Easy King Cake Food

KING CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake: Warm the milk in a small saucepan over low heat until a thermometer registers 100 to 110 degrees F. Pour the milk into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and sprinkle the yeast over the top. Mix on low to combine.
• Add 1/2 cup of the flour and the egg yolks and beat on medium to combine. Sprinkle the remaining 2 cups flour evenly over top. Do not mix. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and set aside undisturbed at room temperature until the yeast has risen slightly under the flour, 90 minutes.
• Add the 2 whole eggs, granulated sugar, lemon zest, salt, and nutmeg and beat on medium speed until a shaggy dough forms, about 1 minute.
• With the mixer on low speed, slowly add the melted butter to make a smooth, sticky dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly buttered large bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled in size, about 3 hours.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead briefly. Form into a ball and return to the bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to overnight.
• For the filling: Add the butter, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a small bowl and mix into a smooth paste.
• On a floured surface, roll the dough into a 20-by-7-inch rectangle, with the long edge facing you. Spread the filling in an even layer over the dough, leaving a 1 1/2-inch border along all sides. Brush the long edge furthest from you with water. Roll the dough away from you into a long, tight cylinder.
• Transfer the roll seam-side down to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush one end with water and place the ends together, slightly overlapping to form a ring. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until the doubled in size, about 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Bake the cake until firm and golden brown, about 40 minutes. Transfer the cake to a rack set on top of a baking sheet and let cool completely.
• Flip the cake over and use a paring knife to cut a small slit into the bottom. Insert the plastic baby into the hole and arrange the slit so that it covers the baby. Flip the cake back over.
• For the glaze: Add the confectioners' sugar and 2 to 3 tablespoons water to a medium bowl and whisk until smooth (if necessary, add up to 2 more tablespoons water to achieve the correct consistency). Brush a thick band of the glaze over the cake and immediately sprinkle with purple sugar. Repeat, alternating the sugar colors, until the entire cake is covered.

EASY KING CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Place cinnamon rolls sideways on a large cookie sheet that has been greased or lined with a silicone mat. Arrange cinnamon rolls in a circular pattern. It should look like a flower when you're done. Press down on cinnamon rolls with your hand to flatten them slightly.
• Bake according to package instructions. Let cool.
• Frost with the buttercream that comes with the cinnamon rolls. Add yellow, green and purple sugar. Serve immediately or store covered for up to 24 hours at room temperature. It is best when eaten the first day.

KING CAKE

Steps:

• For the cake:
• Heat the milk in a saucepan until scalding; transfer to a food processor, add the yeast and pulse to combine. Add 1/2 cup flour and the egg yolks; process to combine. Pour the remaining 2 cups flour evenly over the yeast mixture; do not process. Put the lid on; set aside for 90 minutes.
• Add the 2 whole eggs, granulated sugar, lemon zest, salt and nutmeg to the food processor; process to make a slightly textured dough, about 1 minute. With the machine running, slowly add the butter to make a smooth, sticky dough. Transfer the dough to a lightly buttered bowl and cover tightly with plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place for 3 hours. Turn the dough out onto a clean surface and knead briefly; form into a ball and return to the bowl. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
• For the filling:
• Plump the raisins in the bourbon in a small saucepan over medium heat. Remove from the heat and add the brown sugar, pecans, vanilla, cinnamon, orange zest, salt and the bean or plastic baby; mix until combined and set aside.
• On a floured surface, roll the dough into a 20-by-7-inch rectangle, with the long edge facing you. Spoon the filling in an even layer over the dough, leaving a 1-inch border along the top and bottom. Fold the bottom and then the top edge over the filling to make a tight roll; pinch to seal. Transfer the roll seam-side down to a parchment-lined baking sheet; tuck one end into the other to form a ring. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and set aside in a warm place until the roll doubles in size, about 2 hours.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake the cake until firm and golden brown, about 40 minutes. Cool on a rack.
• For the glaze: Mix 3 tablespoons water with the confectioners' sugar; brush 3 tablespoons glaze over the cake. Sprinkle with bands of colored sugar; drizzle with more glaze.

