Mardi Gras King Cake - Galette des Rois

Mary-Alice Farina

 

Image courtesy of Brooklyn Farmhouse

I first learned of the king cake back in 9th grade French class when my teacher, Mrs. Shipman, brought in a lovely decorated cake, just like the one pictured above, to teach us about one of her favorite cajun traditions in Louisianna: la galette des rois, aka the king cake.

The tradition dates back centuries, with roots in many French and Spanish-speaking countries and even Greece. King cakes are made on Mardi Gras (the day before Lent begins, according to Roman Catholic tradition), and a small trinket, often a tiny figurine of a baby, is baked inside the cake. The person who receives the piece of cake containing the trinket is honored with various priveleges and obligations. (In my French class, the winner had the dubious honor of wearing a paper crown and practicing the imperative tense as she gave orders to her subjects.)

Here's a recipe I have enjoyed for making my own king cake years later. Enjoy!

From: Southern Living magazine 

"This highly recommended recipe originally appeared in Southern Living in January 1990. 12-years later, it is still a fitting end to any traditional Mardi Gras celebration."

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup butter or margarine
• 1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 (.25 ounce) 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
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
• Colored Frostings (see below)
• Colored Sugars (see below)
•  
• Colored Frosting:
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons butter, melted
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 drops green food color
• 2 drops yellow food coloring
• 2 drops blue food coloring
• 2 drops red food color
•  
• Colored sugars:
• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• 2 drops green food color
• 2 drops yellow food coloring
• 2 drops red food color
• 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. STIR together 1/2 cup sugar and cinnamon; 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 cinnamon mixture and softened butter 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 pinching edges together to seal. Repeat with remaining dough, cinnamon mixture, and butter.
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. Decorate with bands of Colored Frostings, and sprinkle with Colored Sugars.
8. 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.
9. COLORED SUGARS: Place 1/2 cup sugar and drop of green food coloring in a jar or zip-top plastic bag; seal. Shake 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.