Fat Tuesday, or Mardi Gras, is fast approaching, which means it’s time to enjoy King cakes while you can. King cakes are like big cinnamom rolls but with icing on them in colors purple, green, and yellow. Inside each king cake is a small, plastic baby. If you find the baby, then you are obligated to buy the king cake next year. Can’t find a king cake near you or just wanting to make your own? Then here is a recipe. Enjoy!

King Cake
For cake and filling:
1 box (16 ounces) Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix, prepared according to directions on box
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/3 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
For icing:
2 cups confectioner’s sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons water
1 cup granulated sugar (large crystals)
3 or 4 drops of purple, green or yellow food coloring.
Preheat oven to 375F.
Cream the butter, sugar and cinnamon together until soft enough to spread easily.
To make the dough, follow directions on the Pillsbury Hot Roll Mix package. Instead of forming rolls, turn half the dough onto a floured surface, and roll into a 2-foot-by-1- foot rectangle. Spread half the butter and filling mixture on top of dough.
Beginning at the wide edge, roll the dough toward you into a long cigar shape approximately 2 inches in diameter. Do the same with the second half of the dough. Place dough roll seam-side down on a well-greased baking sheet. Curve each roll, pinching the ends together to make an oval ring. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes or until doubled in size.
Bake at 375F for 15 to 20 minutes or until a straw inserted into the dough comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool.
To prepare the glaze, combine sugar, lemon juice and water, mixing until smooth. Slowly add more water by the teaspoon until it spreads as easily as a thin icing.
Place 1/3 cup sugar in each of three small jars with lids. Add three drops of food coloring to each. Cover with lid and shake until color is evenly distributed throughout the large sugar crystals. Add food coloring, drop by drop until desired shade is achieved.
Coat the cake top with glaze. Sprinkle colored sugars in 2- to 3-inch alternating rows of purple, green and yellow. Cut and serve.