The Emperor's New Cake

King's Cake

Inspired by Emeril Lagasse

Ingredients:

1/2 cup warm water (105 to 115 degrees)
2 packages dry yeast
2 teaspoons sugar
4 to 5 cups flour
1/2 cup sugar
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon lemon oil
1/2 cup warm milk (105 to 115 degrees)
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter, cooled
5 egg yolks
1 orange, zested
Sugar cinnamon mixture:
1/4 cup sugar
4 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup melted butter
1 pecan half, or King Cake Baby
Glaze:
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Purple, green and gold sugar crystals

Directions:

Preheat the oven 350 degrees. Combine the warm water, yeast and 2 teaspoons sugar in a small bowl. Mix well and set aside to a warm place for about 10 minutes. Combine the 4 cups of flour, 1/2 cup sugar, salt, nutmeg, lemon oil, orange zest and add warm milk, melted butter, egg yolks and yeast mixture. Beat until smooth. Turn dough out on a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough remaining flour until the dough is no longer sticky. Continue kneading until the dough is smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes). Place the dough in a well-greased bowl. Turn once so greased surface is on top.

Cover the dough and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk (about 1 1/2 hours). Punch the dough down and place on a lightly floured surface. Roll the dough out into a 6 x  12 inches rectangle.
Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with the sugar and cinnamon mixture.  Now cut the dough into three ribbons. These ribbons are then braided.  Once the braid is completed shape the braid into a ring, tucking the ends into the braid.  Place the ring onto a greased baking sheet.  Press the King Cake Baby,or  pecan half (if you have crowns like I do) into the dough so that it is hidden. Cover the ring with a towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow the cake to cool. 

For the glaze: 

Combine the ingredients and beat until smooth. To assemble, drizzle cake with the glaze. Sprinkle the  cake with sugar crystals, alternating colors.

This serves around four with healthy appetites, and will not survive an afternoon if you do not guard it with a small to medium sized pitchfork. I prefer the lump free version of King's Cake, and by substituting zest and lemon oil in the place of citron, the resulting dough is light, fluffy and buttery. Of course if you have die hard proclivities for citron, enjoy your lumpy cake.