Instructions:
For dough:
Place warm water in a small mixing bowl with ½ teaspoon of sugar, then sprinkle the active yeast on top. Let sit for five minutes; it should bubble.
Heat the milk and butter, then cool and add to the remaining cake ingredients.
Place all other cake ingredients in a bowl, add the cooled milk-butter mixture, add the yeast-water mixture, and cover with plastic. Let sit in a warm spot for about 45 minutes or until it doubles in size.
For filling: Combine all filling ingredients in a food processor and pulse until a fine crumble forms.
For icing: Mix all ingredients until combined. This can wait until your cake is baking.
To assemble & bake cake:
Roll dough into a rectangular 12×16-inch size (approximately).
Spread the filling evenly on the dough and gently roll it to form a tubular piece. Connect the ends of the roll to create a circular shape.
Place the prepared cake on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and bake for about 30 minutes, until lightly golden.
Remove the cake from the oven and drizzle icing on top while the cake is still warm. Add the colored sprinkles and sugar in rows, alternating between each.
Did you know that, traditionally, king/queen cakes are baked with a hidden object (usually a small baby doll) inside, and the person who finds the object is king or queen for the day—and hosting the next celebration? If you do this, be sure to use something labeled food-grade.
