Published On: 02.10.24 | 

By: Stacey Little

Recipe: Shortcut Mardi Gras King Cake

Shortcut Mardi Gras King Cake uses canned cinnamon rolls to give you all the king cake flavor with none of the work. (Stacey Little / Southern Bite)

Let’s be honest: a traditional Mardi Gras King Cake can take some time to make from scratch. If you’re looking for a way to lessen the time and work, here is another option.

Shortcut Mardi Gras King Cake

Click here for a printable recipe.

Shortcut Mardi Gras King Cake. (Stacey Little / Southern Bite)

Serves: 8

Prep time: 15 minutes

Cook time: 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 2 (17.5-ounce) cans jumbo cinnamon rolls with icing (each tube has 5 rolls)
  • 2 ounces cream cheese
  • Sugar crystals in purple, yellow and green

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and spray a Bundt or tube pan with nonstick cooking spray.
  • Pop open the cinnamon roll tubes and remove the icing. Line the bottom of pan with the rolls. You may have to squeeze them in there.
  • Bake for 25 to 30 minutes or until the cinnamon rolls are no longer gooey. Turn out onto platter to cool.
  • In the meantime, mix the two icing packets with 2 ounces of softened cream cheese.
  • Once the cake is cool, spread the icing and decorate with alternating sugar colors.

Recipe notes

Nutritional information – calories 456 kilocalories, carbohydrates 62 grams, protein 6 grams, fat 21 grams, saturated fat 10 grams, polyunsaturated fat 0.1 grams, monounsaturated fat 1 gram, trans fat 1 gram, cholesterol 7 milligrams, sodium 912 milligrams, potassium 9 milligrams, sugar 27 grams, vitamin A 95IU, calcium 7 milligrams, iron 2 milligrams.

This recipe originally appeared on SouthernBite.com. For more great recipes, visit the website or check out “The Southern Bite Cookbook.”