This incredible Southern Living king cake puts store-bought cakes to shame

(Southern Living)

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No Mardi Gras celebration is complete without a king cake.

Christians in New Orleans make the cake to honor the “Three Kings” who visited the Christ Child shortly after His birth. A traditional king cake has a tiny baby, typically made of plastic, baked inside. The person whose slice contains the baby is blessed with good luck — and must host the next king cake party.

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While many people choose to buy their Mardi Gras king cakes from bakeries or grocery stores, others make their own. If you’re up for the challenge, try this divine recipe from Southern Living.

You will need:

Cake

  • 16 ounces sour cream
  • ⅓ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup butter
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Two ¼-ounce envelopes active dry yeast
  • ½ cup warm water
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
  • 6 to 6½ cups bread flour
  • ⅓ more cup butter, softened
  • ½ more cup sugar
  • 1½ cup teaspoons ground cinnamon

Glaze

  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons milk

Top your finished king cake with purple, green, and gold sprinkles. Follow along with a written recipe here.

What do you think?

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