Paula Deen’s King Cake Cupcakes

Manageability – Painless

I just got married in the Big Easy last fall, and I can attest: Paula’s king cake cupcakes were just like a Thursday night in the Quarter. Fun, colorful, and unique. Only instead of being left with a day-ruining hangover, I was left with a delicious memory and plenty of treats for co-workers.

The directions for this twist on the Mardi Gras classic had one confusing part: Paula’s directions on how to roll the dough and place in the cups. “Seam on top”? The cakes have three sides with seams on them, how can they all be on top? I chose to place them on the side, so one seam is on top, one runs down along the cup, and one is on bottom.

Another note – when Paula says use sanding sugar, use sanding sugar. I tried using nonpareils, and the coloring bled all over them, looking kinda like what Bourbon Street looks like the morning after the parade.

Ingredients

• ¾ cup firmly packed brown sugar
• ⅓ cup raisins, which are otherwise gross
• ¼ cup chopped pecans
• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 3 (8-ounce) cans refrigerated crescent rolls
• ½ cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• Colored sanding sugar
• A whole lotta N’awlins attitude!

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350˚. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with foil or paper liners.
2. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar and next 3 ingredients.
3. On a lightly floured surface, unroll all dough, and separate each sheet into 4 rectangles. Press perforations to seal. Sprinkle about 2 tablespoons brown sugar mixture down center of each rectangle, leaving a ½-inch border on short sides.
4. Beginning with long side, roll up each rectangle. With seam on top, fold the left-third of dough in to center. Fold right-third of dough in to center. Place dough, coiled side up, in prepared cups. Repeat procedure with remaining rectangles.
5. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until golden brown.
6. In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar and milk until smooth. Drizzle over warm cakes in pan; sprinkle with SANDING SUGAR!