King Cake

This recipe is from Tonya K., I have not yet had a chance to try it out, but intend to do so very soon!!

Prep time: 1 hr 45 minutes

Serves: 28 Yield: 2 cakes

Ingredients:

Dough:

1/4 cup butter

1 (16oz) sour cream

1/3 cup sugar

1 tsp. salt

2 (1/4oz) envelope active dry yeast

1 tbsp white sugar

1/2 cup warm water (100-110) degrees

2 eggs

6 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (divided)

Cream Cheese Filling

2 (8oz) packages cream cheese, softened

1 egg

3/4 cup sugar

1/8 tsp. salt

2 tsp vanilla

Colored Frosting

3 cups powdered sugar

3 tbsp. butter, melted

3 tbsp. milk

1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

2 drops each of food coloring (green, yellow, blue, & red)

Colored Sugar

1 1/2 cups white sugar

2 drops each of food coloring (green, yellow, red & blue)

Directions:

Cook first 4 ingredients in a saucepan over low heat; stirring often, until butter melts. Cool mixture to 100 degrees to 110 degrees.

Dissolve yeast and 1 tbsp. sugar in 1/2 cup warm water in 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 dough soft.

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)

Using an electric mixer, mix cream cheese until smooth. Add egg and blend well. Add sugar, salt, vanilla and mix until smooth and creamy; Set aside.

Punch dough down, divide in half; Turn 1 portion out onto a lightly floured surface; roll to a 28x10" rectangle. Spread half each of cream cheese mixture on dough. roll dough (jelly roll fashion), starting at long side. Place dough roll, seam side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bring edges together to form oval ring, moistening and punching ends together to seal. repeat with remaining dough and cream cheese mixture.

Cover and let rise in a warm place, free of drafts, 20 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

Bake at 375F for 15 minutes until golden.

Decorate with bands of colored frostings and sprinkle with colored sugars.

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.

Colored Sugars

Place 1/2 cup sugar and drop of green food color in a zip-top plastic bag; seal. Shake well 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.