Craving a festive Mardi Gras treat but short on time? This Quick & Easy Lazy King Cake recipe is the ultimate shortcut for your Fat Tuesday celebrations. By using refrigerated cinnamon rolls and a few simple pantry staples, you can enjoy all the traditional New Orleans flavors without the hours of kneading and proofing. Whether you're hosting a last-minute party or looking for a fun holiday activity with the kids, this "lazy" version delivers maximum festive impact with minimal effort.
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Why You'll Want to Make Quick & Easy Lazy King Cake
- Time-Saving Shortcut: Traditional King Cakes can take hours to prepare, but this version is ready in under 30 minutes.
- Kid-Friendly: The simple "overlapping circle" method is a great way to involve children in holiday baking.
- Crowd-Pleasing Flavors: Everyone loves the classic taste of Pillsbury cinnamon rolls paired with extra homemade vanilla icing.
- Budget-Friendly: Uses affordable, easy-to-find ingredients from any local grocery store.
Ingredients - Here's What You'll Need
Steps to Make Quick & Easy Lazy King Cake
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a half-sheet pan with a silicone baking mat. Set the pan aside until ready to use. Place powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and heavy whipping cream in a microwave-proof medium size bowl. Then, use an electric hand mixer to combine until smooth and creamy.
- Open the cans of cinnamon rolls, set the rolls aside, and remove the lids from the icing containers. Microwave the icing for about 10 seconds so that it's pourable. Add the canned icing to the prepared icing in the bowl. Use the hand mixer to combine. Cover the bowl and set aside until ready to use.
- Lay the cinnamon rolls in a circle, slightly on top of one another, overlapping in the center of the prepared baking pan. Bake in 400°F oven for 15-18 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and place it on a wire cooling rack. Allow it to cool slightly for about five minutes before adding the icing.
- Place the bowl with the icing in the microwave for 15 to 30 seconds, so that it's a pourable consistency. After the cinnamon rolls have cooled slightly, about five minutes or so, use a spoon or a small ladle to drizzle the icing over the top of the king cake. I did not let mine cool long enough before adding the icing, and a considerable amount ran off because the rolls were too hot.
- Then, while the rolls are still hot and before the icing has set, sprinkle purple, green, and yellow sanding sugar alternating over the top.
This Quick & Easy Lazy King Cake is perfect to "Let the good times roll" without the stress of traditional baking. Whether you're a New Orleans native or just love a festive dessert, this recipe proves you don't need to spend all day in the kitchen to create a Mardi Gras masterpiece. Enjoy your lazy holiday baking, and don't forget to hide the plastic baby inside for one lucky guest!
Frequently Asked Questions
There are two main types of canned cinnamon rolls: those that can be unrolled and those that cannot. For this specific "lazy" King Cake, it is best to use the rolls that do not unroll, such as Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls with Original Icing (typically identified by a red stripe on the can).
Timing is key! You should allow the baked rolls to cool on a wire rack for about five minutes before adding the icing. If the rolls are too hot, the icing will become too thin and run off the sides instead of coating the cake.
ou can easily make your own at home. Simply place granulated sugar in a Ziploc bag with a small amount of gel food coloring and massage the bag until the color is even. For more vibrant results, spread the colored sugar on a baking sheet and bake at a very low temperature for a few minutes to dry it out before use.
Because this recipe uses individual rolls that are overlapped rather than a single piece of dough, the cake will not stay together as one solid unit. It is recommended to bake it on a parchment-lined pan and then carefully move it in sections to a serving platter once it has cooled.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Don't Skip the Extra Icing: The small containers included with canned rolls are never enough! Adding the homemade powdered sugar mixture ensures every bite is covered.
- Temperature Matters: If you add the icing while the rolls are too hot, it will run off the sides rather than sitting beautifully on top.
- The Right Rolls: Look for Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls with the red stripe on the can-these don't "unroll," which helps them keep their shape better in the ring.
- Serving Advice: This cake is best served warm immediately after making. If you have leftovers, keep them in an airtight container for up to one day.
Other Great King Cake Recipes
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Quick & Easy Lazy King Cake
Equipment
- half-sheet pan
- Silicone Baking Mat or Parchment Paper
- wire cooling rack
- microwave proof medium size bowl
- Electric hand mixer
Ingredients
- 2 cans Refrigerated Cinnamon Rolls1 12.4 oz cans - 8 rolls each
- 1 c Powdered Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 4 tbs Heavy Whipping cream
- Purple, Green, and Yellow Sanding Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and line a half sheet pan with a silicone baking mat. Set the pan aside until ready to use.
- Place powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and heavy whipping cream in a microwave proof medium size bowl. Then, use an electric hand mixer to combine until smooth and creamy. Open the cans of cinnamon rolls, set the rolls aside and remove the lids from the icing containers. Microwave the icing for about 10 second so that it's pourable. Add the canned icing to the prepared icing in the bowl. Use the hand mixer to combine. Cover the bowl and set aside until ready to use.
- Lay the cinnamon rolls in a circle, slightly on top of one another overlapping in the center of the prepared baking pan. Bake in 400°F oven for 15-18 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack. Allow to cool slightly, for about five minutes before adding icing2. Place the bowl with the icing in the microwave for 15 to 30 seconds, so that it's a pourable consistency. Use a spoon or a small ladle to drizzle the icing over the top of the king cake.
- Then, while the rolls are still warm and before the icing has set, sprinkle purple, green, and yellow sanding sugar alternating over the top.
- This is best eaten right after it has been made. However, it can be stored in an airtight container for a day or so.
- Yield 16 servings.
Tips/Notes
- There are two types of canned cinnamon rolls - ones that unroll and ones that don't. For this recipe I used the ones that do not unroll, the Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls with Original Icing (it has a red stripe around one of the ends of the can).
- I did not let mine cool long enough before adding the icing and a considerable amount ran off because the rolls were too hot.
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