Pastry:
1 cup milk ……………………………............….. 1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 (.25 oz) pkgs active dry yeast …….......…. 2/3 cup warm water
1/2 cup white sugar ……………..........……….. 2 eggs
1-1/2 tsp salt ……………………………...............5-1/2 to 6-1/2 cups flour, divided
Scald milk; remove from heat & stir in 1/4 cup butter. Allow mixture to cool to room temperature. Meanwhile, in large bowl, dissolve yeast in the warm water with 1 TB of the sugar. Let stand about 10 min. ….
When the yeast is bubbly, add the cooled milk mixture. Whisk in eggs ~ stir in remaining sugar & salt. Beat flour into milk/egg mixture (1 cup at a time). When dough has pulled together, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth & elastic (about 8-10 min). Lightly oil a large bowl; place dough in bowl & turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in warm place until doubled (about 2 hours).
Then, punch down and divide dough in half. ~ Preheat oven to 375. Grease/spray (or line with parchment paper) 2 cookie sheets.
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CINNAMON FILLING (enough for 2 cakes):
1 cup packed brown sugar ………..................……1 TB cinnamon
2/3 cup finely chopped pecans .................……… 1/2 cup softened butter
Combine brown sugar, cinnamon & pecans. Spread half of the butter on each rolled out cake; sprinkle with half of the sugar, cinnamon & nuts
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CHERRY CREAM CHEESE FILLING (enough for one cake):
1 16-oz. can cherry pie filling …..................……. 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar …….....................…………………….. 1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Beat cream cheese with sugar, cinnamon & vanilla. Spread over rolled out cake and spread pie filling on top.
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ASSEMBLY Directions:
Roll dough halves out into large rectangles (approximately 10x16”). Do whichever filling you desire ~ Roll up each half tightly (like a jellyroll), beginning at the wide side. Bring the ends together to form 2 oval-shaped rings. Place each ring on a prepared cookie sheet. If desired, you can make slits with scissors about 1/3 of the way at 1” intervals (I don’t always do this).
Let rise in a warm place until doubled (about 45 minutes). Bake in preheated
oven for 30 min. Frost with glaze (if cakes are hot, the glaze will be translucent ~ if they’re cooled, it will be white) ~ sprinkle bands of PURPLE, YELLOW (gold) and GREEN colored sugar in bands across the glaze.
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GLAZE:
2 cups powdered sugar ** 1 tsp vanilla ** 1-2 TB water
Whisk together (adding water very gradually), until smooth spreading consistency (adjust consistency by more sugar or water).
Makes 2 large cakes