Easy Recipe for Mardi Gras King Cake

Mardi Gras King Cake.

I didn't get around to making a King Cake until late in the evening of Mardi Gras (Fat Tuesday).  Mardi Gras is the day you can eat all you want because it will be followed by Lent where one usually gives up something they like. Alas, we didn't get around to eating any until the next day, Ash Wednesday.  I sometimes give up sweets during Lent, but find that I can't quite succeed so this year I'm just cutting back on sweets.

Here's the Easy Recipe.

RECIPE FOR EASY KING CAKE

Ingredients

Butter for greasing the pan

2 cans (8-ounce) reduced-fat crescent rolls

4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese

2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 tablespoons butter

1/3 cup light brown sugar

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Icing and Sugars:

1 cup powdered sugar

1 to 2 tablespoons skim milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Colored sugars (purple, green and gold)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven 350F. Coat a baking sheet with butter.

2. To prepare cake, separate crescent rolls at perforations, into

16 triangular slices. Place slices around pan with points in the center. Overlap the sides of the triangles about 1/4 ". 

About halfway down from points, press seams together.

Place crescent roll triangles to form a circle.

3. Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar and vanilla in a

mixing bowl. Using a mixer at medium speed, beat until

creamy. Spread cream cheese mixture on dough in the center

where seams have been pressed together.

Add cream cheese layer in middle of circle.

4. Combine butter, brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl.

Stir with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle over cream cheese.

Fold dough points over filling, then fold base of triangles

over points forming a circular roll.

Circular roll ready for oven.

5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, until golden brown.

6. To prepare icing, combine all ingredients except colored

sugars in a small bowl. Whisk until icing reaches desired

consistency, adding more powdered sugar or milk as needed.

Drizzle over cooled cake.

7. Sprinkle colored sugars in wide horizontal bands over the

iced cake.

 

Baked and decorated.

 

Notice the cream cheese, brown sugar, cinnamon layer in center of cake. 

This is so easy to make, and it is quite delicious.