KING CAKE

Steps:

• Cook first 4 ingredients in a saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until butter melts; Cool mixture to 100 degrees to 110 degrees.
• Dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in 1/2 cup warm water in a large bowl; let stand 5 minutes; Add butter mixture, eggs, and 2 cups flour; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer 2 minutes or until smooth; Gradually stir in enough remaining flour to make a soft dough.
• Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes; Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease top; Cover and let rise in a warm place (85 degrees), free from drafts, 1 hour or until doubled in bulk.
• Using an electric mixer, mix cream cheese until smooth; Add egg and blend well; Add sugar, salt and vanilla and mix until smooth and creamy; Set aside.
• Punch dough down; divide in half; Turn 1 portion out onto a lightly floured surface; roll to a 28- x 10-inch rectangle; Spread half each of cream cheese mixture on dough; Roll dough, jellyroll fashion, starting at long side; Place dough roll, seam side down, on a lightly greased baking sheet; Bring ends together to form an oval ring, moistening and punching edges together to seal; Repeat with remaining dough and cream cheese mixture.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place, free from drafts, 20 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
• Bake at 375 degrees for 15 minutes or until golden.
• Decorate with bands of Colored Frostings, and sprinkle with Colored Sugars.
• COLORED FROSTINGS: Stir together powdered sugar and melted butter; Add milk to reach desired consistency for drizzling; stir in vanilla; Divide frosting into 3 batches, tinting 1 green, 1 yellow, and combining red and blue food coloring for purple frosting.
• COLORED SUGARS: Place 1/2 cup sugar and drop of green food coloring in a zip-top plastic bag; seal; Shake and squeeze vigorously to evenly mix color with sugar; Repeat procedure with 1/2 cup sugar and yellow food coloring; For purple, combine 1 drop red and 1 drop blue food coloring before adding to remaining 1/2 cup sugar.

EMERIL'S QUICK KING CAKE

Steps:

• After opening the can of crescent rolls, unroll in one piece. With your fingers, press seams together to form one piece of dough.
• Mix together butter and cinnamon, gently spread over the dough.
• Mix together cream cheese and powdered sugar. Drop teaspoons over the top of the dough. Drop teaspoonfuls of pie filling (cherry, blueberry or peach) over the dough as you did the cream cheese.
• Starting on the long end, carefully roll the dough, horizontally, with the filling and cream cheese inside. Insert plastic baby at any place within the dough.
• Place on baking pan with the seam side down in a circle, pinching the ends together.
• Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.
• While the cake is baking, use the food coloring to dye the sugar.
• When cake is cool, pour icing over the top of the cake. Sprinkle with the colored sugar, alternating the three colors as you go around the circle.
• For icing: Combine 1 cup of powdered sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tbsp water until smooth.

CLASSIC KING'S CAKE

Steps:

• In small bowl, sprinkle yeast over warm water to dissolve. Set aside.
• Combine flour, sugar, nutmeg and salt in a large mixing bowl of stand mixer. Stir in lemon and orange peel. Make a well in the center and add yeast mixture, milk, beaten eggs and beaten egg yolks. Gradually fold together. Add 1/2 cup of the butter and beat using dough hook of a stand mixer on Low speed until dough forms ball.
• Place ball on floured board and knead until smooth and elastic, adding flour if necessary. Butter the inside of a large bowl with 1 tablespoon of the butter. Place dough in bowl and turn to coat the entire surface with butter. Cover and set aside for 45 minutes, or until doubled in size.
• Heat oven to 375°F. Brush a large baking sheet with remaining butter. Return dough to lightly floured surface, knead several times. Shape into 14 inch long roll. Place on baking sheet and form from a ring, pinching ends together.
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Cool cake on a wire rack.
• For the glaze, combine the powdered sugar, milk and vanilla in a small bowl. Stir until smooth. Once cake has cooled, drizzle icing on top using a fork. Top with colored sugars and plastic baby, if desired. Serve.

