Mini King Cakes

We're taking a three day break from the Valentine's Day blogs to provide you with some Mardi Gras treats, check back tomorrow and Tuesday for some other great New Orleans inspired recipes 

I am in love with the city of New Orleans, it is such a great place to visit, you can walk the streets during the day to check out the sights and at night you can party on Bourbon Street. The city of New Orleans is teeming with exciting new foods and beverages, but Mardi Gras a great time to check out the city. Trust me, I cannot wait to go back for Mardi Gras one day, in the mean time enjoy this New Orleans Mardi Gras tradition at home.

King Cake is enjoyed in many cultures, but this one comes from New Orleans, it is a cinnamon roll like cake. Typically a small baby figure is baked into the cake and whoever gets that piece gets various privileges.  In my aunt's family the person who finds the coin in their piece of cake is said to have luck for that year. The NOLA king cakes are topped with purple, gold and green sugar to symbolize justice, power and faith.

This King Cake recipe from Pillsbury is a great way to celebrate Mardi Gras without a trip to New Orleans.

Ingredients:
-Cinnamon Rolls with icing
-Purple, gold and green sugar

Separate all of the cinnamon rolls.

Unroll each cinnamon roll.

Fold it in half.

Twist.

Form a circle.

Instead of a baby Jesus, I baked a nickle into one of the king cakes.
Yes, I went through intense measures to clean it first. 

Place all of the rolls onto a lightly greased baking sheet.

Ready to bake.
Bake according to the package directions.

In the meantime create your sugar, or if you happen to have all three colors get them ready.

My rolls didn't stay in perfect rings, don't worry they'll look good once they're frosted.

Frost and add the tri-colored sugar to the top.

See? That was easy. 

All of J.'s roommates were sleeping....make sure to warn your
friends and family about the potential coin or baby Jesus.

  

Enjoy your king cake! This one was coinless.

These were so easy to make and so adorable. Bring the taste of NOLA home where ever you are and start a new tradition. J's roommate T. found the coin, so hopefully he'll be having a luckier year than the rest of us.