Source:

Official Mardi Gras Website

Serves/Makes:1 cake

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup (125 ml) Warm water (110 degrees to 115 degrees)
• 2 pkgs Active dry yeast
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) plus 1 tsp (5 ml) Sugar
• 3-1/2 to 4-1/2 cups (1050 ml) Flour, unsifted
• 1 tsp (5 ml) Nutmeg
• 2 tsp (10 ml) Salt
• 1 tsp (5 ml) Lemon zest
• 1/2 cup (125 ml) Warm milk
• 5 Egg yolks
• 1 stick Butter, cut into slices and softened, plus
• more 2 tbsp (30 ml) Softened butter
• 1 Egg, slightly beaten with
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) Milk
• 1 tsp (5 ml) Cinnamon
• 1 Baby doll (1 inch)
• Colored sugars:
• Green, purple and yellow paste
• 12 tbsp (175 ml) Sugar
• Icing
• 3 cups (700 ml) Confectioners sugar
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) Lemon juice
• 4 tbsp (60 ml) Water

Preparation

• Cake:
• Pour the warm water into a small bowl and sprinkle yeast and 2 tsp (10 ml) sugar into it.
• Allow the yeast and sugar to rest for 3 minutes, then mix thoroughly.
• Set bowl in a warm place, for 10 minutes, or until yeast bubbles up and mixture almost doubles in volume.
• Combine 3-1/2 cups (825 ml) flour, remaining sugar, nutmeg and salt, and sift into a large mixing bowl.
• Stir in lemon zest.
• Separate center of mixture to form a hole and pour in yeast mixture and milk.
• Add egg yolks; using a wooden spoon, slowly combine dry ingredients into the yeast/milk mixture.
• When mixture is smooth, beat in 8 tbsp (125 ml) butter, 1 tbsp (15 ml) at a time, and continue to beat 2 minutes, or until dough can be formed into a medium soft ball.
• Place ball of dough on a lightly floured surface and knead like bread.
• During this kneading, add up to 1 cup (225 ml) more of flour (1 tbsp (15 ml) at a time), sprinkled over the dough. When dough is no longer sticky, knead 10 more minutes, until shiny and elastic.
• Using a pastry brush, coat the inside of a large bowl evenly with 1 tbsp (15 ml) softened butter.
• Place dough ball in the bowl and rotate until the entire surface is buttered.
• Cover bowl with a moderately thick kitchen towel and place in a draft-free spot for about 1-1/2 hours, or until the dough doubles in volume.
• Remove dough from bowl and place on lightly floured surface.
• Using your fist, punch dough down with a heavy blow.
• Sprinkle cinnamon over the top; pat and shake dough into a cylinder.
• Twist dough to form a curled cylinder, and loop cylinder onto the buttered baking sheet.
• Pinch the ends together to form a complete circle.
• Cover dough with towel and set in draft-free spot for 45 minutes, until the circle of dough doubles in volume.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees (200 C.).
• Brush top and sides of cake with egg wash and bake on middle rack of oven for 25 to 35 minutes, until golden brown.
• Place cake on wire rack to cool.
• If desired, at this time, you can "hide" the plastic baby in the cake.
• Colored Sugars:
• Squeeze a dot of green paste into palm of hand.
• Sprinkle 2 tbsp (30 ml) sugar over the paste and rub together quickly.
• Place this mixture on wax paper and wash hands to remove color.
• Repeat process for other 2 colors.
• Set aside.
• Icing:
• Combine sugar, lemon juice and 3 tbsp (45 ml) water.
• Beat until smooth.
• If icing is too stiff, add more water until spreadable.
• Spread icing over top of cake.
• Immediately sprinkle the colored sugars in individual rows consisting of about 2 rows each of green, purple and yellow.

Comments

Cake is served in 2" to 3" pieces.