King Cake

Mardi Gras is the only possible justification for this.

King Cake
From Pioneer Woman's Tasty Kitchen

Ingredients:
1 t. and 1/2 C. White Sugar
1/4 C. Warm Water (100° To 110° F)
0.75 oz. Fleischmann's Yeast
1/4 C. Milk
1/4 C. Melted Butter – Cooled
1 t. Salt
2 1/2 C. Flour
2 1/2 Egg Yolks
Zest of a whole Lemon
1/2 t. Anise Extract
3/4 t. Ground Nutmeg
1 prize
1/2 T. Vegetable Oil/shortening (for Greasing Pan)
1/2 t. Almond Extract
1 1/2 T. Water
1 C. Powdered Sugar
Green, gold, and purple decorations

Directions:
Dissolve 1 t. sugar in 1/4 C. warm water in a small bowl.  Add 0.75 oz. yeast.  Mix well and let stand in a warm place 10 minutes until yeast resembles creamy foam.

Meanwhile, scald milk by heating it until milk is just hot with steam and small bubbles appear around the edges; do not boil.  To the bowl of milk add 1/4 C. sugar, butter and salt in the mixing bowl.  Stir in 2 cups of the flour and beat well.  Add the yeast mixture and the slightly beaten egg yolks one egg at a time to the milk mixture.  Stir in the grated lemon peel, anise extract and nutmeg.  Gradually add the remaining flour.  Using the dough hook of your mixer beat for 10 minutes on low speed.  Once all the dry ingredients are in come up to speed #2 for 5 minutes.

Turn out your dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 8 to 10 minutes, until the dough is smooth and elastic, adding additional flour as necessary to prevent stickiness.  Place in a well-greased bowl and turn it to oil all sides.  Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, set in a warm (85°), draft-free place, and let rise until doubled in size, about 1½ hour (an unlit/warm gas stove works well).

Punch dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface.  Shape dough into a long cylinder and place roll on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Bring ends together to form an oval ring, moistening and pinching edges together to seal.

Cover the ring with a towel and place in a warm, draft free place. Let the dough rise for about 45 minutes or until the dough doubles in size.

Preheat the oven 350° F.  Bake at 350° for 30 minutes (Note: To prevent the cake from getting too brown on top tent the top with foil when it is just golden brown).  Allow the cake to cool on rack.

For the icing:  Combine the 1 teaspoon almond extract, the water and 2 cups sifted powdered sugar in a medium mixing bowl.  Stir to blend well.  With a rubber spatula, spread the icing evenly over the top of the cake and have fun decorating.