A Smaller King Cake

Before I delve into this recipe, let me just state, this is definitely the best thing I’ve baked…ever. It was soooo perfectly balanced and just the right amount of sweet that I’ve eaten half of it in only a few short hours lol. This recipe is from King Arthur Baking, the only adjustment I made was I changed the filling to a cinnamon, butter, cardamom and pistachio filling, and I changed the size of it, being quarantined and all. If you are reading this in the lovely future, then feel free to check out the original recipe for a larger cake below. If not, enjoy this smaller, but not any less satisfying, version of a king cake

Recipe Resource: King Arthur Baking Co.

Recipe adapted to be smaller by Tierney Larson, also the filling is my recipe :)

*If you want to add a baby into this which is tradition, add it with the filling

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup (209g) All-Purpose Flour

1/8 cup (25g) of granulated sugar

1/8 cup (14g) nonfat dry milk powder

3/4 tsp (4g) Kosher salt

1 1/4 tsp instant yeast

1/8 tsp ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp lemon zest

4 tbl (56g) unsalted butter, melted

6 tbl (85g) whole milk, lukewarm

1 large egg and 1 large yolk, whites reserved

For the Filling:

3 tbl of unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1/4 cup (50g) of brown sugar

1/2 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp cardamom

1/4 cup of toasted pistachios, finely chopped

a pinch of kosher salt

a few grinds of fresh nutmeg, or a pinch of ground nutmeg

a pinch of lemon zest

For the icing:

1 cup (113g) powdered sugar

pinch of kosher salt

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1-2 tbl of milk, enough to make it thick but pourable

For the topping:

green, yellow and purple fine sparkling sugars

Ok so…In a small pan, heat the pistachios over medium heat for about 8 minutes, until they are fragrant and turning golden. Remove from the heat and when cooled, finely chop and set aside.

In the medium bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, milk powder, salt, yeast, nutmeg and lemon zest until combined. To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, add the butter, milk, egg and egg yolk, then add the flour mixture on top and mix at low speed until it comes together. Make sure to scrape down the bowl and hook every now and then, to make sure it’s all getting incorporated.

Move the speed up to medium-low and knead until you have a smooth, silky and elastic dough. About 15 minutes on a stand mixer at medium-low speed. The dough should feel like it has some strength to it, when you stretch a small piece of it, you should be able to see light through the center without it tearing right away. It will be slightly sticky but very smooth.

Scrape the dough out into a lightly greased bowl and cover. Let rise for an hour, it will look puffy but might not double in size. Meanwhile, if you have one, grease the outside of a small ramekin, you can insert this into the center of the cake and bake with it there to help keep its shape.

After the dough has risen, tip it out onto a greased surface. Gently stretch and press it into a rectangle about 12x3 inches. Be careful not to let it get too thin or it will tear. Let the dough rest for a minute while you make the filling, mix together the cinnamon, cooled and chopped pistachios, cardamom, brown sugar, lemon zest and a pinch of salt until combined. Brush the melted butter over the dough leaving about 1/4 inch around the edges. Sprinkle the cinnamon-sugar mixture all over where you spread the butter, and gently press it into the dough.

Then, start rolling the dough starting longwise, towards you like you would for cinnamon rolls. Then seal the dough together by pinching it at the seam all the way down the length of the dough. Make sure the dough is well sealed, and then move it carefully, seam side down, to a parchment lined baking sheet. *It’s important your dough is sealed otherwise the filling will leak out and could burn a bit.

Form the dough into a circle around the greased ramekin (if using) and again pinch well to seal the ends together.

Cover in plastic and let rest for another hour, preheating the oven to 350F about halfway through the rise time.

Whisk 1 tsp of water into the reserved egg white. Take the plastic off and brush the loaf all over with the egg wash. Place on the center rack of the oven and bake for 20 minutes. Then tent with tinfoil and bake for another 20 minutes. It will be a nice deep golden brown all over when it’s done. Let it cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes before moving it to a rack to fully cool.

To make the icing, whisk together the sugar, salt and vanilla, then add the milk and whisk until you have the desired consistency. It should be thick but should come off of the whisk in a nice slow stream when you lift it up.

When the cake is fully cooled, drizzle with icing and sprinkle with sparkling sugar. Enjoy!!!