Traditional King Cake 2 {Sweet Treat Fat Tuesday Edition!}

Happy Fat Tuesday!! Every year I make a king cake for my family, and every year the kids get so excited! This year I actually remembered to buy a baby to put in! My oldest is pretty excited to maybe get good luck for a whole year. haha I know it's a little late for this year, or maybe not if you get cooking, but this was the best king cake I've made. It was more moist than the ones I've made in the past. Definitely a keeper!

Traditional King Cake
adapted from my recipes 

Ingredients:
cake
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 tablespoons or 1 envelope active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (100° to 110°)
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 large eggs, lightly beaten
3 to 3-1/2 cups all purpose or bread flour

4 tablespoons butter, softened
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Creamy Glaze 
1/2 cups powdered sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/8 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1-3 tablespoons milk
Purple, green, and gold-tinted sparkling sugar sprinkles

Directions:

Cook sour cream, 1/4 cup sugar, butter, and salt in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until butter melts. Set aside, and cool mixture to 100° to 110°. 

Stir together yeast, 1/4 cup warm water, and 1/2 tablespoon sugar in a 1-cup glass measuring cup; let stand 5 minutes.

Beat sour cream mixture, yeast mixture, egg, and 1 cup flour at medium speed with a stand mixer until smooth. Reduce speed to low, and gradually add enough remaining flour (2 to 2 1/2 cups) until a soft dough forms. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes) or attach dough hook to electric mixer and knead that way.  Once dough is smooth and elastic, place it in a greased bowl, turning to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 1 hour or until dough is doubled in bulk. (I do this in a slightly warm oven.)  

Punch down dough. Roll  into a 22- x 12-inch rectangle. Spread 1/3 cup softened butter evenly on rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border. Stir together 1/4 cup sugar and cinnamon, and sprinkle evenly over butter. Roll up each dough rectangle, jelly-roll fashion, starting at the top. Place dough roll, seam side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet. Bring ends of roll together to form an oval ring, moistening and pinching edges together to seal. Cover greased plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 20 to 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk. 

Bake at 375° for 14 to 16 minutes or until golden. Slightly cool cakes on pan on wire racks (about 10 minutes). 

While the cake is baking, make the icing. In a medium bowl, stir together sugar, butter, vanilla, and lemon juice. Stir in 1 tablespoon of milk and add more until you have the consistency you want.  After the cakes have slightly cooled, drizzle creamy glaze evenly over warm cake; sprinkle with colored sugars, alternating colors and forming bands. Let cool completely before serving.