Elementary Chef

It just isn’t Mardi Gras unless I’ve had some King Cake. The King Cake is really more like a cinnamon roll than cake. Well if you slathered icing all over your cinnamon roll. Most King Cakes come with a filling like cream cheese or strawberry. This just adds to the rich taste of the cake.

The history of the King Cake dates back to the 12th century. The cake was made in conjunction with the celebration of Three Kings Day that is also close to the beginning of Mardi Gras. The cake is made in a circle to signify the route taken by the kings to see the Christ child. Something was hidden into the cake to represent how Christ was hidden after his birth from the king. Now a baby is hidden in the cake and whomever finds the baby has to buy the next King Cake.

Here is a simple King Cake recipe to enjoy.

For cake and filling:

1 box (16 ounces) Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix, prepared according to directions on box
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/3 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
For icing:
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
1 cup granulated sugar (large crystals)
3 or 4 drops of purple, green or yellow food coloring.

Preheat oven to 375F.
Cream the butter, sugar and cinnamon together.

Make the dough by following the instructions on the Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix package. Put half the dough onto a floured surface, and roll into a 2-foot-by-1- foot rectangle. Spread half the butter and filling mixture on top of dough.

Roll the dough toward you into a long circular shape approximately 2 inches in diameter. Do the same with the second half of the dough. Place dough roll seam-side down on a well-greased baking sheet. Curve each roll to form the circle and pinch ends together.

Cover and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes or until doubled in size.

Bake at 375 degrees for 15 to 20 minutes.

To prepare the icing, mix the sugar, lemon juice and water.
Slowly add more water by the teaspoon until it spreads as easily as a thin icing.
Place 1/3 cup sugar in three small jars. Add three drops of food coloring to each. Cover with lid and shake.

Coat the cake top with glaze. Sprinkle colored sugars in 2- to 3-inch alternating rows of purple, green and yellow.