You may not make it to New Orleans to celebrate Mardi Gras, but you can enjoy one of the favorite Mardi Gras treats with these King Cake recipes.
The Mardi Gras Carnival season in New Orleans always begins on Jan. 6, which is King’s Day (Feast of the Epiphany). Mardi Gras day, also known as Fat Tuesday, is on a different day each year. Fat Tuesday is always the day before Ash Wednesday. In 2024, Fat Tuesday will be celebrated on Feb. 13.
Mardi Gras features parades, celebrities, musical performances, and short segments on the history of Mardi Gras. Find out more information at https://www.mardigrasneworleans.com/
Many families will celebrate Fat Tuesday, the culmination of Mardi Gras season, on Feb. 13 by serving King Cake, a rich treat that's a cross between a pastry and a rich bread, covered with icing and colored sugar.
The colors used on top of the King Cake are purple, which symbolizes justice; green, which symbolizes faith; and gold, which symbolizes power. The plastic baby, traditionally baked into the King Cake, symbolizes Jesus.
Here's an easy King Cake recipe to make with the kids. So put on your Mardi Gras beads and enjoy a little King Cake.
Crescent Roll King Cake
- 1 tube of crescent rolls
- Softened butter
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 can cream cheese icing
- Colored sugar: green, purple and yellow
- Food color: green, red, blue and yellow
- 1 plastic baby or plastic coin
1. Roll out tube of crescent rolls to make a rectangle on baking sheet. Smooth all edges together with your fingers.
2. Spread softened butter over rectangle carefully with a knife.
3. Mix sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over butter.
4. Roll from long end into a roll, placing the plastic baby in the middle.
5. Connect the two short ends to make a ring shape on baking sheet. Bake at 350 F. for 15-20 minutes until golden brown.
6. While cake bakes, separate icing into three dishes.
7. Tint each portion with food color, using 8-10 drops of color for each portion. For purple, mix 5 drops each of red and blue food colors.
8. Microwave icing for 20 seconds until smooth and thin.
9. When cake is cool, pour icing over cake in alternating colored stripes. Sprinkle immediately with matching colored sugar.
Cinnamon Roll King Cake Ring
You can also make a simple King Cake using canned cinnamon rolls and colored sugar.
- 1 tube cinnamon rolls
- Plastic baby or coin
- Green, purple, and yellow colored sugar
1. Place cinnamon rolls on baking sheet with edges touching to form a ring.
2. Push plastic baby or coin into middle of one of the cinnamon rolls.
3. Bake according to directions on side of tube. Immediately ice with icing included in tube.
4. Sprinkle green, purple and yellow colored sugar on top in alternating stripes.
Fat Tuesday is celebrated in a big way in New Orleans. Pick up some 'throws' -- strands of green, purple, and yellow beads -- from the dollar store. If you prefer, have a family fun night and make your own throws with beads from one of the craft stores and Find Your Family Fun® for Mardi Gras.
Follow us on Facebook for lots of shared local events, subscribe to our FREE weekly newsletter to be first to know what's happening around town, and check the Lynchburg Macaroni Kid website anytime to Find Your Family Fun® in Lynchburg and Central Virginia!
