Mardi Gras King Cake

Celebrate Mardi Gras from the comfort of your home this year with a homemade King Cake! 

INGREDIENTS 

PASTRY:

• 1 cup milk
• ¼ cup butter
• 2 (.25 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• ⅔ cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• ½ cup white sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 ½ teaspoons salt
• ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
• 5 ½ cups all-purpose flour

FILLING:

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• ⅔ cup chopped pecans
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup raisins
• ½ cup melted butter

FROSTING:

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tablespoon water

DIRECTIONS

Step 1
Scald milk, remove from heat and stir in 1/4 cup of butter. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature. In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water with 1 tablespoon of the white sugar. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

Step 2
When yeast mixture is bubbling, add the cooled milk mixture. Whisk in the eggs. Stir in the remaining white sugar, salt and nutmeg. Beat the flour into the milk/egg mixture 1 cup at a time. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Step 3
Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours. When risen, punch down and divide dough in half.

Step 4
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Grease 2 cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

Step 5
To Make Filling: Combine the brown sugar, ground cinnamon, chopped pecans, 1/2 cup flour and 1/2 cup raisins. Pour 1/2 cup melted butter over the cinnamon mixture and mix until crumbly.

Step 6
Roll dough halves out into large rectangles (approximately 10x16 inches or so). Sprinkle the filling evenly over the dough and roll up each half tightly like a jelly roll, beginning at the wide side. Bring the ends of each roll together to form 2 oval shaped rings. Place each ring on a prepared cookie sheet. With scissors make cuts 1/3 of the way through the rings at 1 inch intervals. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 45 minutes.

Step 7
Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Push the doll into the bottom of the cake. Frost while warm with the confectioners’ sugar blended with 1 to 2 tablespoons of water.

Source: Allrecipies.com