Mam Papaul's King Cake Mix

This kit contains all the components necessary to make a traditional Mardi Gras King Cake. It includes a mix and knead bag, dough mix, yeast, 3 bags of colored sugar, filling mix, glaze, and a metallic baby. Makes 12 generous servings.

History

History of the Mardi Gras King Cake: The tradition of sharing King Cake with family and friends during the Mardi Gras season began in the middle ages and was brought to the southern United States by colonists from France and Spain. Beginning on the Epiphany (Twelfth Night/January 6th) and culminating with Fat Tuesday (Mardi Gras day), the season is celebrated with parties and parades in advance of the start of Lenten season. Today in New Orleans a pot of steaming coffee and a King Cake constitute a party and the lucky individual who finds the baby in (under) their slice of cake must host the next party, thereby continuing the social gatherings throughout the season. Mam Papaul's has created this easy-to-prepare Mardi Gras King Cake that virtually everyone can make, regardless of their culinary skill. Enjoy the Mardi Gras experience by making your own homemade Mardi Gras King Cake and say I made it myself. The colors of Mardi Gras signify the following: Purple signifies justice, green signifies faith, gold signified power. 

Baking Instructions

You'll Need: 1 cup hot water 120-130 degrees F (hot to touch) for quick rise); 1 egg; 1-1/4 stick butter or margarine.

Mix and Knead in Bag: 1. Place cake mix and yeast into the large zip-lock bag (included). Lock bag and shake well. Add 1 cup hot water, and 1/2 cup softened butter (8 tablespoons) to the contents of a larger bag. 2. Add 1 egg to the contents of the bag. Press air from the bag and lock. With fingers on the outside of the bag, mix and knead ingredients by squeezing and pulling dough for approximately 15 minutes (be careful not to puncture the bag). 3. Unlock bag. Set bag of dough in a warm place (on top of the warm oven) until the dough has doubled in size. To warm the oven turn to the lowest setting for 2 minutes then turn the oven off.

Mix and knead with a heavy-duty mixer or food processor. 1. Place cake mix (large bag) and yeast in a bowl. Insert appropriate attachment. Mix. 2. Add 1 cup very warm tap water and 1/2 cup softened butter or margarine. Mix well. 3. Add one egg. Mix well. Using the appropriate blade, knead until dough pulls from the side of the bowl (approximately 3-1/2 minutes) scrape dough from the sides of the bowl once during kneading. 4. Set the bowl of dough in a warm place for 30 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size (see warm place hint above). Proceed with Shape and Rise instructions. 

Shape and Rise: 1. Place dough on a lightly floured surface. Flour rolling pin and roll dough into 5 in x 30 in a rectangle. Mix 2 tablespoons melted butter with brown sugar praline mix. Add nuts, if desired. Spread evenly over dough. From 30 inside, roll dough jelly-roll fashion. Pinch edge to seal. 2. Place on a large cookie sheet. Shape into an oval. Let rise in a warm place for approximately 30 minutes or until the dough has doubled in size. Bake and Decorate: 1. Bake in preheated oven at 375 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes or until nicely browned. Cool. 2. Mix 1 tablespoon water with white glaze mix. Spread on top of cooled cake. Decorate with colored sugar crystals. Place baby under the cake. Makes 12 servings. Do not place the plastic baby in the cake. When the cake is cut and served, the server needs only place the baby under the piece of cake so it is easily detected on the plate by the guest as he/she lifts the piece of cake. 

High Altitude Instructions

RECOMMENDED CHANGES FOR BAKING BREAD (KING CAKE) AT HIGH ALTITUDE:

High altitude (over 3,000 feet) affects bread baking because the lower air pressure allows the yeast to rise 25 to 50 percent faster, and the drier air makes the flour drier. If the dough over-rises, the results might be a heavy, dry loaf or misshapen, or collapsed loaf. Make these adjustments when baking bread at high altitudes:

Start checking the dough halfway through the recommended rise time to see if it has doubled. If the dough had over-risen, punch it down and allow it to rise again.

Use about a third less yeast. If a recipe calls for one package of active dry yeast (2-1/4 teaspoons), you would need to use about 1-1/2 teaspoons.

Add flour slowly when mixing the dough and use only enough to make the dough easy to handle. If the dough is sticky, use greased rather than floured hands for kneading.

Oil the dough and cover it with greased plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out while waiting to be shaped.

Check doneness a few minutes before the minimum recommended baking time (20-25 minutes). Tent with foil if it's browning too quickly.

Ingredients

Flour (Bleached Wheat Flour, Malted Barley Flour, Niacin, Iron, Thiamine Mononitrate, Riboflavin, Folic Acid), Sugar, Green Sanding Sugar (Sugar, Yellow Lake 5, Confectioner's Glaze, Blue Lake 1, Carnauba Wax, Red 3, Blue 1, Red 40), Yellow Sanding Sugar (Sugar Confectioner's Glaze, Carnauba Wax, Yellow 5), Natural & Artificial Butter & Vanilla Flavor (Dextrose, Corn Starch, Less the 0,1% Turmeric, Less than .1% Alpha Carotenal, Alcohol, Natural Mixed Tocopherols), Salt, Dough Conditioner (Wheat Flour, Dextrose, Emulsifier, Vegetable Oil, Flour Treatment), Bakers Yeast, Natural & Artificial Yeast Flavor (Malto-Dextrin, Modified Food Starch, Dried Yeast, Sodium Caseinate, Ascorbic Acid, Propylene Glycol Alginate), Natural & Artificial Almond Flavor (Dextrose, Corn Starch), Natural & Artificial Vanilla Supreme Flavor (Dextrose, Corn Starch, Tricalcium Phosphate, Water, Alcohol),Sodium Caseinate, Ascorbic Acid, Propylene Glycol Alginate), Natural & Artificial Almond Flavor (Dextrose, Corn Starch), Natural & Artificial Vanilla Supreme Flavor (Dextrose, Corn Starch, Tricalcium Phosphate, Water, Alcohol).