Easy Mardi Gras King Cake...

 

Well, Fat Tuesday is approaching and I thought I would bake a King Cake. It's not your traditional King Cake though.

Sorry to all the Louisianians out there. I know how hardcore you are about your King Cakes. But trust me, this one tastes really good.

I have never been to Mardi Gras and only hope to go one day. I mean, how much fun would that be!?!

A whole day dedicated to eating rich and fatty foods before fasting for the Lenten season... I'm all for that! Especially since I do abstain during Lent... and it's usually exactly that... rich and fatty foods.

What better way of celebrating, than eating a delicious cake, topped with a powdered sugar glaze and copious amounts of sanding sugar!

Did I mention they can also have a filling in them? Well, they can... and mine does. A cinnamon cream cheese filling.

So, this Fat Tuesday... March 8th... indulge yourself.

Make a King Cake.


Easy Mardi Gras King Cake

• 2 cartons Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls, 8 Count (12.4 Ounce Cans)
• 2 containers Pillsbury Frosting, Included With Rolls
• 1 block Cream Cheese (8 Ounce Block)
• 2 Tablespoons Butter
• ½ cups Dark Brown Sugar (packed)
• 3-½ cups Powdered Sugar
• ½ teaspoons Cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 6 Tablespoons Milk
• 1 drop Purple Gel Food Coloring
• 1 drop Yellow Gel Food Coloring
• 1 drop Green Gel Food Coloring
• 2 Tablespoons Purple Sprinkles
• 2 Tablespoons Yellow Sprinkles
• 2 Tablespoons Green Sprinkles
• 1 piece Dry Bean Or Plastic Mardi Gras Baby

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Start by separating each cinnamon roll from the containers and set aside the frosting containers. Flour a rolling pin and roll each cinnamon roll out to approx. 3-4 inch rounds. You should now have 16, 3-4 inch rounds. Place 8 of these on a round pizza pan in a circle, overlapping a bit, resembling a wreath. Press the overlapping edges together. You can use a fork dipped in water as a glue if you choose.

Beat together the cream cheese and butter. Add the brown sugar and 1/2 cup of the powdered sugar, the cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla extract. Beat well until combined. Drop this mixture by tablespoonful on the cinnamon rounds that have been sealed into a circle, staying as close to the center as possible. Depending on how much filling you use, you may have some left over.

Place the remaining 8 cinnamon rounds on top of the filling, overlapping and sealing the tops and tucking under to seal the sides. Seal as best you can to avoid the filling leaking out. Once sealed, place in the oven and bake for 17-20 minutes.

While baking, combine 3 cups powdered sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 6 Tablespoons of milk to form a glaze. Add the milk a tablespoon at a time to get the consistency of glaze that you desire. Then divide the glaze into 3 bowls and add one drop of each of the gel food colorings to each (i.e. you will have one purple, one yellow, and one green). Mix well until you get the depth of color you want.

Let cake cool for a few minutes, then place a bean or plastic baby somewhere in the cake. Frost with the Pillsbury Frosting that came with the rolls. Drizzle with the purple, yellow, and green glaze and top with sprinkles.

Enjoy!

I'm linking this post up to I'm Lovin' It Friday over on Tidy Mom.

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