Mini King Cakes

Photo provided by King Arthur FlourMini King Cakes are placed in minipanettone papers for baking, and are then drizzled with glaze and topped with sparking sugar.

Mini King Cakes

Makes 12 cakes. Recipe is from King Arthur Flour.
e_SFlb Dough:
1/2 cup butter, melted
3/4 cup lukewarm milk
2 large eggs plus 1 large egg yolk, white reserved
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup nonfat dry milk
1 1/4 tsps. salt
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1⁄8 tsp. lemon oil or 1 tsp. grated lemon rind
3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 tsps. instant yeast
1/2 cup lemon chips (optional)

Icing
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tbl. plus 1/2 to 1 tsp. milk, enough to make a thick but pourable glaze

Topping
Yellow, purple and green sparkling sugars

1. Mix and knead all of the dough ingredients to make a smooth, soft dough.
2. Let the dough rise, covered, for 1 hour.
3. Place 12 minipanettone papers on a baking sheet. Or line a standard muffin pan with cupcake papers and grease the papers.
4. With greased hands, divide the sticky dough into 12 equal pieces, forming each into a smooth ball.
5. Place the balls of dough into paper cups. Cover the pan and allow the cakes to rise for 1 hour. Toward the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
6. Whisk the reserved egg white with 1 tablespoon water and brush it over the cakes.
7. Bake the cakes for 20 minutes, then tent them lightly with aluminum foil and bake for an additional 20 to 25 minutes, until they’re a deep golden brown. Remove them from the oven and transfer to a rack to cool.
8. Beat together the icing ingredients, dribbling in the final teaspoon of milk until the icing is thick yet pourable.
9. Dip the top of each cake in the icing, or drizzle icing over the tops of the cakes. While the icing is still tacky, sprinkle with colored sugars.