Title: Rosca de los Tres Reyes, Three Kings Cake

Categories: Desserts, Cake

This traditional Mexican cake is served for the children's festivity of All Kings' Day on January 6, to commemorate the three kings who welcomed the infant Jesus with gold, frankincense and myrrh. Traditionally a tiny infant clay doll was placed inside the cake to symbolize the coming of the baby Jesus. A doll of porcelain or plastic is used now. Each guest cuts a piece for himself. The person whose serving contains the doll is considered king of the fiesta and he selects a queen. Together they must host a party on February 2 , Candlemas Day, when the candles are lit for the purification of the the Virgin Mary. In this recipe we use an almond to symbolize the infant, but you can certainly use a doll. This cake is traditionally in a ring shape and coated with candied fruit and powdered sugar.

Ingredients

• ½ cup warm 1% lowfat milk (105ºF - 115ºF)
• 1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1 stick (½ cup) butter or margarine softened
• 1 Tbsp. freshly grated orange peel
• 1 tsp. freshly grated lemon peel
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 2 large eggs plus yolks from 3 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1/3 cup each dried currants, golden raisins, chopped mixed candied fruits and chopped
• candied cherries
• 1 whole unblanched almond

  ICING

• 1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 ½ Tbsp. 1% lowfat milk
• ¼ tsp. vanilla extract
• Decoration: chopped mixed candied fruit

Directions

• Grease a 10 cup bundt pan.
• Put milk in a small bowl or a 4-cup measuring bowl. Sprinkle yeast over milk and stir in 1 tsp. of the sugar.
• Whisk to dissolve yeast, then whisk in ½ cup of the flour until smooth.
• Cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place 15 minutes or until doubled in volume.
• Meanwhile, in a large bowl with mixer on high speed, beat butter, remaining sugar, citrus peels, vanilla and egg yolks beating until fluffy.
• On low speed, beat in yeast mixture and remaining 1 ½ cups flour until blended.
• Stir in fruits and the almond.
• You may add a little doll now if you wish.
• Scrape into prepared bundt pan, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm, draft-free place 1¼ hours, or until doubled.
• Heat over to 375ºF. Bake 25 to 30 minutes until lightly browned and pick inserted near center of cake comes out clean.
• Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Invert cake on rack, shaking pan sharply to release cake.
• Let cool completely.
• Icing: Whisk sugar, milk, and vanilla in a medium bowl until smooth.
• Place wire rack with cake on waxed paper. Spoon icing over cake, letting some run down sides.
• Transfer cake to serving plate, top with candied fruit.

Recipe courtesy of Gayle

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