King Cake

     In New Orleans, the Kings' Cake is eaten during the Epiphany season (when the three wise men visited the Baby Jesus)  which extends through Mardi Gras Day.  This is the traditional Carnival time.  Some folks celebrate the season with a Kings' Cake each day.  Inside the cake is a hidden plastic baby representing Baby Jesus .  The person who gets the hidden plastic baby in their piece of cake must provide the cake the following day.
     Most King Cake recipes are simple sweet and egg-enriched brioche bread doughs, and if you prefer, you could use your favorite sweet roll dough for the cake and top it with three sections of the colored sugar, cinnamon, and icing.   Sometimes cream cheese is added similar to  a cheese danish style.

Cheater's King Cake

1 package frozen cinnamon or sweet rolls with icing like Pilsbury
OR
1 lb. Frozen plain bread dough + 4 tbsp. Cinnamon + 4 tbsp. sugar
1 cup vanilla icing
1 ceramic baby (or plastic)
¾ c sugar divided into thirds
Red, Blue, Yellow, and Green Food colorings

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to temperature required on dough package.
    A.  If using frozen bread dough...thaw then roll into rectangle.  
         Sprinke with sugar and, cinnamon .  At this point you can also
         spread the cream cheese filling (recipe above) over the dough.
    B.  If using canned Cinnamon rolls fold the rolls in half then twist

         and,   shape into a ring on a 9" cake pan. 
 2. Shape the dough into a ring on a cookie sheet. If using the ceramic  baby, insert it into the dough before baking. Bake according to package directions.
3. Remove cake to let cool. If using the plastic baby, insert it into the cake now.
4.  Spread icing all over the cake then sprinkle colored sugar in sections.