A few days ago, I posted the recipes for King Cake with Almond Paste, Apricot and Cranberry Filling or Cinnamon Streusel and Date Filling. Those cakes are made in a similar fashion; only the filling differs. However, this recipe, King Cake with Vanilla Cream Cheese and Cherry Filling, is made by piling the filling in the middle of the brioche, so that when it is cut, there is a thick layer of filing in the middle. YUM!
King Cakes are a delicious Mardi Gras tradition. Made with brioche dough, Danish pastry, or puff pastry (more common in France), the cake is stuffed with filling and topped with icing that is covered with sanding sugar in the traditional colors of Mardi Gras: Gold (for prosperity), Purple (for justice) and Green (for faith). Hidden inside the cake is a small token, typically a small plastic or ceramic “baby”, or a ring, bead, or whatever one wishes. The token is said to bring good luck to the person who finds it in their slice of cake. And whoever gets the slice with the token is supposed to host the Mardi Gras party next year!
A small baby figure is often used as the good luck token. It is supposed to represent the baby Jesus as Mardi Gras celebrates Three Kings Day, the day the three wise men visited the baby Jesus, and is followed by the beginning of Lent in the Christian calendar. The cake is also shaped into a crown to represent the Three Wise Kings. However, a ring, bead, or other “precious” token can be used as, historically, King Cakes were served during the “King’s Ball” and whoever found the trinket would be crowned the “King” or “Queen” of the ball.
Although King Cakes are typically associated with Mardi Gras, they are enjoyed anytime during Carnival, and by changing the toppings, are an excellent treat at any time of the year.
Note: If a good luck token has been hidden inside the cake, be sure everyone checks their slice so that they do not accidently swallow the token- that would be bad luck!
THE INSIDE SCOOP
When both volumetric and weight measures are provided, the volumetric measures should be considered approximations. The standard measure for a cup of flour is 120 grams. By volume, this measure will typically be less than 1 cup. When baking, it is always best to use a food scale to measure ingredients, especially flour. However, if you don’t have a food scale, sift the flour three times, then spoon the flour into a measuring cup and use the edge of a knife to level it off. This should result in a cup of flour that weighs about 120 grams.
I’M EGGCITED ABOUT EGGS!
In baking, eggs typically need to be room temperature. Warm eggs hold more air than cold eggs, which means a lighter cake. Cold eggs, on the other hand, can result in a heavy texture. To quickly bring eggs to room temperature before cracking, place the eggs in a bowl of very warm (not hot) water for 10 minutes.
Crack the eggs into a small bowl before adding to the batter. That way, it is easy to remove any bits of eggshell or bloody eggs.
MIXING IT UP:
This King Cake is made with brioche dough. Brioche is an enriched yeast dough that is higher in sugar and milk than most bread doughs, plus it includes eggs and butter. It is most easily made with a stand mixer using a dough hook, but it can be made by hand with a mixing bowl to combine the ingredients and then kneading for 10-15 minutes. I prefer to use a stand mixer!
To begin, combine all of the ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. Then make a well in the middle of the flour mix. This helps to distribute the liquids more evenly throughout the flour mix.
Place the butter in a microwave safe bowl and melt it on 50% power or the defrost setting in a microwave. When you add the milk and water, the butter will begin to harden; simply put the bowl back in the microwave and heat in 15 second bursts until the butter is again melted and the temperature of the liquids is 105 – 115 degrees. Instant read thermometers are very helpful (actually, essential) in baking.
Add the vanilla to the butter mix and pour the liquids into the well in the middle of the flour. Then crack the eggs into the bowl you just emptied (no need to get another bowl dirty!), whisk, and pour into the well with the other liquids. Do NOT add the eggs to the warmed butter until after the butter mix has been poured into the well in the middle of the dough. A butter/milk mix that is approximately 110 degrees could cause eggs to curdle.
Most stand mixers have a “bump” in the middle of the bottom of the bowl; the mixing hooks typically go around this bump. By hand, use a spatula to mix all of the ingredients until there is no dry flour on the bottom of the bowl, then lock the bowl into the stand mixer, add the dough hook, and mix 8-10 minutes until the batter is smooth and elastic.