KING CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast and white sugar in warm milk. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.
• Stir the egg yolks and melted butter into the milk mixture. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, nutmeg and lemon zest. Beat the flour mixture into the milk/egg mixture 1 cup at a time. When the dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and supple, about 8 minutes. Lightly oil a large bowl, place the dough in the bowl and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours.
• In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese and 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar. Mix well. In another small bowl, combine the remaining 2 cups confectioners' sugar, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons milk. Mix well and set aside.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface. Roll the dough out into a 6x30 inch rectangle. Spread the cream cheese filling across the center of the dough. Bring the two long edges together and seal completely. Using your hands shape the dough into a long cylinder and place on a greased baking sheet, seam-side down. Shape the dough into a ring press the baby into the ring from the bottom so that it is completely hidden by the dough. Place a well-greased 2 pound metal coffee can the center of the ring to maintain the shape during baking. Cover the ring with a towel and place in a warm place to rise until doubled in size, about 45 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Bake in preheated oven until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove the coffee can and allow the bread to cool. Drizzle cooled cake with lemon/sugar glaze and decorate with candy sprinkles.

KING CAKE CUPCAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper cup liners.
• Stir together flour, baking powder, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Cream butter, 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer until well combined. Add egg whites, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Alternately add half of the flour mixture, all the buttermilk, and remaining flour mixture, beating after each addition until just combined.
• Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full, and smooth tops with the back of a spoon.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack, about 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make frosting. Blend cream cheese, butter, lemon juice, and lemon zest with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in powdered sugar to reach a spreading consistency.
• Frost cooled cupcakes and decorate with luster dust and sanding sugars.

SUPER EASY MARDI GRAS KING CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
• Open the cans of sweet roll dough and unroll the dough from each can into 3 strands. Working on a clean surface, place 3 dough strands side by side and gather them together to make one large strand. Fold this in half, and roll slightly to make a fat log. Repeat steps with the remaining dough. Place each log on the prepared baking sheet and shape to make a ring, overlapping the ends and pinching them together to make a complete circle. Pat the dough into shape as necessary to make the ring even in size all the way around. Cover loosely with foil.
• Bake in preheated oven until firm to the touch and golden brown, 50 to 60 minutes. Check often for doneness so the ring doesn't overbake. Place on a wire rack and cool completely.
• Place the cake ring on a serving plate. Cut a slit along the inside of the ring and insert a small plastic baby, pushing it far enough into the cake to be hidden from view.
• Divide the frosting evenly between 4 bowls. Stir 1 tablespoon of milk into each bowl to thin the frosting. Use the frosting in one bowl to drizzle over the cooled cake. To the remaining three bowls of frosting, stir yellow food coloring into one and green into another. Stir the red and blue food colorings together with the frosting in a third bowl to make purple frosting. Drizzle the cake with yellow, green, and purple frostings in any desired pattern. Dust the cake with multi-colored sprinkles and decorate with beads, additional plastic babies, curly ribbon, and other festive trinkets.

QUICK MARDI GRAS KING CAKE

Steps:

