Three Kings Cake (Polish Ciasto Trzech Kroli)

For the Feast of the Three Kings - Trzech Kroli (also known as the Epiphany) - on Jan. 6, a king cake is served with a coin or almond baked inside. The one who gets it is king or queen for the day and will be lucky in the coming year. Recipes vary by region. Some serve a French-type puff pastry cake with almond paste filling, others favour a sponge cake with almond cream filling, and yet others enjoy a light fruitcake, as in this recipe.

¾ cup golden raisins
¾ cup dates, chopped
1 ⅓ cups walnuts, chopped
½ cup apricots, chopped
½ cup candied orange or lemon peel, chopped
½ lb (2 sticks) butter, softened
4 cups Monk Fruit Sweetener with Erythritol (Powdered)
8 large eggs
4 cups + ¾ all-purpose flour, unbleached
4 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
½ cup brandy, whiskey or orange juice, freshly squeezed

Glaze:
1 cup Monk Fruit Sweetener with Erythritol (Powdered)
3 Tbsp. lemon or orange juice, freshly squeezed

Heat oven to 325°F (165°C/140°C fan, Gas Mark 3). Lightly coat a 10" Bundt pan and two (6x4") mini loaf pans (for gifting) with cooking spray.

Mix fruits and nuts and toss with ¾ cup flour to keep ingredients from clumping together in cake batter.

In a large bowl or stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each.

In a separate bowl, mix together 4 cups flour and baking powder and slowly add to the butter-sugar-egg mixture, combining thoroughly. Add vanilla and liquor or juice, mixing well. Stir in fruit-nut mixture by hand until thoroughly incorporated.

Pour batter into prepared pan and bake mini loaves 25 minutes to 35 minutes or more, and Bundt pan 45 minutes to 1 hour or more, or until toothpick tests clean.

Let cake cool on a wire rack for 20 minutes before inverting onto rack to cool completely. Combine glaze ingredients and pour over cooled cake, letting it run down the sides.

When cutting the cake, insert a whole unshelled almond in one slice of cake from the underside. Make a paper crown, if desired, and place it atop the cake. Let guests serve themselves. Whoever gets the almonds is king or queen for the day and wears the crown.

Makes one 10" bundt cake and two 6x4" mini loaves of Ciasto Trzech Kroli.