King cake

Step 1

To make the cake, place the flour, butter, yeast, salt and sugar in a large bowl and mix until combined. Make a well in the centre. Place the milk in a measuring jug, add the eggs to the jug and whisk just to break up the eggs. If the liquid in the jug does not come up to 350ml/12fl oz, add more milk until it does. Pour the milk mixture into the well in the bowl and mix until the dough comes together. Using a mixer with a dough hook, knead for 5 minutes on medium until the dough is stretchy and elastic. Place in a bowl, cover with some cling film and leave for about 2 hours to double in size.

Step 2

To make the praline, line a small tray with some baking paper. Add the sugar to a small saucepan in an even layer, breaking up any clumps. Pop over a medium heat until caramelising and melting around the edges. As soon as it does this, stir the mixture and as soon as the sugar has dissolved and is a golden amber, take off the heat. Add the pecans, stir fast and pour out onto the baking paper, making sure to flatten out the mixture. Leave to set completely then blitz to rough crumbs in a food processor.

Step 3

Place the praline crumbs, cream cheese, vanilla and almond extracts in a bowl and stir well to combine.

Step 4

Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to a 40cm/16in square. Take a 2 litre/3½ pint Bundt tin, the least intricate that you can find, and grease generously with the butter. Tip the cream cheese mixture into the centre of the dough square and spread in an even layer all over, leaving just a 1cm/½in border. Roll up like a Swiss roll. Now gently pick up and pop in the tin, making sure the seam is touching the small inner ring. Pinch the ends together. Cover and leave to prove for about 1 hour, or until doubled in size.

Step 5

When the dough has nearly doubled, preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas Bake for 35–40 minutes. Leave the cake to cool on a wire rack.

Step 6

Meanwhile, to make the icing, mix the icing sugar and water until you have a thick icing.

Step 7

As soon as the cake is completely cool, pop a tray underneath the rack to catch any spillages and drizzle the icing all over the top, allowing it to run freely down the sides.

Step 8

To finish, divide the desiccated coconut between two sandwich bags. Pop some different coloured food colouring into each one and, using your fingers, massage the colouring in. If you want to avoid using plastic bags, place the coconut in bowls and use the back of a dessertspoon to work the colour into the coconut. Alternating the colours, sprinkle the coconut onto the iced cake and cut into slices to serve.