• Mix 2 1/2 cups flour and yeast in mixing bowl of stand mixer, using the paddle attachment, on low for about 30 seconds.
• Heat milk, sugar, and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat until sugar is dissolved and milk is between 120°F to 130°F.
• With mixer on low, pour in liquids and mix until incorporated. Add eggs one at a time. Continue mixing until a shaggy dough forms. Clean off paddle and switch to dough hook. Mix in the remaining 1 cup flour a little at a time, adding more or less flour as needed to make a soft dough. Add the softened butter, a piece at a time, kneading until each piece of butter is absorbed.
• Knead for eight minutes on low. The dough should completely clear the sides of the bowl. If it is too sticky, add additional flour 1 tablespoon at a time, mixing in thoroughly before determining if more flour is needed. If the dough seems too dry, spritz with water from a spray bottle a couple of times, mixing in thoroughly before determining if more water is needed. Every 2 minutes, stop the machine, scrape the dough off the hook, and then continue kneading.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times by hand to be sure it's smooth and elastic. Form the dough into a ball. Place dough into a greased bowl. Turn once so greased surface is on top. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• While the dough is chilling, make cinnamon filling. In small bowl, combine the brown sugar and ground cinnamon. Combine butter with cinnamon mixture and mix well.
• Roll the chilled dough into a 10 x 20 inch rectangle. Spread the filling on half of the long side of the dough. Fold the dough in half covering the filling. Pat dough down firmly so the dough will stick together. Cut dough into three long strips. Press the tops of the strips together and braid the strips. Press the ends together at the bottom. Gently stretch the braid so that it measures 20 inches again. Shape it into a circle/oval and press the edges together.
• Transfer the ring to a parchment lined or greased baking sheet. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and let it rise until doubled, about 1 hour. While the dough is rising, preheat the oven to 350°. Bake the cake until it is golden brown, 20 - 35 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 10 minutes on baking sheet and then place it on a cooling rack to cool completely before icing. To hide the baby in the cake, if desired, make a small slit in the bottom of the cake and put the miniature plastic baby in after the cake has cooled.
• Icing: In a small bowl, mix powdered sugar, milk and vanilla until smooth (add additional milk if mixture is too thick or powdered sugar if too thin).
• Spoon icing over top of the cake. Immediately sprinkle on colored sugar, alternating between the three colors.

SUPER EASY KING CAKE

Steps:

• On floured surface, roll out your dough to a rectangle of about 10 x 18 inches. It doesn't have to be exact. In a mixing bowl, combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, and extract and mix until creamy and blended. Spread over dough to within an inch of each side. If you choose to add cinnamon and pecans sprinkle them on now. Roll up longways (to make a long log) and brush the final edge with water before pressing it into the log to seal.
• Take log and form into a circle, pressing the ends into each other and brushing with water if needed to seal together. Spray top lightly with cooking spray and cover with plastic wrap. Set in warm place to rise for 45 minute to an hour. Remove plastic wrap and bake in 350 degree oven for 30-35 minutes. Allow to cool. Mix confectioner's glaze and drizzle over top of cake with a spoon. Immediately sprinkle colored sprinkles over glaze if desired. Allow to sit until glaze hardens.

KING CAKE

Steps:

• For the dough: Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Remove from the heat and pour in the milk and water. The mixture should be just warm to the touch, about 110 degrees F; let cool or heat over low heat as needed. Stir in the yeast and let stand for 5 minutes, until bubbles come to the surface.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
• In a small bowl, stir together the brown sugar, orange zest and egg yolks. Whisk in the yeast mixture. Add the liquid mixture to the dry ingredients; fold with a rubber spatula until all the flour is incorporated and a slightly sticky dough forms.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and sprinkle the top with flour. Knead for 2 to 3 minutes, until the dough becomes smooth and no longer sticks to the work surface. Lightly grease a medium bowl with the canola oil and add the dough, turning to coat. Cover the bowl and let proof in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• For the filling: Add the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar, orange juice, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg to a medium bowl. Mix with a hand-held mixer or rubber spatula until completely combined and smooth. Set aside.
• Bake the cake: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
• Remove the proofed dough to a lightly floured work surface and roll into an 8-by-28-inch rectangle, about 1/4-inch thick. Spread evenly with the cream cheese filling, leaving a 2-inch border. Add the plastic baby to the filling, and then roll the dough into a 28-inch log. With the log seam-side down, bring both ends together to form a circle. Lightly brush the inside of one end with water and insert the other end inside to close the circle. Brush the seam lightly with water and pinch to seal. Place the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, making sure to form it back into a circle--it should be approximately 10-inches in diameter. Using a paring knife, make six 2- to 3-inch diagonal slits in the top of the dough (to act as vents during baking). Let the dough rise an additional 30 minutes, until puffed up and the vents have opened slightly.
• Bake the cake for 40 minutes, until the top and bottom have a deep golden-brown crust. The slits may also widen as during baking; that is normal. Remove the cake from oven and let cool for 30 minutes on the baking sheet.
• For the icing: Whisk together the confectioners' sugar, milk and orange juice until smooth. Spoon the icing over the top of the cooled cake, pushing it to either side. If some icing pools in the center or on the sides, just scoop it up and drizzle it over the cake again; you want to make sure the entire cake is covered in icing. Working quickly, so the icing doesn't set, sprinkle the yellow sanding sugar over a 2-inch section of the cake. Next to that, sprinkle the green sanding sugar, followed by the purple. Continue in this pattern until the entire cake is covered in sanding sugar.
• Transfer the cake to a cake stand and serve immediately, or hold at room temperature until ready to serve. This cake is best served the same day.