While the dough is being mixed, use a 1/2 teaspoon of butter to butter the inside of a proofing bowl for the first rise (aka bulk fermentation); a proofing bowl can simply be another bowl or a container specifically designed for bulk fermentation.
Once the dough is mixed, pour it into the proofing bowl, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and place it in a warm spot. The “warming” drawer on my oven is not tall enough for a proofing bowl, so I turn the oven on for 1 1/2 minutes until the temperature reaches 100 degrees. I then turn the oven off, but I turn the oven light on, and put the bowl of dough in the oven to rise. The continuing heat from the oven light is typically enough to keep the yeast active and help the dough rise. However, if it is a particularly cold day outside, I may need to turn the oven back on for one minute once or twice, until the dough has doubled in size, which may take 2-3 hours. A slow rise is desirable for King Cakes, as a slow rise enables the flavor to become more developed than with a rapid rise.
While the dough is undergoing its first rise, prepare the filling. Place the dried cherries in a small bowl, cover the cherries with water, and microwave on High for one minute. Let the bowl sit in the microwave for 5 minutes, then remove and thoroughly drain off the water. This will soften the dried fruit perfectly, so that once it is baked, the fruit is still soft and not hard as small rocks. Set aside.
In a medium bowl by hand or with an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue beating until smooth.
Place the risen dough on a floured surface and, with a floured rolling pin, roll into a 17″ x 10″ rectangle.
Mix the prepared cherries and cream cheese together. Pile the filling into the middle of the dough, leaving approximately 2″ uncovered on the long sides and one end. Use the egg wash to “paint” the uncovered edges. The egg wash will act like a glue to hold the dough together.
If you prefer, you can also roll out the pastry dough and cover all but 1 1/2″ on one long side and 2″ on one short end with filling.
This made wonderful layers of filling within the cake, but sadly, more of the filling soaked into the cake and was noticeably less pronounced by the next day. (OK, I’m assuming that all of the cake won’t be eaten the very first day.)
Back to enclosing the filling: Lift one long side of the dough up to cover the filling, then lift the other long side up so that the two long sides overlap. Pinch the edges of the dough together to create a seam.
To make the ring or “crown,” roll the log so that the joining seam is on the bottom, then shape into a circle. Tuck the end that is filled into the end that is empty. (Every time I do this, I think of the Ouroboros dragon that is constantly eating its own tail and being reborn.)
Carefully lift the dough and place it on a parchment-covered, sided baking sheet. A very large flipper/spatula or a cake lifter is very helpful for this. Again cover the pastry loosely with plastic wrap and put in a warm place to rise.
Once the dough has doubled in size, heat the oven to 375 degrees. Use a pastry brush to cover the outside of the dough with the egg wash- this will give the dough a golden finish. Then use a very sharp knife or razor blade knife to cut 2″ slits in the top of the cake, spacing the slits 1 1/2″ to 2″ apart. Be sure to brush the egg wash on BEFORE cutting the steam vents so that the egg wash does not fill up the slits. Slip a second baking sheet under the first one to prevent the bottom of the cake from browning excessively. Place the prepared pastry in the oven and bake for approximately 30 minutes, until an instant read thermometer registers 195 – 205 degrees.
While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting.
Once the cake has finished baking, remove from the oven; let the cake rest on the pan for 1 minute, then slide the parchment paper and cake onto a cooling rack; you may need to use 2 cooling racks because, at over 4 pounds, the cake is quite large. Use a metal spatula or cake lifter to gently loosen the edges of the cake from the parchment paper- the egg wash may have caused the cake to stick to the parchment paper. Slide the cake off the parchment paper onto the cooling rack. Place the used parchment paper or 2 sheets of waxed paper under the cooling rack to catch frosting drips and colored sugar.
Use toothpicks to divide the cake into 6 equal sections (see picture below). Frost and cover with sanding sugar, one section at a time, working quickly as the frosting will set within seconds.
