Now, you know I’m a proud Texan from Central Texas. But my roots are in northern Louisiana, and because it's Mardi Gras month, I thought it would only be right that I share a good king cake recipe.

If you’ve never had a king cake before, you truly are missing out. The king's cake was inspired by the Biblical story of the three kings who brought gifts to Baby Jesus, so it's only right we chow down on it this time of year.

WHAT IS A KING CAKE?

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It has a delicious coffee cake and cinnamon roll type blend, and it usually has a delicious frosting of yellow, green, and purple - you know, the Mardi Gras colors. A lot of people pack it with fruit filling and decorate with cream cheese, and it is so delicious.

What’s so interesting about king cake is what's hidden inside. It could be a sweet treat, but most times it's a plastic king baby to continue the fun. Whoever finds the king baby must either bring the next king cake or throw a party. Either way, it's tons of fun!

Here is my perfect king cake recipe for a happy Mardi Gras!

THIS IS HOW MY FAMILY MAKES KING CAKE

Make the pastry: Scald milk over medium heat. Remove from heat and stir in butter. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature.

Stir together warm water, 1 tablespoon of white sugar, and yeast in a large bowl. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes.

Add cooled milk mixture to yeast mixture and whisk in eggs. Stir in the remaining white sugar, and nutmeg. Beat flour, 1 cup at a time, into milk/egg mixture. Once the dough comes together, turn it onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes.

Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl; turn to coat. Cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap; let rise in a warm place until doubled in volume, about 2 hours. When risen, punch down and divide the dough in half.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Make sure to combine brown sugar, pecans, flour, raisins, and cinnamon in a bowl. Pour melted butter on top and mix until crumbly.

Sprinkle filling evenly over the dough and roll up tightly like a jelly roll, beginning at a wide side. Bring the ends of each roll together to form 1 oval-shaped ring.

Place each ring on a prepared cookie sheet. With scissors, make cuts 1/4 of the way through the rings at 1-inch intervals. Let rise in a warm spot until doubled in size, about 35 minutes.

Bake in the preheated oven until an inserted toothpick comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Check often for doneness so the ring doesn't overbake.

Make the glaze: Stir together confectioners' sugar and water in a bowl until smooth.

Push the doll into the bottom of one warm cake. Drizzle glaze over both warm cakes.

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