Easy King Cake Recipe With Cinnamon Rolls
My super easy Homemade King Cake recipe isn’t as much a recipe as it is How-To instructions. Celebrate Mardi Gras with this easy Cinnamon Roll King Cake you can whip up in no time. Make two because it vanishes quickly!
King Cake is to Mardi Gras what Sugar Cookies are to Christmas!
This isn’t a real King Cake in the sense by definition but a delicious easy recipe that satisfies the sweet tooth and celebrates the occasion.
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Mardi Gras King Cake Colors
The colors all have a special meaning on a Mardi Gras King Cake
- Purple represents justice
- Green represents faith
- Gold represents power
There is also a tiny little toy baby inserted into each King Cake. This can be achieved by simply cutting a small hole, inserting the baby, and replacing the dough and ice over it. The person who gets the baby is supposed to be blessed with prosperity in the coming year. They are also responsible for hosting next year’s celebration.
Ingredients
- 2 pkg. of Jumbo Cinnamon Rolls
- Pan spray
- Colored Sugar Crystals in Purple, Yellow, and Green
Directions
- Begin by spraying a Tube pan with non-stick cooking spray.
- Preheat your oven to the temperature on the side of your package of Cinnamon Rolls.
- Then open the Cinnamon Rolls and set the icing aside. Separate each Cinnamon Roll and place into the bottom of the Tube pan as shown. They will be smashed together and that is fine. This cooking method makes a soft King cake.
- Place the pan in the oven and cook according to the directions on the package of Cinnamon Rolls. I use the store brand ‘Ooey Gooey’ Cinnamon Rolls from Walmart.
- Remove from oven when done and cool completely before icing. Ice using the Icing packets which came in the Cinnamon Roll packages. After squeezing all the icing on, use a knife to spread it like frosting a cake.
- Now you can sprinkle on the sugar crystals in a pattern of purple, then yellow, then green all the way around your easy King Cake with cinnamon rolls. Serve and enjoy!
I purchased my Sugar Sprinkles at Michael’s for a whopping $1 per package and yes I did use my 40% off coupon on one packet! Look in the Wedding Supplies or Cake Decorating Supplies section.
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Also, see these Mardi Gras recipes and ideas
- Family Friendly Mardi Gras Celebration Ideas
- Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice Recipe
- Family Friendly Mardi Gras Party
- Biscuit Donuts, easy recipe
- Homemade Crab Stew Easy Recipe
- Low Country Shrimp Boil Recipe
Easy Mardi Gras King Cake Recipe With Cinnamon Rolls
A quick and easy King Cake recipe made with refrigerated cinnamon rolls.
Ingredients
- 2 Cans of Jumbo Cinnamon Roll
- Green Sugar Sprinkles
- Yellow Sugar Sprinkles
- Purple Sugar Sprinkles
- Pan coating spray
Instructions
- Preheat the oven according to Cinnamon Roll package instructions
- Open the Cinnamon Rolls and set the Icing packet aside
- Spray a Tube pan with non-stick spray
- Place separated Cinnamon Rolls into the bottom of a Tube Pan. You will have to cram them in tight so they all fit.
- Bake according to package directions.
- Cool Completely.
- Cove the top with the icing packets which came with the Cinnamon Rolls then spread with a knife as if you are frosting a cake.
- Sprinkle the three colors of sugar crystals in alternating sections on top of the icing beginning and ending with the same color. You should have three sections of each color.
- All done!
- Enjoy
Nutrition Information
Yield 8 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 50Total Fat 2gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 86mgCarbohydrates 8gFiber 0gSugar 5gProtein 0g
Nutrition information is estimated and may not be exact based on uncontrolled variables in home kitchens used by each individual cook.
What is Mardi Gras? Let me break it down
- Mardi Gras is a big celebration prior to the beginning of Lent.
- Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday also known as Shrove Tuesday
- Shrove Tuesday is the day before Ash Wednesday.
- Lent is a time of reflection and preparation for Christians prior to Easter. Lent lasts 40 days just as Jesus was tempted by Satan for 40 days. During Lent many Christians abstain from something in their life which is generally important to them such as desserts or alcohol. The abstention can be most anything these days including internet usage or social media. The idea is to fast from something you wouldn’t normally give up.