Let the cake cool, then cut a slit in the bottom of the cake and insert the plastic baby piece or desired trinket into the cake.
And then ENJOY!
King Cake: An enriched sweet pastry dough packed to the MAX with vanilla cream cheese and cherries, and topped with icing and sanding sugar in traditional Mardi Gras colors. Time to get your Mardi Gras masks and beads out and celebrate! And remember: Whoever gets the slice with the baby figure hosts your Mardi Gras celebration next year! Use the ½ teaspoon of butter to butter the inside of a medium/large bowl; set aside. Cover a large, sided baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Cut the ½ stick of butter into chunks, place in a small bowl and microwave on defrost or ½ power for about 2 minutes until butter melts. Add milk and water; continue to microwave for 15 seconds at a time until mixture reaches a temperature of 105 – 115 degrees. While butter is melting, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, yeast, salt, and spices in the bowl of a stand mixer. Make a well in the middle of the flour mix; set aside. Add the vanilla to the prepared butter and milk mixture; pour into the well in the flour mix. Crack the 2 eggs into the now empty butter bowl; whisk. Add the eggs to the well in the flour mix. Fold the wet and dry ingredients together until there is no dry flour. Place the bowl on the stand mixer and, using the dough hook, mix for 8-10 minutes until the dough is smooth. Pour the dough into the prepared, buttered bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and place in a warm location until doubled in size. While the dough rises, prepare the filling. Vanilla Cream Cheese and Cherry filling: Place the dried cherries in a microwave-safe bowl; cover with water, and microwave on High for 1 minute. Let cherries sit in the water for 5 minutes, then drain thoroughly. Place the softened cream cheese in a medium-size bowl; by hand or with an electric mixer, beat until smooth. Add the sugar and vanilla extract; beat until smooth. Stir in the prepared cherries; set aside. To Fill the King Cake: On a well-floured surface, use a floured rolling pin to roll the dough into a 17” x 8” rectangle. Spoon the filling evenly over the middle of the dough, leaving 1” on the long side and 2” on the short side plain. In a small bowl, make the Egg Wash: Whisk together the egg and milk. With a pastry brush, brush the egg wash onto the uncovered edges of the pastry dough. Carefully lift one long side of the pastry dough so that it covers the filling. Lift the other long side of pastry dough so that it covers the filling and overlaps the dough from the other side. Pinch the long edges of the pastry dough sides together to prevent the filling from leaking out. Roll the dough over so that the seam is on the bottom. Shape the log into a circle and tuck the filled end of the log into the plain end of the log; pinch the ends together. Place the filled cake onto the parchment-covered baking sheet. A cake lifter or very large flipper/spatula is helpful for this. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and place in a warm spot until approximately doubled in size. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brush the prepared egg wash over the surface of the cake to give it a shiny, golden finish. With a very sharp knife or razor blade, cut 1” – 2” slits in the top of the cake at approximately 1 ½” intervals. Place the cake in the oven and bake for 35 minutes, until the internal temperature reads 200-205 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. While the cake is baking, prepare the frosting: In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Stir by hand until smooth; set aside. Remove the baked cake from the oven and place the baking sheet on a cooling rack for one minute. Carefully slide the parchment paper and cake from the baking sheet onto the cooling rack. Use a metal flipper/spatula to gently lift the edges of the cake about an inch off the parchment paper to ensure that the cake is not stuck to the parchment paper (because of the egg wash). Use the spatula to slide the cake off the parchment paper and onto the cooling rack (it may be necessary to use 2 cooling racks because of the size of the cake). Place the now empty parchment paper or 2 sheets of waxed paper under the cooling racks. Use toothpicks to divide the surface of the cake into 6 approximately equal parts. Frost the cake, working one section at a time; cover the frosting with the colored sanding sugar. Work quickly as the frosting will dry rapidly. Alternate the colored sanding sugar so that there are 2 sections of gold, purple, and green each. Cut a small slit at the bottom of the cake and push the plastic baby figure or chosen trinket into the cake. Enjoy!King Cake with Vanilla Cream Cheese and Cherry Filling
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