Three Kings Cake

   Three Kings Cake

This is the basic recipe I used (with variations) for the Three Kings Cake served in worship on January 6^th. The website is http://easteuropeanfood.about.com/od/polishdesserts/r/kingcake.htm . I have included my variations in this italicized print. Enjoy!

On the Feast of the Three Kings on Jan. 6, a king cake is served with a miniature baby doll representing Jesus, coin or almond baked inside. The one who gets it is king or queen for the day and will be lucky in the coming year or hosts the next Epiphany party and makes the next Kings Cake. Recipes vary by region. Some serve a French-type puff pastry cake with almond paste filling, others favor a sponge cake with almond cream filling, and yet others enjoy a light fruitcake, as in this recipe.

Makes 1 (10-inch) Bundt cake AND 2 (6"x4") mini loaves For 2 Bundt-sized cakes I added another ½ recipe

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour mine went almost 2hours

Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup light raisins
• 3/4 cup chopped dates
• 1 1/3 cups chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup chopped dried apricots
• 1/2 cup chopped candied orange or lemon peel. I used lemon zest instead
• I substituted nuts and dried fruit that I had available: dark raisins, dried cranberries, dried mangoes, walnuts and almond slices.
• 1/2 pound (2 sticks) softened butter
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar. This seemed like a lot of sugar at the time. I substituted some regular sugar for the confectioners’ sugar.
• 8 large eggs
• 4 cups + 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup brandy or whiskey or orange juice
• Glaze:
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 3 tablespoons lemon or orange juice

Preparation:

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees. Lightly coat a 10-inch Bundt pan and two (6"x4") mini loaf pans (for gifting!) with cooking spray. Mix fruits and nuts and toss with 3/4 cup flour to keep ingredients from clumping together in cake batter.
2. In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each.
3. In a separate bowl, mix together 4 cups flour and baking powder and slowly add to the butter-sugar-egg mixture, combining thoroughly. Add vanilla and liquor or juice, mixing well. Stir in fruit-nut mixture by hand until thoroughly incorporated.
4. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake mini loaves 25 minutes to 35 minutes or more, and Bundt pan 45 minutes to 1 hour or more, or until toothpick tests clean. I checked the cakes after 45 minutes and then every 15 minutes. It ended up being almost 2 hours.
5. Let cake cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes before inverting onto rack to cool completely. Combine glaze ingredients and pour over cooled cake, letting it run down the sides.
6. When cutting the cake, insert the hidden prize in one slice of cake from the underside. Make a paper crown, if desired, and place it atop the cake. Let guests serve themselv