King cake is a traditional dessert that originates from the Mardi Gras celebrations in Louisiana. It is a sweet bread with a colorful icing and is often filled with cream cheese or other sweet fillings. While many people purchase their king cakes from a bakery, making your own at home can be a fun and rewarding experience. In this article, we will outline the ingredients, steps, and variations for making the best king cake you can make at home 2.0, in three different ways.

Ingredients:

– 3 cups all-purpose flour
– 1/4 cup granulated sugar
– 2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
– 1/2 teaspoon salt
– 1/2 cup milk
– 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
– 2 large eggs
– 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
– 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest
– 1/4 cup bourbon (optional)
– 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional)
– 1/2 cup raisins (optional)

For the icing:

– 2 cups powdered sugar
– 3-4 tablespoons milk
– Food coloring (green, purple, yellow)

Directions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, yeast, and salt.

2. Heat the milk in a small saucepan until warm, then add the melted butter, eggs, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Mix well.

3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until a soft dough forms.

4. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 5-10 minutes until smooth and elastic.

5. Place the dough in a greased bowl and cover with a cloth. Allow it to rise in a warm place for 1-2 hours, or until doubled in size.

6. Punch down the dough and knead in the bourbon, pecans, and raisins (if using).

7. Divide the dough into three equal parts.

For traditional king cake:

8. Braid each piece of dough and join the ends together to form a circle. Place on a baking sheet and cover with a cloth. Allow it to rise for another hour.

For filled king cake:

8. Roll each piece of dough into a rectangle and spread your desired filling (cream cheese, jam, etc.) over the surface. Roll up tightly and then join the ends together to form a circle. Place on a baking sheet and cover with a cloth. Allow it to rise for another hour.

For twisted king cake:

8. Roll each piece of dough into a long rope and twist two of the ropes together. Join the ends together to form a circle. Repeat with the remaining two ropes. Place on a baking sheet and cover with a cloth. Allow it to rise for another hour.

9. Preheat the oven to 375°F.

10. Bake the king cakes for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

11. Let the king cakes cool completely, then decorate with the colored icing.

For the icing:

1. Combine the powdered sugar and milk in a small mixing bowl until smooth.

2. Divide the icing into three separate bowls and add food coloring to each one (green, purple, yellow).

3. Drizzle the icing over the cooled king cakes in a decorative pattern.

Summary:

– Ingredients: flour, sugar, yeast, salt, milk, butter, eggs, vanilla extract, lemon zest, bourbon, pecans, raisins, powdered sugar, milk, food coloring.
– Directions: mix dry ingredients, mix wet ingredients, add wet ingredients to dry, knead dough, let it rise, punch down and add optional ingredients, divide dough and create shape, let it rise again, bake, let it cool, decorate with colored icing.
– Variations: traditional king cake, filled king cake, twisted king cake.