One of the tastiest traditions of New Orleans Mardi Gras is the King Cake. Now, with this easy-to-prepare mix, you can impress your friends and family. Enjoy the fun of New Orleans Mardi Gras at home this carnival season.

Starting with her grandmother's brioche recipe, Nancy Wilson applied her knowledge as a home economist and teacher to simlify this recipe so that virtually anyone can be successful despite a lack of culinary skills. Enjoy the experience of baking your own "homemade" King Cake and being able to say "I made it myself".

Note: For large parties, you can make a really large king cake using more than one box of mix. Rather than making each individual mix into it's own complete oval, make "puzzle pieces" that fit together into a large oval (or any other shape you prefer). You should be able to fit the indivdidual "puzzle pieces" into your oven for baking, and then assemble the large oval cake on the table for presentation. For example, if using two boxes, make 2 "U"-shaped cakes. After baking, you can fit the two U's together to make one large oval cake. The icing can be used to cover the seams. You can also use this same "puzzle" idea to create your own favorite shapes such as Valentine's Day Heart, school initials, boyfriend/girlfriend's initials, etc. Enjoy!!!

This package includes:

• 1 dough mix and reclosable mix/knead bag
• 1 pack Yeast
• 1 brown sugar praline filling mix
• 1 white glaze mix
• 3 packs Mardi Gras sugar crystals (purple/green/gold)
• 1 Mardi Gras baby

You will need:

• 1 cup hot tap water
• 1/2 cup soft margarine
• 1 egg
• 2 tablespoons margarine
• 1 tablespoon water
• Optional 2/3 cup chopped pecans

Easy Preparation Instructions

1. Place cake mix and yeast in large reclosable bag. Lock reclosable bag and shake vigorously.

2. Add 1 cup very warm tap water and 1/2 cup margarine. Lock bag. With fingers outside bag, mix by squeezing and pulling dough until margarine can no longer be seen.

3. Add 1 egg. Press air from bag and lock. With fingers on outside of bag, mix and knead ingredients by squeezing and pulling dough.

4 Unlock bag. Set bag of dough in a bowl in a warm place for 15 minutes.

5. Place dough on lightly floured surface. Flour rolling pin and roll dough into a 5" x 30" rectangle.

6. Mix 2 tablespoons melted butter/margarine and brown sugar praline mix in a small bowl. Add nuts if desired. Spread evenly on dough. From 30" side, roll dough in a jellyroll fashion. Pinch ends to seal.

7. Place on large cookie sheet. Shape into an oval. Let rise in a warm place approximately 30 minutes or until dough doubles in size.

8. Bake in a preheated oven at 375 for 20-25 minutes or until nicely browned. Cool

9. Mix 1 tablespoon water and white glaze mix in a small bowl. Spread over cooled cake. Decorate with Mardi Gras crystals. If desired, place golden baby under the cake.

Makes 12 - 18 servings.

Alternate Directions For Using a Mixer or Food Processor

Replace steps 1 through 4 above with the following steps:

1. Place cake mix and yeast in bowl. Add appropriate attachment to mixer or food processor and mix.

2. Add 1 cup very warm tap water and 1/2 cup margarine. Mix well.

3. Add one egg. Mix well. Using appropriate blade, knead until dough pulls from side of bowl. Scrape dough from sides of bowl once during kneading.

4. Set bowl of dough in a warm place for 30 minutes or until dough had doubled in size.

Alternate Directions For Bread Machines

Replace steps 1 through 4 above with the following steps:

1. Place 1 cup very warm water, 1 egg, 1 stick margarine, Mardi Gras King Cake dough mix and yeast package in bread machine bowl.

2. Set bread machine on dough cycle. When cycle is over remove dough from bowl and proceed to step 5 above.