King Cake - Gluten Free

Yes...I know!  Lent is over, Mardi Gras has passed, but this was a really good recipe and I am bound and determined to share all that I've been making over the past few months despite NOT posting.  I'll try to be a better blogger.  Anyway, one of the things David wanted before we began this gluten free thing was king cake. 

Well, I decided that I'd find one to make for him anyway and it turned out great!  I might actually like it better than the gluten-full version.  :-)  The dough did have a tendency to break, which I've found to be the biggest issue with formed gluten free items.  The filling is more cinnamon roll-like but that's what David likes...and I do too.  Come on...cinnamon, sugar?  YUM!  I'm pretty sure I sent some to work with David because he wasn't going to get to eat all the king cakes that everyone else brought.

Gluten Free King Cake from Jules Shephard
Pastry Ingredients:
¼ cup warm water (110 F)
1 Tbs. granulated cane sugar
2 ¼ tsp. (1 packet) highly active, fast rise yeast
½ cup unsalted butter or non-dairy alternative (e.g. Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
3 Tbs. granulated cane sugar
¼ cup warm milk (dairy or non-dairy)
2 large eggs
3 cups Gluten Free All Purpose Flour (or your own mix - this one already has xanthum gum in it)
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
2 tsp. gluten-free baking powder
½ tsp. salt (¼ tsp. salt if using non-dairy alternative)
2 Tbs. milk (dairy or non-dairy) for brushing on pastry before baking

Filling Ingredients:
4 Tbs. butter or non-dairy alternative (e.g. Earth Balance® Buttery Sticks)
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
1 ½ tsp. ground cinnamon
¼ cup Gluten Free All Purpose Flour

Gluten-Free Icing Ingredients:
1 cup confectioner's sugar
1-2 Tbs. milk (dairy or non-dairy)
Colored sugar (purple, gold and green)

Directions:
Prepare the filling by melting the 4 tablespoons butter and setting aside. Whisk together the brown sugar and cinnamon.

In a small bowl, combine the warm water, 1 tablespoon sugar and yeast; stir and set aside to proof.  If the mixture is not bubbly (or fluffy appearing!) and doubled in volume after 5-10 minutes, toss out and start again with fresh yeast.

In a large mixing bowl, blend the remaining 3 tablespoons sugar and butter until lighter and fluffy. Add the milk and eggs and beat until well-integrated. Add 2 cups of Gluten Free All Purpose Flour, salt, baking powder and nutmeg and mix well. Stir in the proofed yeast-sugar-water mixture, then add the remaining 1 cup Gluten Free All Purpose Flour.  Beat another 1-2 minutes, until the dough is clumping together and is not too sticky.

Prepare a large baking sheet by lining with parchment paper. Turn the dough out onto a pastry mat or a clean counter dusted lightly with Gluten Free All Purpose Flour. Roll the dough out to an elongated rectangle 24-30 inches long by 9-10 inches wide. Brush on the melted butter for the topping, coating the entire rectangle. Sprinkle the topping mixture on top of the melted butter, spreading to the ends of the rectangle, but leaving 1/2-1 inch without topping on each of the long sides of the rectangle.

Using a pastry blade or a spatula (or gentle fingers!), gently peel up one of the long sides of the rectangle and begin rolling it as you would a jelly roll. Once the entire pastry is rolled upon itself until no pastry remains unrolled, a 24-30 inch long roll will remain.

  Slowly and carefully pull the two ends of the roll together to form a circle or oval.  Dabbing the ends of the pastry with water, join the ends together to close the circle. Gently transfer the ring to the parchment-lined baking sheet, or transfer the ring on the silicone baking mat to the baking sheet. Using a large sharp knife, make a cut in the top of the pastry every 2 inches to expose one layer of the roll...unless of course, the dough has already broken some and done this for you!

Move the roll to the pan you plan to cook it on.  Then cover the cake and let rise in a warm spot for 20-30 minutes like a warming drawer or an oven heated to 200 F then turned off.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 F (static) or 325 F (convection).  Uncover the roll, place the pan in the oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. Remove from oven and allow the cake to cool.  While cooling, mix icing ingredients.  Drizzle over the cake when it is cool.  Sprinkle colored sugar on top of wet icing, alternating colors between each cut in the top of the cake. Serve when fully cooled and ENJOY!