KING CAKE

Steps:

• To make the dough: Gently heat the milk in a small saucepan to slightly warmer than body temperature (105 to 110 degrees F). Pour the milk into a bowl, sprinkle the yeast over the surface, and add a teaspoon of the sugar and a tablespoon of the flour. Stir to combine, and let the yeast plump with the milk before whisking. Set aside to proof for about 10 minutes.
• In a mixing bowl, with the paddle attachment on a heavy-duty mixer, cream together 11 tablespoons of the butter and the remaining sugar until light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the yeast mixture and mix for 1 minute. Add an egg and mix thoroughly; follow with a third of the flour. Repeat with the remaining eggs and flour. Add the lemon zest and salt, and continue to mix on low speed for 8 to 9 minutes, until the dough is smooth, shiny, and elastic, and pulls away from the side of the bowl. If very soft, add up to 1/2 cup of flour. Scrape the dough from the mixing bowl and knead lightly to form a ball. Butter a medium-size bowl with the remaining tablespoon of softened butter. Transfer the dough to the bowl and turn it in the bowl to coat with the butter. Cover with plastic and set in a warm spot to proof for 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk.
• After an hour, turn the dough out of the bowl, punch it down, and knead lightly to form into a ball. Put the dough back in the bowl, covered, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or for up to 24 hours.
• To form the cake: flour a clean work space and roll the dough into a 20-x-10-inch rectangle, keeping the thickness consistent throughout. If the edges get thin, trim them to keep consistent. Cut the dough lengthwise into 3 strips. Paint each strip of dough with the melted butter, leaving a 1/2-inch border clean along the length of each of the strips. (Reserve any leftover butter for brushing on the cake before baking.) Sprinkle the butter with the brown sugar and cinnamon.
• Line a baking sheet with parchment. Fold each strip over, lengthwise and toward the clean edges, to enclose the cinnamon and sugar, and pinch the seam to seal the dough closed. Braid the 3 rope like pieces together. Transfer the braid to the baking sheet, and form the braid into a wreath by pressing the ends together. Cover with a towel, and set aside to proof for 40 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Brush the cake with the reserved melted butter, and bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown. Tent the cake with foil and continue baking for 25 minutes. Keeping the cake on the baking sheet, cool on a rack. After the cake has cooled, carefully tuck the bean or almond into the underside of the cake.
• To make the icing: Whisk the confectioners' sugar with the water in a medium saucepan and heat very gently to dissolve the sugar. Divide the icing into 3 small bowls and add the food coloring to make a mild green, a golden yellow, and a purple (1/2 drop red and 1/2 drop blue). Brush the ridges of the dough while it is still warm with alternating Mardi Gras colors. Cool and serve.

