With baking, my motto is: "I'm not doing it if it's not easy." So rest assured, this is easy. And this is good.
I've been making this Holly Clegg King Cake recipe for years. When my December baby wanted to be strapped to me for the entire spring of 2015, I remember getting a few droplets of purple, green, and gold icing on his bald head as I completed the final step of this homemade King Cake.
I can report that he is 6 now, and he still loves this King Cake.
Bon Apetit!
Makes 16 servings
2 (8-ounce) cans crescent rolls
4 ounces cream cheese
2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Mardi Gras Icing (recipe below)
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Separate crescent rolls at perforations into 16 slices. On 10-inch round pizza pan coated with nonstick cooking spray, place slices around pan with points in center. About half way down from the points, press seams together.
2. In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Spread cream cheese mixture on dough in center where seams of dough have been pressed together.
3. In another small bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon with fork until crumbly. Sprinkle over cream cheese. Fold dough points over cream cheese area and then fold bottom of triangle over points forming a circular roll like a king cake.
4. Bake 20–25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly, drizzle with colored Mardi Gras Icing (recipe below).
Mardi Gras Icing
This is a simple icing to highlight the different colors.
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
1 to 2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Yellow, green, red, and blue food coloring
1. In small bowl, mix together confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla. Divide mixture into three bowls.
2. In first bowl, add a few drops yellow food coloring. In second bowl, add a few drops green food coloring. In third bowl, add equal amount of red and blue food coloring (will create purple color).
3. Drizzle each color over baked cake.
*Note: Original recipe calls for low-fat items and skim milk. I altered as I never buy reduced fat or low fat. We use whole milk.