Mardi Gras King Cake
Ingredients:
Dough
1/4 cup butter
1 (16 oz.) container sour cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp. salt
2 (1/4 oz.) envelope active dry yeast
1 tablespoon white sugar
1/2 cup warm water (100 to 110 degrees)
2 eggs
6-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
Cream Cheese Filling
2 (8 oz.) packages cream cheese, softened (16 oz. total)
1 egg
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 tsp salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
Colored Frosting
3 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 drops green food coloring
2 drops yellow food coloring
2 drops blue food coloring
2 drops red food coloring
Colored Sugars
1-1/2 cups white sugar
2 drops green food coloring
2 drops yellow food coloring
2 drops blue food coloring
2 drops red food coloring
Directions:
1. Cook first 4 ingredients in a saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until butter melts. Cool mixture to 100 degrees to 110 degrees.
2. Dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in 1/2 cup warm water in a large bowl. Let stand 5 minutes. Add butter mixture, eggs, and 2 cups flour. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until smooth. Gradually stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.
3. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Kneed until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees).
4. Using an electric mixer, mix cream cheese until smooth. Add egg and blend well. Add sugar, salt and vanilla and mix until smooth and creamy. Set aside.
5. Punch dough down. Divide in half. Turn 1 portion out onto a lightly floured surface. Roll to a 28 x 10 inch rectangle. Spread half each of cream cheese mixture on dough. Roll dough, jellyroll fashion, starting at long end. Place dough roll, seam side down on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bring ends together to form an oval ring, moistening and punching edges together to seal. Repeat with remaining dough and cream cheese mixture.
6. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 20 minutes or until doubled in size.
7. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden.
8. Decorate with bands of Colored Frosting and sprinkle with Colored Sugars.
9. COLORED FROSTING: Stir together powdered sugar and melted butter. Add milk to reach desired consistency for drizzling. Stir in vanilla. Divide frosting into 3 batches. Tint 1 green, 1 yellow, and combine the red and blue food coloring to make purple frosting.
10. COLORED SUGARS: Place 1/2 cup sugar and drop of green food coloring in a zip-lock plastic bag. Seal bag then shake and squeeze vigorously to evenly mix color with sugar. Repeat this process with 1/2 cup sugar and yellow food coloring. For purple, combine 1 drop red and 1 drop blue food coloring before adding to remaining 1/2 cup sugar.
Enjoy!
The Creative Cook
