Louisiana King Cake

By KitchenGnome

New Orleans-style King's cake is a brioche style cake that is traditionally baked with a small doll baked into the dough.

Ingredients

• For the Brioche:
• 1/2 cup water (warm, about 105 to 115 F)
• 2 envelopes active dry yeast
• 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 cups sifted flour
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon lemon zest (grated)
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tbsp. milk (lukewarm)
• 4 eggs
• 4 egg yolks
• 1/2 cup butter (softened)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• For the Icing:
• 3 cups sugar (confectioner's sugar)
• 1/4 cup lemon juice (strained)
• 3 to 5 tablespoons water
• For the Sugar Topping:
• purple, green, and yellow sugars

Preparation

Step 1

Combine yeast and the warm water. Combine flour, sugar, nutmeg and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir in lemon peel. Make a well in center and add yeast and water mixture, along with milk.
Lightly beat the 3 eggs and 4 egg yolks; add to liquid mixture.
With a large wooden spoon, gradually incorporate dry ingredients into liquids in the center well.
Beat in 1/2 cup of the butter and continue beating until dough forms ball. I recommend a dough hook for beating at this point.
Place the ball of dough on floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, incorporating more flour as necessary, a little at a time.
Butter the inside of a large bowl with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Place dough in bowl and turn so the entire surface will be buttered. Cover bowl and set aside for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, or until doubled in bulk.
Brush a large baking sheet with remaining butter.
Punch dough down on lightly floured surface. Knead, then pat and shape dough into a cylinder about 14 inches long. Place on baking sheet and form into a ring.
Press bean or doll well into dough so that it doesn't show.
Set the dough aside again to rise for about 45 to 60 minutes.
When ready to bake, beat remaining egg with 1 tbsp. milk and brush the top and sides of the ring with the egg-milk mixture.
Bake the King's cake in middle of oven at 375 F for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Slide cake onto wire rack to cool.
Icing
Combine the confectioners' sugar, lemon juice and 3 tablespoons of water in a deep bowl; stir until the icing smooth. If too stiff to spread, beat in 1 teaspoon water at a time, until desired consistency is reached. It should be thin enough to run slowly down the sides of the cake. Spread the icing over the top of the cake, letting it to run down the sides.

Sprinkle the colored sugars over the icing immediately, forming a row of purple, yellow, and green strips, each about 2 inches wide, on both sides of the ring.