Mardi Gras king cake

If anyone knows how to make a proper king cake for Mardi Gras, it's Southern Living! Their recipe has a sour cream base for the dough and cream cheese for the filling, which is critical for keeping the cake moist and gives it a nice tang.  The dough requires serious stirring power, especially if you use bread flour.  We burned out the motor on our small hand mixer one year trying to make it, so beware.

The filling is a plain base to which you can add many different flavors.  I recommend using extracts and liqueurs, and trying flavors such as amaretto, raspberry, or orange.  Since the dough recipe makes two cakes, you can divide the filling base in half and make two different fillings.  Get creative and have fun with this part - the recipe is very forgiving.

King Cake
makes 2 cakes; each yields 10-12 slices

Ingredients list
2 0.25-oz. envelopes active dry yeast
3 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
7 tbsp. butter
2 8-oz. packages cream cheese
16 oz. sour cream
6-6.5 cups bread (or AP) flour
1.5 cups granulated sugar
3 cups powdered sugar

2 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tbsp. lemon juice
3-4 tsp. flavoring extracts or liqueurs of your choice

Dough (for two cakes)
Yeast prefers a temperature similar to the human body, so the liquids below should be about the same temperature as your hand. If it's too hot for you to leave your finger in, it will kill the yeast and your dough won't rise.

Combine and let stand at least 5 minutes:
2 0.25-oz. envelopes active dry yeast
1/2 cup warm water
1 tbsp. granulated sugar

Melt in a small sauce pan on low:
16 oz. sour cream
1/3 cup granulated sugar
4 tbsp. butter
1 tsp. salt

Remove the sour cream mixture from the heat and let it cool down.

Beat at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric mixer until smooth:
yeast mixture
sour cream mixture
2 large eggs
2 cups bread flour (can substitute AP flour)

Reduce the mixer speed to low, and gradually add 4 to 4.5 cups more flour until a soft dough forms.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead until it's smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place it into a well-greased bowl, turning the dough ball to grease the top.  Cover the dough with a kitchen towel and let it rise in a warm place for 1 hour (or until the dough is doubled in size).

Cream cheese filling (for two cakes)
Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth:
3/4 cup granulated sugar
16 oz. cream cheese, softened
1 large egg
2 tsp. vanilla extract

Divide the filling in half and flavor each as you see fit. It should require about 1.5 tsp. of extract or liqueur, bumped up to 2 tsp. for chocolate.

Punch down the risen dough, and divide it in half.   Roll each portion into a 22x12 inch rectangle. Spread the cream cheese filling evenly on each dough rectangle, leaving 1-inch borders.  Roll up each dough rectangle, jelly-roll fashion, starting at a long side.

Place one dough roll, seam side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bring ends of roll together to form an oval ring, moistening and pinching edges together to seal. Fit a small bowl into the center of the circle to help it hold its shape.  Repeat with second dough roll.  Cover and let the cakes rise in a warm place for 20 to 30 minutes (or until doubled in bulk).

Bake at 375 for 14-16 minutes until golden. Cool cakes on pans on wire racks for about 10 minutes.

Glaze (for two cakes)
Stir together:
3 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp. butter, melted
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Stir in 2 tablespoons milk.  Add up to 2 more tablespoons, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the glaze is the right spreading consistency.

Drizzle glaze evenly over warm king cakes.  Sprinkle with colored sugars in purple, green, and yellow, alternating colors and forming bands. Let the cakes cool completely before serving.