Crescent Roll King Cake

Single slice of king cake on a plate decorated with flowers.

5 from 1 vote

Grab your beads and let’s bake some Mardi Gras magic! This easy Mardi Gras King cake uses crescent rolls for a quick and simple way to enjoy this festive treat.

Course Desserts

Cuisine American

Prep Time 30

Cook Time 15

Servings people

Calories 193kcal

Author Lisa B.

Ingredients

2 (8-ounce) cans of refrigerated crescent roll dough
1 Small plastic baby

For the filling

1/4 cup unsalted butter softened
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon

For the icing:

1 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
Yellow, green, and purple sanding sugar

Instructions

In a medium bowl, combine the softened butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Whisk together until the filling looks like wet sand.
Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper and spray with cooking spray.
Open two cans of crescent roll dough. Separate the dough into squares and lay the squares end to end. You will have two rows of dough. Pinch together any seams.
Spread half the filling down the center of one row. Carefully roll the dough up by the long end. Repeat with the second row of dough. You will end up with two rolls.
Carefully twist the two rolls together to form a rope. Bring the ends of the rope together to form a ring.
Cover the dough with a clean kitchen towel and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Bake the cake for 15-20 minutes until the dough is golden brown.
Allow the cake to cool completely.
While the cake is cooling, combine the confectioner’s sugar, milk, and vanilla extract. Beat for one minute using an electric mixer.
Just before icing the cake, carefully hide a plastic baby somewhere inside the cake.
Spread the icing over the top of the cake, letting it drip down over the sides. While the icing is still wet, alternate decorating sections of the cake with the yellow, green, and purple sprinkles.
Allow the icing to set completely before serving.

Video

Notes

Storage. Transfer any leftover king cake to an airtight container with a lid. The cake can be stored in a cool, dry place for a day or two. Any longer than that, store it in the refrigerator. Consume within four days.

Freezing. Carefully wrap the king cake in a layer of plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil. Freeze on a level surface. Consume within three months. Allow the cake to thaw completely before serving.

Reheating. King cake is traditionally served at room temperature. But if you enjoy it hot, simply reheat it for about 30 seconds to one minute in the microwave.

Nutrition