I am finally fully rested and back up to speed, after my search for Baby Jesus (http://cookiesbydave.com/baby-jesus-on-the-loose/) and the baking of my annual King Cake. Rested enough that I have provided the full King Cake recipe at the end of this post. Warning: the making of the King Cake is a marathon, so you might want to get started now on next year’s cake.
I was going to just provide the King Cake recipe for today’s post, but I got to thinking, it’s Mardi Gras and the Internet deserves something special. As a result, I would like to provide you with a spin off post from my “Where in the World are Jacob’s Socks?” series. So for one night and one night only, appearing exclusively at www.CookiesbyDave.com, “Old Socks, a New Start.”
Today, during lunch, Charlene walked through the living room and said, “It looks like someone jumped out of these socks.” Seeing a photo opportunity, I hustled into the living room to see two green and white socks sitting in the middle of the floor. That’s when I remembered the morning’s conversation.
8-year-old Sam: “I’m glad I only need to wear these socks to school one more day. They both have holes in them.”
42-year-old Me: Unsure if Sam was on some farewell tour with his socks, I responded, “I could run upstairs and get you a new pair to wear to school.” Let me clarify that there is not a sock shortage in our house.
8-year-old-who-has-a-strange-attachment-to-his-socks Sam: “That would be great, plus I could give these socks to Kirby.” Ah yes, the perfect gift for our beagle that likes to chew. Not only would they smell like one of his people, the pup would not be self-conscious making the first holes in this pair of foot apparel.
Getting on his new socks, Sam happily gave Kirby his old pair and since it was rather chilly out this morning, I drove the boys to school. I had completely forgotten about Kirby’s new sock toys and Kirby wanting to play had apparently set them in the middle of the living room floor.
Heading to take a photo of Sam’s old socks / Kirby’s new socks, Kirby ran to grab one. Was he fearful that I needed a small pair of socks? Was he worried that my large man feet would stretch them out? Did he want to play Tug of War with the small sock? Regardless of his intent, Kirby gleefully ran a few feet away with the sock in his mouth. Old socks, a new start.
Blurred image of Kirby approaching the socks.
Kirby playing with one of his new sock toys. His dog toy basket only three feet away. Is it too much to ask for him to clean up his sock toys? Gosh Kirby, get it together dog.
KING CAKE
“The perfect dessert to make for Fat Tuesday, just make sure to set aside plenty of time. From start to finish, this baby takes about 5 hours from start to finish, but given that it’s once-a-year, it’s well worth the effort. Plus, any leftovers make for a great snack on Ash Wednesday morning. ‘From dust you came and to dust you shall return (hopefully, after first enjoying a delicious piece of King Cake).’”
King Cake remains waiting to become breakfast yumminess.
Cake
4 Tablespoons Butter
½ cup Milk
1½ teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1 package Active Dry Yeast
½ cup Warm Water
5¼ cups Flour
½ cup and 2 Tablespoons Sugar
3 Eggs
Tiny Baby Jesus doll
Filling
6 Tablespoons Butter
¾ cup Brown Sugar
1 Tablespoon Cinnamon
Topping
1 cup Powdered Sugar
2 Tablespoons Milk
Green Colored Sugar
Purple Colored Sugar
Microwave butter and milk together in a bowl. Stirring every 30 seconds until the butter has melted.
Stir in the vanilla extract. Let sit until the milk mixture is lukewarm temperature.
In a small bowl, pour the yeast into the warm water. Stir once and let sit for 5 minutes.
In a third bowl (this one is large), stir together the flour and sugar.
Make a well in the center of the flour mixture.
Pour the yeast water into the well and combine.
Pour the lukewarm milk mixture into the large bowl and combine.
Lightly beat the eggs, add to the large bowl, and combine.
Take the newly formed dough out of the large bowl and place on a lightly floured surface.
Take a deep breath and begin kneading the dough. Continue kneading the dough for 8 minutes, until the dough is smooth.
Coat a large bowl in cooking spray. Place the dough into the newly coated large bowl. Cover the bowl in plastic wrap.
Place the dough in a warm location and let it rise for 2 hours. I recommend watching a movie, while the dough rises. It will double in size, so make sure your bowl is big enough.
Combine the 6 Tablespoons of softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside.
Place parchment paper on a 13”x16” baking sheet. Set aside.
Put the newly doubled dough on a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to form the dough into a 10”x16” shape.
Coat the dough with the filling. Use an icing spatula to spread the filling out over the dough. Leave a 1” strip along one 16” long side of the dough without any filling.
Starting on the side opposite from the filling-less side, roll the dough up “jelly roll-style.” Use some water to help seal the dough, after it has been rolled.
Place a 2” tall and 3” diameter ramekin (cool word, eh?) onto the center of the parchment paper lined baking sheet.
Shape the roll into a circle around the ramekin. Use water to seal together the ends of the roll of dough.
Using a knife, cut several (about 10) ½ inch deep slashes into the top of the dough around the entire ring.
Cover the dough in plastic wrap and place in a warm location. Let the dough rise for another 45 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Remove the plastic wrap and bake the cake for about 30 minutes, until it is light brown. Check the cake after about 25 minutes of baking.
Let cool on a wire rake with the cake still on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
Insert the Baby Jesus into the top of the cake.
Let the cake cool for at least another 30 minutes.
Whisk together the powdered sugar and milk until it is drizzling consistency.
Top the cake with the colored sugar alternating between green and purple sugar.
Make sure to well conceal the location of Baby Jesus.
Decorate with some Mardi Gras beads and you’ll be the King (Cake) of the party.
Makes about 18 slices of cake.
Revised Source: “King Cake” as found in the February 2012 edition of “Family Fun” magazine, because the family the celebrates Mardi Gras debauchery together, stays together (Huh? Yuck. Sure, perhaps a poor choice of words there, but still a decent comedic play on words. Perhaps.).