Cooking for Mardi Gras

Believe it or not February is here, and Mardi Gras is scheduled for

Tuesday, February 5th, and this time of the year the colors of Mardi

Gras are popular for parties and luncheons. Listed is a recipe for a

Mardi Gras King Cake for those who want to have some fun preparing for

the annual event.
Mardi Gras King Cake
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 (16 ounce) container sour
cream
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 envelopes active dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 cup warm water (100 degrees
to 110 degrees F)
2 large eggs
6 to 6 1/2 cups all-purpose
flour, divided
1 cup sugar
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/3 cup butter or margarine -
softened, or squeeze margarine
colored frostings
colored sugars

1.Heat first 4 ingredients in microwave oven or saucepan,

stirring often, until butter melts. Cool mixture to 100o to 110o F.

2.Dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in 1/2 cup warm water. Let

stand 5 minutes.

3.Combine yeast mixture and sour cream mixture in a large

bowl. Add eggs and 2 cups flour. Beat by hand 2 minutes or until smooth.

Gradually stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.

4. Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface. Knead until

smooth and elastic - about 10 minutes.

5.Turn smooth side up and spray with vegetable spray.

Cover with plastic wrap and let rest 20 minutes.

6.Meanwhile, stir together 1 cup sugar and cinnamon. Set aside.

7.Punch dough down and divide in half. Roll 1 portion to a

10X20 (to 24) inch rectangle on floured surface.

8.Drizzle generously with softened margarine and sprinkle with 1/2

of cinnamon-sugar mixture.

9.Roll dough jelly-role fashion starting at long side.

10.Pinch seam to close and place roll on lightly greased cookie sheet seam-side down.

11.Bring ends together to form an oval ring, moistening and pinching edges together to seal.

12.Repeat with remaining dough, butter and cinnamonsugar mixture.

13.Spray with vegetable spray and cover with plastic wrap.

Let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes or until doubled in bulk.

14.Bake at 375o F or until golden.

15.Decorate with colored frostings and colored sugars.
Yield: 2 cakes
Colored Frostings
3 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons butter, melted
3 to 6 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 to 2 drops of appropriate
food coloring (green, yellow,
red/blue)

Colored Sugars
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 to 2 drops each of green,
yellow, red, and blue food coloring

Place 1/2 cup sugar and drop of green food coloring in a zip-top

bag. Seal. Shake vigorously or press with fingers to mix color with

sugar. Repeat procedure with 1/2 cup sugar and yellow food coloring. For

purple, combine 1 drop of red and 1 drop of blue food coloring before

adding to remaining 1/2 cup sugar.

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