Mardi Gras King’s Cake

1. In a large bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, stir yeast and white sugar into the warm milk until dissolved. Let the mixture sit 10 minutes, or until yeast mixture is foamy.

2. Add egg yolks, one stick of melted butter, nutmeg, salt, and lemon zest to the yeast mixture and stir until combined. Using a spoon or your dough hook, beat in the bread flour, one cup at a time, until combined. Knead until the dough is smooth and pliable, about 8 minutes. Place dough in a bowl that has been lightly coated with oil or cooking spray. Cover and set in a warm, draft-free place to rise until doubled in size, about 2 hours.

3. When dough has risen, turn it out onto a floured counter and roll into a very large rectangle (about 10″ by 24″) which should be just about 1/2 an inch thick. Slightly longer and thinner is OK, too. Spread the remaining stick of melted butter over the dough, being careful to leave a 1″ border on all sides. Combine the cinnamon and brown sugar in a small bowl and distribute evenly over the butter.

4. In a medium bowl, combine the cream cheese, 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar, and the whole egg. (I would recommend a hand mixer for this. When I mix it by hand, it tends to come out clumpy/watery.) Spread in a thin layer over the brown sugar/butter/cinnamon mixture.

5. Working from the long end that’s closest to you, roll the dough into a tight cylinder. Carefully crimp the seam together with your fingers. Transfer the dough to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and arrange so the seam is on the bottom, touching the parchment. Bring the two ends together to meet and form a large ring. Pinch tightly to seal. (It is VERY important you make sure all your pinching together sticks. Otherwise your filling will run right out.) Let it rise until doubled, about 30 minutes.

6. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake the cake for 30-40 minutes, until dough is browned and sounds hollow when tapped. I would say that it’s better to slightly under-bake this dough than to over-bake it. It can get a little dry. Let cool completely.

7. To prepare glaze: In a small bowl, stir 2 cups of powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon of lemon juice, and 1/4 cup milk or water until smooth and lump-free. I like a thick glaze that’s almost frosting-like, but you may feel free to thin the glaze if you like yours runnier. Spread on the top of the cooled cake and let the glaze run down the sides of the cake. Sprinkle immediately with the colored sugar. Let the glaze set for at least an hour before serving.

Source: Dough recipe is slightly adapted from a King Cake recipe on allrecipes.com. The fillings are my own improvisation.