News and Notes from The Johnson Center
It’s King Cake Time!
JCCHD | Sun, January 31, 2016 | [Family and Food]King Cakes are an important part of the Mardi Gras tradition. This ring-shaped cake is as rich in history and tradition as it is in taste.
To read about the history of King Cakes, click here.
For people with food allergies or issues with certain foods, King Cakes are often something to be avoided. But we set out to make a King Cake that is free of gluten, dairy, soy, and rice. This recipe may also be adapted to be egg free. And it was given two-thumbs up by our taste testers. So put on some Mardi Gras Mambo and make a treat to celebrate the season.
KING CAKE
INGREDIENTS
Dough:
• 3½ cups gluten free flour blend (You can use Bob’s Red Mill All Purpose Gluten Free Flour or the custom blend below*)
• ½ cup tapioca starch
• 1 Tbsp (1 packet) rapid rise yeast
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 3 tsp ground flaxseed
• 1 Tbsp hot water
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 3 Tbsp Earth Balance Soy Free “Buttery” Sticks
• ½ cup water
• ½ cup dairy free milk (We used unsweetened coconut milk)
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp almond extract
* NOTE FOR CUSTOM FLOUR BLEND:
2 cups Millet flour, 2 cups Amaranth flour, 1⅓ cups potato starch (not flour), ⅔ cup tapioca starch. Combine in a zipper lock plastic bag, shake to mix.
Filling Ingredients:
• 8 ounces Daiya dairy-free cream cheese, softened
• ½ cup packed brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• ¾ cup finely chopped pecans
Egg wash
• 1 egg white
• 1 Tbsp water
Icing
• 1½ cups confectioners’ sugar
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1-2 Tbsp coconut or almond milk – add until you get desired consistency
• Purple, Yellow, and Green sugar sprinkles (India Tree makes sprinkles colored with natural flavors)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Mix first five dry ingredients until combined. Set aside.
2. In a glass measuring cup, add ½ cup water and Earth Balance and microwave until just melted. In small bowl combine ground flax seed and hot water.
3. Stir in all wet ingredients and flax seed mixture with the dry.
4. Put down a non-slip mat or dampen your counter top and put down a piece of plastic wrap so that it covers an area bigger than 8"x16”. To avoid sticky dough, spray some oil onto the plastic wrap, than sprinkle with about 2 Tbsp of sugar. Knead dough into a ball and lay on plastic wrap - cover with another piece of plastic wrap sprayed with oil. Roll the dough out to approximately 10"x18”. Remove the plastic wrap.
5. Mix dairy free cream cheese, brown sugar, and cinnamon together in a medium mixing bowl until thoroughly combined.
6. With a spatula, spread the filling mixture evenly onto dough, leaving an inch around the edge without any filling. Evenly sprinkle pecans over filling.
7. Prepare a baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat and set right next to your dough. Carefully along the long end, start rolling it up into a long cylinder (sprinkle with extra flour if needed). Using the plastic wrap, lift the roll onto your baking sheet and placing it on its side. Remove the plastic wrap and gently form the roll into a circle and pinch the ends together.
8. Whisk egg wash ingredients together. Using a pastry brush, brush top of cake. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for 30-40 minutes until nearly doubled in size.
9. Preheat oven to 350. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
10. Take out of oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Carefully move to cooling rack.
11. Mix icing ingredients together and drizzle icing onto top of cake. When cool, cover top of cake in thirds with purple, yellow, and green sprinkles.
12. Optional: Insert a bean or baby in the bottom of the cake to determine who gets to make the next King Cake!
Notes: Adapted from saltedplains.com
