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1
Pour the warm water into a small shallow bowl and sprinkle yeast and 2 teaspoons sugar into it.
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2
Allow the yeast and sugar to rest for 3 minutes and then mix thoroughly.
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3
Set bowl in a warm place for 10 minutes or until yeast bubbles up and mixture almost doubles in volume.
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4
Combine 3 1/2 cups flour, remaining sugar, nutmeg, mace and salt and sift into a large mixing bowl.
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5
Stir in lemon zest.
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6
Separate center of mixture to form a hole and pour in yeast mixture and milk.
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7
Add egg yolks and using a wooden spoon slowly combine dry ingredients into the yeast mixture.
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8
When mixture is smooth, beat in 8 tablespoons of butter, 1 tablespoon at a time.
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9
Continue to beat 2 minutes or until dough can be formed into a soft ball.
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10
Place ball of dough on a lightly floured surface and knead like bread.
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11
During the kneading, add 1 cup more of flour sprinkled over dough.
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12
When dough is no longer sticky, knead 10 minutes more until shiny and elastic.
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13
Using a pastry brush, coat the inside of a large bowl with 1 tablespoon softened butter.
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14
Place dough ball in the bowl and rotate until entire surface is buttered.
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15
Cover the bowl with a kitchen towel and place in a draft-free space for 1 1/2 hours or until dough doubles in size.
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16
Remove the dough from the bowl and place on lightly floured surface.
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17
Punch the dough down.
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18
Sprinkle cinnamon over the top.
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19
Pat and shape dough into a cylinder.
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20
Twist dough to form a curled cylinder and loop cylinder into buttered baking sheet.
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21
Pinch the ends together to complete the circle.
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22
Cover the dough with a towel and set in draft-free space for 45 minutes until dough doubles in size.
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23
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
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24
Brush top and sides of the cake with egg wash and bake on middle rack of oven for 25 to 35 minutes until golden brown.
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25
Place cake on a wire rack to cool.
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26
If desired at this time hide the plastic baby in the cake.
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27
Combine sugar, lemon juice and 3 tablespoons water until smooth.
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28
If icing is too thick add more water.
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29
Spread icing over cake.
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30
Immediately sprinkle colored sugars in rows consisting of 2 rows each of green, purple and yellow.
