So I started looking for an authentic recipe remembering that my friend's mom has been known to make very tasty King Cakes. With the help of Mama Lisa's (my mother) investigative works, I found out that ...brace yourself....my friend's mom uses a box mix. Mom tried to convince me to give it a try but without any hesitation I said "HELL NO!" We instead found a recipe in The Advocate, but my mom went out & bought the box mix at Calandro's to try it out anyway...and so the baking face off began...
Katie vs. Box Mix
The Advocate Recipe called for:
4 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (I used unbleached)
1 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 pkgs rapid rise yeast (not active dry)
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup melted butter (1/2 stick)
1 tbsp cinnamon
In a standing mixer bowl, I combined 1 1/2 cups flour, 1/4 cup sugar, salt & undissolved yeast.
I heated the milk, water & butter in the microwave until 120-130 degrees. The mixture was too hot at first so I waited for it to cool off. You can never be too careful with yeast so I used a thermometer.
To activate the yeast, I poured the heated mixture into the dry ingredients & then beat(with whisk attachment) for 2 min. on medium speed with Mom's new fancy mixer.
Throw in eggs & 1/2 cup flour, mixing on high for 2 min.
Put the rest of the flour in & mix with hook attachment to make a stiff batter. Covered it tightly with plastic wrap(I used a rubber band around the bowl to secure) & refrigerated for about 20 hours (recipe says 2-24 hours).
Mom (who is making the box mix since I refuse to touch it) followed the directions on the box adding heated milk, butter & eggs to make the challenger's dough (no need to refrigerate like mine).
Katie's luscious dough vs. cheater's dough
Okay, so the box dough looks softer & lighter, but I'm not fretting just yet. Mom then set her dough aside to rise for 30 min until doubled (she swears by covering it with a wet towel)
For my dough, I flour dusted my table & plopped out the very cold dough.
WARNING: Kneading & rolling out cold dough be not for the weak & timid!!
After kneading the dough for about 5 minutes...and yes I did break into a sweat. I prepped the filling (1 tbsp cinnamon & 3/4 cup sugar) & melted 1/4 cup of butter.
After what seems like hours of rolling the cold dough (I had to take a break to remove my sweater & release some heat), I created a 28 x 12 inch rectangle. Perhaps next time I will let the dough come to room temperature before dealing with it.
I then cut the dough into 3 equal sized strips, brushed them with the melted butter, sprinkled on the sugar mixture (only using about half of what I had), and my own little addition of pecans. Patted down the sugar & pecans to make sure they stuck.
After Mom's boxed dough rose, she rolled it out (more easily & quickly than mine) into a 35 x 5 inch rectangle & added the boxed "praline" sugar & some pecans. I won't lie, right about now I'm thinking "oh shit, that dough looks really soft, I'm in trouble."
To make my 3 "ropes" of dough, I rolled up each section of the dough & sealed by pinching the end seam (with a little help from a brush of water).
With an extra hand from Mom, I braided the 3 ropes & pinched the ends together forming an oval on a greased baking sheet. I also buttered the top of the dough.
According to the box directions, Mom rolled her dough into 1 roll & then created the oval shape by sealing the ends (a much less dramatic appearance if you ask me).
Both doughs required another rising, so we turned the oven on 150 degrees for 2 min, turn it off, & put in both the shaped doughs in. Mine required 1 hour of rising, the box's only required 30 min.
At this point, as Mom put it, my dough took on a life of its own & grew like crazy (a definite good sign).
I then baked my cake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes, a little longer than the box cake required. When I took it out the oven, I was like a 2nd grader on Christmas morning but it was just so pretty!!!
I made my glaze (while the baking was happening) with:
2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
3 tbsp heavy cream
2 tbsp softened cream cheese (my own little spin)
I then spread it over the warm cake, sprinkled on a little colored sugar, & stuffed the baby in from the bottom
Mom did the same for the box cake although she opted out of using the box's glaze mix & did her own with butter & powdered sugar.
My Dad, nicknamed "The Golden Mouth" by my Mom for his aversion to mediocre food & love of all things delicious, was elected judge and without any opposition did the tasting.
And the verdict is.......
KATIE'S HOMEMADE KING CAKE!!!
Dad said without contest my cake was better. He could taste the "artificial-ness" of the box cake. I thought the box's cake had a "doughier" consistency but did in fact lack the yeasty, home-cooked taste of my cake. I have to say that this king cake is probably my most successful baked product yet, the dough was so light & fluffy!
I brought the rest of the cake to my friends' apartment & we ate pretty much all of it.
Definitely, happy plate worthy.
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