King Cake Cupcakes (Using Crescent Rolls!) Tutorial

In an effort to get y'all excited about the Mardi Gras giveaway coming soon AND to make King Cakes a little more accessible for those not in Louisiana, I've created these King Cake Cupcakes. I've filled these with sweet cream-cheese but you can omit the filling all together for a Traditional King Cake or fill them with fruit jam or chocolate. Just experiment!

King Cake Cupcakes (makes 8 cupcakes)

Ingredients

Dough:
2 tubes of crescent rolls (I like the crescent roll seamless dough sheets for this)
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbl ground cinnamon

For the filling:
1 block of cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 Tbl lemon juice
1 Tbl water (or omit the lemon juice and use 2 Tbl water)

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a stand mixer- beat the cream cheese, 1/2 cup sugar, and vanilla extract until combined, set aside.

Step 2

In a bowl, combine the 1/2 cup of sugar and 1 Tbl cinnamon. Set aside.

Step 3

On a lightly floured surface, unroll both crescent roll doughs, and pinch together the diagonal seams. If you are using the seamless dough sheet, cut each sheet into four rectangles. You should have 8 rectangles of dough total. Sprinkle the cinnamon/sugar mixture over the dough, evenly.

Step 4

Spread a heaping tablespoon of cream cheese down the long end of each rectangle.

Step 5

Roll up each rectangle, long ways, like a cigar. Pinching the ends closed.

Step 6

Fold the left side over to the middle. Then fold the right side over on top of the left side. You are essential "rolling" them up, gently.

Step 7

You should have what looks like a cinnamon roll, seam side up.

Step 8

Place the rolls, seam side up in a greased cupcake tin.

Step 9

Cover with tinfoil and bake at 375 degrees for 12 minutes, then uncover and bake 12-15 minutes more. The internal temp should register at 190 degrees.

Step 10

Let cool for 10 minutes before you try to remove them from the pan. While they cool, make the glaze. Combine the powdered sugar, lemon juice, and water.

Step 11

Once the cupcakes are removed from the tin, drizzle them with the glaze and sprinkle with purple, green, and gold sugar sprinkles.