPHANY!

Pastry Ingredients:

5 1/2 cups flour
1 cup milk
1/4 cup butter
2/3 cup warm water
1/2 cup sugar
2 (.25 ounce) packages of active dry yeast
2 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg or cinnamon

Filling:
1/2 cup melted butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup pecans
1/4 cup flour

Frosting:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon of vanilla
1 - 2 tablespoon milk
3 colors sugar (yellow, purple, green)

For pastry,

Begin by microwaving your milk for about 2 minutes.  You want it to be scalded (if you have a candy thermometer, the temperature should read 180 degrees F.  Stir in your butter and set aside to cool to room temperature (70 degrees F).

In a large bowl (use a large one because the yeast will grow), dissolve the yeast in the warm water (about 110 degrees F) with 1 tablespoon of sugar taken from your ingredients.  Let set until creamy, about 10 minutes.

Next mix your sugar, salt and nutmeg together in a small bowl.  When yeast mixture is bubbling, add the cooled milk and butter mixture, whisk in your eggs, then fold in the sugar mixture.

For the next part, I like to use a stand mixer, but you could use a hand mixer.  Beat the flour into the liquid mixture about 1 cup at a time, making sure each cup is well incorporated before moving to the next.   When you get to the last 1/2 cup of flour, take the beater handle off your mixer and add in the last 1/2 cup by hand.  Next you will knead the dough for about 8 - 10 minutes. I use my stand mixer for this part, but you could pour it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead by hand.

Next, lightly oil (I use Pam cooking spray) a large bowl (you'll want a really large bowl, because your dough will double in size.  Place the dough into the bowl and cover it with plastic wrap.  Let it sit in a warm place for about 2 hours.

After two hours, remove the plastic wrap.  Your dough should be about double its original size.  Punch the air out of the dough and divide it into two halves.

To make your filling, combine all the filling ingredients above by hand until crumbly.  I like a really stuffed bread, so I often double this recipe, but be forewarned.. if you do this, you will have leakage.  I don't mind leakage, but it's entirely up to you!  Bakers note:  The simplest way I've found to crumble pecans is by bashing them with a roller inside a plastic baggie..

 

 
Now you'll want to take each half of the dough and roll them out into large rectangles.  I find that (2) 10 x 16 inches works just about perfectly.

 

Crumble, then spread the filling evenly over the dough leaving about 1/4 - 1/2 inch around the outsides.  Next roll the dough up tightly (like a jelly roll).  Start from the wide side and roll so that it will come out 16 inches long (or even longer).

  

Now you can choose to make one large (party size King cake) or two small.  Bring the ends of roll together to form a ring.  Don't worry about it not looking pretty here if you should make a mess.. it will be covered in icing and no one will notice!  Just make sure that it's sealed tightly.  Place the ring (or rings) on baking pan that has been covered lightly with Pam Spray, a piece of parchment paper and more Pam spray.  This will help it off and on to a serving plate easily.

With kitchen shears, make cuts about 1/4 to 1/3 of the way around the ring about 1 - 2 inches apart.  Now cover it the entire cake with a slightly damp, warm cloth and let it rise again in a warm location for about 1 hour.


Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F. 

After the hour, it should have doubled in size again.

Now you'll pop it in your preheated oven and let it bake for about 35 minutes (covering with tinfoil if it should start to get too dark).  When it comes out of the oven, it should be golden brown.  Now let it cool for about 30 minutes.

Now, lift the cake gently and push a plastic baby firmly into the cake. 

 

To make the frosting, add the 1 tablespoon of vanilla to the powdered sugar, then add 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until the frosting is smooth, but not runny.  Spoon it over the middle of the cake, all the way around so that it can run down the sides unevenly. 

 

Next, sprinkle on the colored sugar while the icing is still wet.   

Now it's time to celebrate!  Be certain to tell everyone that there is a plastic baby inside so they can eat carefully and avoid hurting their teeth and/or choking.    

One last note.. when you find the baby, place it in a place of honor on top of the cake - so like the wise men who came from afar, all can adore him!

If this isn't a family tradition yet,
I hope it will be!

Happy New Year and Happy Epiphany my friends.