King Cake

After making this for the office Mardi Gras party, I got requests to make this for birthdays, baseball's opening day, everything and anything. The dough, from Southern Living, is very rich and easy to work. The cream cheese filling is wonderful! I usually make the frosting all yellow, coloring the sugars the three colors. You can adjust the amount of food colors for your own preference. I like my colors a little more intense. I also slip in a plastic baby after baking from the underside of the cake.

• Ready In: 2 hrs
• Serves: 28
• Yields: 2 cakes

Ingredients

• Dough

• 1⁄4 cup butter
• 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
• 1⁄3 cup sugar
• 1  teaspoon salt
• 2 (1/4ounce) envelopes 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 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened (16 ounces total)
• 1  egg
• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1⁄8 teaspoon 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  red food coloring
• 2  drops  blue 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; knead 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), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.
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 side; 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 bulk.
7. Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden.
8. Decorate with bands of Colored Frostings, and sprinkle with Colored Sugars.
9. COLORED FROSTINGS: Stir together powdered sugar and melted butter; Add milk to reach desired consistency for drizzling; stir in vanilla; Divide frosting into 3 batches, tinting 1 green, 1 yellow, and combining red and blue food coloring for purple frosting.
10. COLORED SUGARS: Place 1/2 cup sugar and drop of green food coloring in a zip-top plastic bag; seal; Shake and squeeze vigorously to evenly mix color with sugar; Repeat procedure 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.