TRADITIONAL KING CAKE

Steps:

• Cook the first 4 ingredients in a medium saucepan over low heat, stirring often, until butter melts; set aside and cool mixture to 100-110°.
• Stir the yeast, ½ cup warm water, and 1 tablespoons sugar in a 1 cup glass measuring cup; let mixture stand 5 minutes.
• Beat sour cream mixture, yeast mixture, eggs, and 2 cups flour at medium speed with a heavy-duty stand mixer until smooth.
• Decrease speed to low, and gradually add enough remaining flour (4-4 ½ cups) until a soft dough forms.
• Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic (about 10 minutes).
• Place in a well-greased bowl, turning to grease the top.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour or until dough is doubled in bulk.
• Punch down dough, and divide in half.
• Roll each portion into a 22x12 inch rectangle.
• Spread 1/3 cup softened butter evenly on each rectangle, leaving a 1-inch border.
• Stir ½ cup sugar and cinnamon together; sprinkle evenly over butter on each rectangle.
• Roll up each dough rectangle, jelly-roll fashion, starting at 1 long side.
• Place 1 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.
• Repeat with second dough roll.
• Cover and let rise in a warm place free from drafts, 20-30 minutes or until doubled in bulk.
• Bake in a 375° oven for 14-16 minutes or until golden.
• Make glaze: stir together the first 4 glaze ingredients; stir in 2 tablespoons milk, adding more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until spreading consistency.
• Slightly cool cakes on pans on wire racks (about 10 minutes).
• Drizzle Creamy Glaze evenly over warm cakes, sprinkle with colored sugars, alternating colors and forming bands; let cool completely.

KING CAKE

Steps:

• Scald milk remove from heat and stir in butter. Allow to cool to room temperature.
• In a large mixing bowl dissolve yeast in water and 1tbsp of sugar for ten minutes.
• Add cooled milk to yeast mixture along with remaining sugar, salt and nutmeg. Whisk in eggs.
• Add flour 1 cup at a time until dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.
• Turn out dough onto lightly floured surface. Knead 8-10 minutes.
• Place dough in a well oiled bowl, turn to coat dough. Set in a warm area to rise for two hours.
• Punch down dough and divide in half. Roll each half into a square 10 inches by 16 inches.
• Combine filling ingriedients and put half on each piece of dough. Roll up jelly roll style bring ends together to form 2 oval shaped rings.
• Place rings on cookie sheets covered by parchment paper.
• With scissors cut 1/3 of the way threw dough at one inch intervals.
• Place pans in warm area to rise again for 45 minutes.
• Pre-heat oven to 350, bake for 30 minutes rotating pans half way threw.
• Cool on cookie racks for ten minutes. Prepare frosting and drizzle over cakes. sprinkle green, yellow and purple sugar in stripes over the top.

CAKE OF KINGS

Steps:

• Soak citrus peel, raisins, pine nuts and cherries in the sherry or brandy overnight until plump. Measure 140g/5oz of the fl our in a large mixing bowl and mix with the yeast. Tip the remaining flour and salt into a separate bowl and set aside. Heat the milk until just warm, make a well in the centre of the flour mix, and gradually add the milk to form a batter, beating until smooth. Cover with a tea towel and leave for 20 mins, until frothy.
• In another bowl, beat butter, sugar and zests until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, a little at a time, beating well after each addition. Don't worry if it curdles, this won't affect the final cake. Stir the mix into the batter, along with the remaining flour, to make a dough. Turn out onto a floured surface and knead for 5 mins, until smooth and elastic. Knead in the fruit mix, a bit at a time, kneading after each addition until evenly distributed. This bit is messy, but dust the dough and your hands with flour as you work.
• Pop the dough into a clean bowl and cover. Leave for 2 hrs, until doubled in size. Butter a large baking sheet. Knead the dough again briefly, then shape into a sausage, about 50cm long. Curl onto the baking sheet to make a ring, pinching the ends to join. Tuck the trinket under the cake, cover and leave for 1 hr, until doubled in size. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5.
• Slice the candied fruits and crush the sugar lumps into small pieces (put them in a cup and use the end of a rolling pin). Brush the top of the ring with egg and decorate with candied fruits and sugar. Bake for 45 mins, then transfer to a wire rack and brush the top with jam. Leave to cool before cutting.