Easy King Cake

ByDiana Hansen Posted on Updated on
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Create this easy King Cake to for Mardi Gras this year.

It’s that time of year when I start craving King Cake. I am not sure why as I am not from the south, have only spent a few hours in NOLA, I haven’t ‘earned beads’, and I’ve never celebrated Mardi Gras.

The only King Cake I’ve had was a few pieces that a friend bought from our local Midwest grocery store bakery. I have NO idea if that even tasted like the real thing, but I can’t get it out of my brain.

Sure, I could go to that grocery store and see if they made any this year…but what is the fun in that? I did a little searching online for an easy recipe and came across a few variations, but nothing was exactly what I wanted. I decided to put my craving to rest and create my own.

Easy King Cake

The ingredients to make this are really simple. I used refrigerated biscuits, cream cheese, jam, and colored candy sprinkles.

The biscuits are rolled together to form one big pastry. Spread on the cream cheese and jam, and then roll the pastry into a circle before baking.

You can top with a can of pre-made icing if you want. My favorite is this corn syrup icing recipe here. I always add Almond Extract to my icing! There is often some leftover in my fridge from a batch of cookies.

I think it turned out well, although I wish my purple sprinkles were brighter. How did it taste? YUMMY! Although, different from that King Cake I had last year.

What did I find on the first piece? The pecan! That means I have to make another one. I might try experimenting with crescent or cinnamon roll dough next time.

This yummy cake was on my mind, so I made another one with darker purple sprinkles. I love the look of this one! Have you ever had King Cake?
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Easy King Cake

Easy King Cake

Yield: 8

Create this simple King Cake for Mardi Gras

Ingredients

  • 2 rolls of refrigerated dough (I used biscuits)
  • 1/2 cup cream cheese
  • 1/2 cup raspberry preserves
  • plastic baby, bean, or pecan
  • icing glaze
  • green, purple, & yellow sprinkle sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Lay out your biscuits in a rectangle (20 so it was 1 row of 6 and 2 rows of 7) and cover with plastic wrap and roll into a sheet. I put down a cookie liner and used a rolling pin to roll.
  3. Microwave the cream cheese for 10 seconds and spread on the dough.
  4. Microwave the raspberry preserves for 20 seconds and spread on top of the cream cheese.
  5. Carefully roll the dough long ways.
  6. Tuck the baby, bean, or pecan into the cake.
  7. Form a circle and pinch the ends together.
  8. The filling started to break through when biscuits tried to pull apart, but I pinched them together.
  9. Bake for 17-23 minutes or until brown on the edges. I baked mine for 17 mins and it was slightly doughy on the inside.
  10. Move the cake to a plate when it comes out of the oven, spread on the icing, then sprinkle with the green, purple, & yellow sprinkles.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 319Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 216mgCarbohydrates: 45gFiber: 3gSugar: 17gProtein: 4g

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment on the blog or share a photo on Pinterest

© Diana Hansen
Category: dessert

Posted 17 Feb 2012

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57 Comments

  9. I have tried this exact recipe, but I used the frozen sweet dough…turned out fine and @ the cost ($50 or more) of the original New Orleans King Cake, this recipe works just fine. Thanks for sharing.

  10. I have tried this recipe with the frozen sweet dough…it works alright….makes a rather small oval…but still nothing will beat the original and true New Orleans King Cakes, but @ $50 or more a cake…this will due…thanks for the idea and it's good stuff.

  13. Looks great Diana! I see these in the grocery store here in TX and the whole thing is new to me. So glad to read your recipe and know what's in it! haha 🙂 I admit the store bought ones look a little scary! 🙂 You are a Featured Favorite this week on Cheerios and Lattes! Thanks for sharing this last week, we can't wait to see what you've been up to this week! Have a great weekend!
    Mackenzie 🙂

  23. I'm from New Orleans and yes, these are traditional Mardi Gras colors. Purple stands for justice, Green stands for faith and Gold is for power. These colors are everywhere in New Orleans right now. The baby is the cake represents Baby Jesus. Whoever gets the baby (bean or pecan) has to buy (or make) the next king cake! Les se les bon temps rouler!

  26. Oh my gosh, if only I had canned biscuits in the fridge. Do you think I could use homemade biscuit dough? I have always wanted to make a king cake, but never have. Your version sounds like the perfect one to try and that raspberry filling sounds incredible.

  29. This looks so good and easy! I am from the south and grew up eating king cakes. I have been in San Francisco now for 13 years but still miss them. I've had a couple mail order ones, but they are never as good as I remember. I never thought I could make one myself, but I'm going to give this recipe a try. Thanks for sharing it!

  31. This is great! I'm having a friend over with her kids on Mardi Gras and we talked about making a King Cake..this will be perfect! Thanks for sharing this!!! =D

  35. I have always wanted to try this! What an easy recipe to follow- thanks for sharing 🙂 We'd love for you to link up on the Photo Friday Blog hop and share this or any other post you'd like. Have a great weekend!

  36. Hi Diana! Came from the Marigold's Loft party when I saw your cake…I would love to make it…looks appetizing and the colors are amazing…do you know why these are the colors traditional for Mardi Gras? We celebrate it too were I'm from but we don't have traditional colors like here. thanks for posting…Pinning too! Lizy

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