King Cakes (1 Viewer)

[City Champ]

That may be true for the last few years they were in business, but I can guarantee you, that wasn't always the case. If your are 50, or older, you would know. The cherries were on all king cakes sold and the baby was randomly placed.

Anyway, you should try the king cakes from the Tastee Donuts (McKenzies) on Harrison ave. in New Orleans. They have a ton of old McKenzies items. More then wht you will find elsewhere.

The Harrison Ave McKenzie's was the only McKenzie's we would go to. Are you telling me it has been replaced by a Tastee's and they are producing REAL McKenzie's cakes? If so, this is greatness because the last Tastee's McKenzie's replica I had was TERRIBLE!

And feo is right. The King Cake is a Catholic tradition and the baby is Jesus, but don't let that stop anyone from eating fiddy of them!

 

[KardiacKat]

ehem. Would anyone like to post an authentic recipe? I have been into baking/desserts lately, and I would really like to try making one for Mardi Gras.

 

[Jason]

I decided that I was going to try to make my own King Cake last year because I was tired of the over glazed, no flavor dough types that I was getting of late. I wanted to get something as close to McKenzie's King Cake as possible. I found this brioche king cake recipe and it was pretty good. I omitted the bourbon in the glaze. The cake turned out a little denser than I was hoping.

http://www.nolacuisine.com/2007/01/06/king-cake-recipe/

 

[City Champ]

ehem. Would anyone like to post an authentic recipe? I have been into baking/desserts lately, and I would really like to try making one for Mardi Gras.

I suggest googling Brioche king cake and see what pops up. Unless you have actually had one, its hard to describe what it should taste like...

 

[KardiacKat]

I decided that I was going to try to make my own King Cake last year because I was tired of the over glazed, no flavor dough types that I was getting of late. I wanted to get something as close to McKenzie's King Cake as possible. I found this brioche king cake recipe and it was pretty good. I omitted the bourbon in the glaze. The cake turned out a little denser than I was hoping.

http://www.nolacuisine.com/2007/01/06/king-cake-recipe/

Pretty!

I suggest googling Brioche king cake and see what pops up. Unless you have actually had one, its hard to describe what it should taste like...

I've had something called King Cake before, but I really doubt it was anything close to authentic. Basically it was a giant cinnamon roll.

 

[Yatman]

I've had something called King Cake before, but I really doubt it was anything close to authentic. Basically it was a giant cinnamon roll.

Everything mentioned in this thread sounds good, especially since there's neither "one true recipe" nor "one true bakery" for King Cake.

McKenzie's is what I typically ate as a kid, but would never dream of turning down Haydel's, Gambino's, Randazzo's or a cake made by somebody's mama'n'em. It's all good.

To me, the best King Cakes tend to be more bread-like and less sweet. They're not doughnuts, they're not cinnamon buns, and they're certainly not crescent rolls. That said, I like mine with cinnamon and pecans inside.

Just build what you want, add tri-color icing and insert a baby (or bean). As with most things New Orleanean, it's more about the celebration than the trappings.

 

[KardiacKat]

Thanks, Yat.

 

[buzd]

Everything mentioned in this thread sounds good, especially since there's neither "one true recipe" nor "one true bakery" for King Cake.

McKenzie's is what I typically ate as a kid, but would never dream of turning down Haydel's, Gambino's, Randazzo's or a cake made by somebody's mama'n'em. It's all good.

To me, the best King Cakes tend to be more bread-like and less sweet. They're not doughnuts, they're not cinnamon buns, and they're certainly not crescent rolls. That said, I like mine with cinnamon and pecans inside.

Just build what you want, add tri-color icing and insert a baby (or bean). As with most things New Orleanean, it's more about the celebration than the trappings.

This is pretty much dead on.

 

[buzd]

ehem. Would anyone like to post an authentic recipe? I have been into baking/desserts lately, and I would really like to try making one for Mardi Gras.

From another board. Not tried or endorsed by me, but it's a reliable site.

Dough
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp salt
½ cup all purpose shortening
4 cups all purpose flour
2 lg. eggs
1 cup milk (room temperature)
2 sm. packs active dry yeast
¼ tsp lemon flavor
¼ tsp orange flavor
¼ tsp vanilla flavor
¼ tsp butter flavor
½ cup canola oil
½ cup cinnamon sugar

Colored Sugar
3 cups granulated sugar
1 tsp purple food color
1 tsp yellow food color
1 tsp green food color

In a mixer at first speed combine 1/3 cup granulated sugar, salt, and shortening until well creamed. Add eggs and continue to cream. Dissolve the yeast in the milk and add the flavors. Once dissolved add to creamed mixture and continue to mix. Add flour and mix until dough tightens. Remove from mixer and kneed into a ball. At this point sprinkle some flour on top and cover with a clean kitchen towel. Allow the dough to rest for 1½ hours. While the dough is resting mix your colored sugars. Start by taking one cup of sugar and your yellow food coloring. Mix by hand with a wire wisk in a metal bowl until the sugar turns yellow. Pour you yellow sugar into a separate bowl and put off to the side. Repeat this process mixing green then purple. (By doing them in that order you only dirty one mixing bowl) When dough has rested roll out into an oblong piece. Brush on canola oil covering the entire piece. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar liberally over the whole piece. Once the dough is covered with the cinnamon sugar and oil, fold it in half lengthwise. Cut into 3 strips and braid the dough. Gently roll the dough by starting at one end and working all the way down to the other end. This will make the dough a nice long piece that can then be shaped into a circle. Once shaped place on a baking pan covered with piece of parchment. Allow the dough to rest again until it doubles in size. At this point take a spoon and alternate sprinkling the three colored sugars on top of your circular piece of dough.
Bake at 370 degrees F for 12-15 minutes until dough is golden brown. Then laissez les bon temps rouler!

 

[KardiacKat]

This sounds like a good recipe, buzd. Thank you and your pirate lady friend.

 

[gboudx]

I see Rouse's has a Who Dat cake. $29.99 shipping is a great price. Last time I ordered, they mistakenly sent me 2. Very good cake. I'll be ordering one of these next week.

http://shop.rouses.com/p-35-who-dat-king-cake.aspx

 

[JeffDaSaintsGuy]

Get someone to send it to you. Now that the post office has those 1 pice "if it fits it ships" boxes, you could easily get a small, maybe even a medium sent to you pretty cheep by a friend or relative.