King Cake made with Crescent Rolls-MY ABSOLUTE FAVORITE!!!!

Due to popular demand, here’s my requested easy king cake that people all over say they even PREFER to the bought ones!!!! I am so excited to have created a SUPER SIMPLE KING CAKE RECIPE  from my trim&TERRIFIC GULF COAST FAVORITES cookbook (this book includes all your Louisiana and southern favorites) for you to make wherever you live.

In fact, I am bringing back this recipe due to popular demand as I have had people from New York to Colorado tell me this is their favorite recipe–even better than in the bakeries. Not sure about that, but this recipe is pantry-friendly and you can make it within minutes. Made with crescent rolls and food colorings for the icing-you can even let the kids make this one for you. Fun and fantistic-you will want to try this king cake recipe.

King Cake with Cream Cheese Cinnamon Filling from Holly Clegg’s trim&TERRIFIC Gulf Coast Favorites

Use Easter’s pastel colors for your icing instead of Mardi Gras colors.

Makes 16 servings

• 2 (8-ounce) cans reduced-fat crescent rolls
• 4 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
• 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1. Preheat oven 350°F. Coat 10-inch round pizza pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Separate crescent rolls at perforations, into 16 slices. Place slices around prepared pan with points in center. About halfway down from points, press seams together.

3. In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla until creamy. Spread on dough in center where seams have been pressed together.

4. In another small bowl, combine butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon with fork until crumbly. Sprinkle over cream cheese. Fold dough points over filling, then fold bottom of triangle over points forming a circular roll like a king cake.

5. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly, drizzle with colored Mardi Gras Icing.

Mardi Gras Icing:

• 1 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1-2 tablespoons skim milk
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pink, Lime green, Light blue food colorings

1. In small bowl, combine all ingredients, except food color. Divide mixture into three bowls.

2. In first bowl, add a few drops of pink food coloring. In second bowl, add a few drops of green food coloring. In third bowl, add equal amounts of drops of blue food coloring (to create purple).

3. Drizzle over baked cake.

Nutritional information per serving: Calories 184 Calories from fat 36% Fat 7 g Saturated Fat 3 g Cholesterol 9 mg Sodium 275 mg Carbohydrate 26 g Dietary Fiber 0 g Sugars 16 g Protein 3 g Diabetic Exchanges 11/2 carbohydrate 11/2 fat

For more Louisiana southern recipes visit my website http://www.hollyclegg.com/default.cfm