This easy king cake recipe is a version of a Mardi Gras favorite, the king cake. Most Mardi Gras parties feature the dessert, King Cake (galette des rois in French), named in honor of the Three Kings. Brioche or Danish dough is twined into a ring shape and decorated with the Mardi Gras colors of purple, green, and gold. Variations include fillings of cream cheese, fruits, or nuts and spices.
You will need 2 small mixing bowls, a sheet pan or pizza pan, a mixer, cooking spoons, measuring spoons, measuring cups.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Use mixer to beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. You will see it become fluffy.
Open the crescent rolls and separate the triangles.
Lay 4 triangles on the baking sheet to make the boundaries of an oval, about 6 inches wide.
Overlap the remaining triangles to make the base of the cake. Each should be on at least half of the one below.
Spoon the pie filling onto the base of the cake. Don’t overfill – I ended up with about ¾ cup of leftover filling.
Spoon the cream cheese filling over the fruit.
If desired, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Fold the ends of the triangles over the filling. Tuck and pinch.
Bake for 20 minutes. The cake should be golden.
In a bowl, mix almond extract, powdered sugar, and 1 tbsp. milk. The glaze should be pourable but thick. If it is too thick, slowly add the extra milk and 1 to 3 extra teaspoons of water to get the right consistency.
Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes or more. Remove to a platter. Spread the top with glaze and sprinkle with purple, gold, and green sugar sprinkles.
If desired, add a Mardi Gras baby in the bottom of the king cake.
Makes 10 servings.
King cake recipe is a version of a Mardi Gras dessert. Crescent rolls are filled with fruit and cream cheese, with sweet almond glaze. Laissez les bon temps rouler!
Ingredients
- 2 cans crescent roll dough
- 1 21 oz. can cherry pie filling (or blueberry if desired)
- 1 8 oz soft cream cheese
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar
- 2 tbsp milk
- ¾ tsp almond extract
- 1-3 tsp water
- colored sugars in green, gold, and purple
Instructions
- You will need 2 small mixing bowls, a sheet pan or pizza pan, a mixer, cooking spoons, measuring spoons, measuring cups.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Use mixer to beat cream cheese, sugar, and vanilla. You will see it become fluffy.
- Open the crescent rolls and separate the triangles.
- Lay 4 triangles on the baking sheet to make the boundaries of an oval, about 6 inches wide.
- Overlap the remaining triangles to make the base of the cake. Each should be on at least half of the one below.
- Spoon the pie filling onto the base of the cake. Don't overfill – I ended up with about ¾ cup of leftover filling.
- Spoon the cream cheese filling over the fruit.
- If desired, sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
- Fold the ends of the triangles over the filling. Tuck and pinch.
- Bake for 20 minutes. The cake should be golden.
- In a bowl, mix almond extract, powdered sugar, and 1 tbsp. milk. The glaze should be pourable but thick. If it is too thick, slowly add the extra milk and 1 to 3 extra teaspoons of water to get the right consistency.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes or more. Remove to a platter. Spread the top with glaze and sprinkle with purple, gold, and green sugar sprinkles.
- If desired, add a Mardi Gras baby in the bottom of the king cake.
- Makes 10 servings.
Nutrition for crescent roll king cake
The whole cake is approximately 3936 calories for 10 servings. One serving will have approximately 394 calories. These nutrition facts are estimated.
Resource links
- https://www.eater.com/2017/1/11/14168802/king-cake-history
- King cake history from Eater
- https://www.emerils.com/122933/king-cake
- King cake recipe from Emeril Lagasse
- https://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/
- Mardi Gras New Orleans website
Let’s talk story
Mardi Gras season lasts from January 6, Epiphany, until Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday. These dates change every year, based on the date of Easter. It’s a moveable feast!
The king cake often has a toy baby hidden inside it, in honor of the baby Jesus. The person who gets the piece with the baby should give the next party or bring the next King Cake.
Mardi Gras party menu
Hurricane cocktails, Abita and Dixie beer, jambalaya, red beans and rice, muffulettas, remoulade with baguettes, ham, and cheese, King cake. Download a free printable for your Mardi Gras table!
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Related posts
| Mini king cakes | muffuletta sliders | hurricane cocktail |
Lisa,
Loved the idea of making a King cake from crescent rolls. Great idea. Just wanted to let you know that you are being featured at TFT. https://eclecticredbarn.blogspot.com/2019/02/thursday-favorite-things_27.html
Have a great day.
Hugs,
Bev
Hey Bev, I’m so excited to hear this. I was really happy with how this King Cake turned out!
This is cute and fun! Love it. TFS
Hey Clearissa, My family loved this cake. I wish I were a “make the yeast dough” person, but I’m not, so this worked out great!