Haydel's Bakery King Cakes

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 large eggs
• 2 (1/4 ounce) packages active dry yeast
• 1 cup milk (room temperature)
• 1/4 teaspoon lemon extract
• 1/4 teaspoon orange extract
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon butter flavor extract
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1/2 cup cinnamon sugar
• 3 cups granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon yellow food coloring
• 1 teaspoon green food coloring
• 1 teaspoon purple food coloring

Recipe

• 1 for the dough: in a mixer at first speed combine 1/3 cup granulated sugar, salt, and shortening until well creamed. add eggs and continue to cream.
• 2 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.
• 3 at this point sprinkle some flour on top and cover with a clean kitchen towel. allow the dough to rest for 1 1/2 hours.
• 4 for the colored sugar: 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 your 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 mixingbowl)
• 5 when dough has rested, roll out into an a long piece. brush on canola oil covering the entire piece. sprinkle the cinnamon sugar liberally over the whole piece.
• 6 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.
• 7 once shaped place on a baking pan covered with piece of parchment. allow the dough to rest again until it doubles in size.
• 8 at this point, take a spoon and alternate sprinkling the three colored sugars on top of your circular piece of dough.
• 9 bake at 370 degrees f for 12 to 15 minutes until dough is golden brown. then laissez les bon temps rouler (let the good times roll) !