- Ash Wednesday is a Christian Holy Day of prayer and fasting which begins the season of Lent. It takes place 46 days prior to Easter.
No Bake Dessert Recipes
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries. Includes tips for melting chocolate.
- Easy Homemade Hot Fudge, use it for ice cream topping or drizzle on a Bundt cake or top any dessert with it.
- No-Churn Ice Cream Chocolate Toffee Flavor. You won’t believe how easy this is to whip up.
- No Bake Triple Berry Cheesecake Parfait. Don’t you love a fruity dessert too?
- Homemade Vanilla Milkshake, a nice treat on a hot day.
- Sweet & Salty Chocolate Caramel Nut Clusters. Make this candy for your sweetheart or for special occasion parties like the holidays.
- Classic Watergate Salad is nice to serve for Mother’s Day, brunches, Thanksgiving or summer or anytime.
updated 1/6/25
I had king cake once many years ago, but I have never made one. This looks yummy!
This couldn’t be any simpler to make and a great way to learn about different traditions. In Spain the roscon de reyes is a Christmas /New Year’s treat. A figure is inserted, usually one of the Kings. If you’re enjoying roscon in a bar, whoever gets the figurine buys a round of drinks!
What a fun idea! We usually don’t celebrate Mardi Gras, but this year we might need to! My family would love this! Pinned!
Shirley, I love that you told us about the tradition of the holiday and what those colors mean. I like when I not only find a recipe but also gain new knowledge. Maybe a month ago I made cinamon rolls for the first time (but rather using cinamon I found a recipe using raspberries) and that was so much work. How happy (and curvy, lol) would it make me if we could get them at the store here in Germany.
Oh my gosh!! I kept reading about King Cake on a friend’s blog and wondered if I could ever find a King Cake around here. Now I can MAKE one. Had no idea it could be so easy to do. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
I’ve never had Mardi Gras King Cake before, but it looks do colorful and fun! I think I have to try this recipe really soon!
I love that it’s a quick and easy way to pull together a “King Cake” as yeast cakes do take a bit of time. It’s nice to have a shortcut to celebrate Mardi Gras!
This looks so good. I can’t believe how easy it is to make. Great job.
I am glad that you used your 40% off coupon! I LOVE those and I never would have guessed that this was made using cinnamon rolls!
I love this idea, and not just for King Cake. Any tear and share breads would be nice baked in a tube pan. Then it would be much easier to pull apart without scuffing up the next one. Thanks! -Marci @ Stone Cottage Adventures
Wait, what?! I had no idea that a king cake was cinnamon rolls. I thought it was a cake…lol. Either way, I’ll eat it 🙂
Wow, I never would’ve thought to use cinnamon rolls like that! How clever. I might make my first King Cake ever!
Shirley, I’ve never made anything special for Mardi Gras, but with this simple, pretty cake I may have to start this year!
I’m new to Mardi Gras. The first Mardi Gras cake I ever saw was the one Kippi shared at Talk Of The Town Linky with a baby doll (I guess it was a king?) sitting on top, a few weeks ago. It looked good though, and so does yours. Maybe I’ll do a Mardi Gras themed party here in SC sometime. I love the colors- and cinnamon rolls. Your directions looked simple and fun!
Looks good! Fun recipe! I love cinnamon roll.
They have a Mardi Gras celebration in Galveston which is just south of where I live. It’s a little too much partying for me though! Your king cake looks delicious for celebrating at home though!
I honestly had no idea that king cake was so much like cinnamon buns; I love cinnamon buns! Pinned.
I never realized king cake was cinnamon rolls. I had my first king cake years ago and it was scrumptious. Being from NY we don’t celebrate Mardi Gras and king cake was new to me. Looks so easy to make and I use a coupon whenever I can. I’ll have to look for those sprinkles because I use a lot of them. Sprinkles are magical & make my kids eat. Haha!
We don’t celebrate Mardi Gras either here in Georgia but I am always willing to eat the King Cake when it’s King Cake season. Next time I need sprinkles, I will be going back to Michael’s with my coupon too! I love those little sprinkle pouches, not too much, just enough.