Filling:
4 oz softened cream cheese …….................….1/2 cup brown sugar, packed (or brown Splenda)
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon ………................……1 tsp vanilla extract
1 can cherry or blueberry pie filling ~OR~ 1/2 jar red fruit jam (with sugar or sugar-free)
**
Cake:
2 cans (total of 12 individual crescent rolls) refrigerated crescent rolls
**
Icing:
1-1/2 cups powdered sugar ……................……... 1 tsp vanilla extract
3 - 4 TB (about) milk or cream …................….….green, purple, yellow colored sugar (The colored sugar is why this King Cake is only ALMOST sugar-free)
(For sugar-free icing: 1/2 cup canned sugar-free vanilla frosting, plus 1/2 tsp vanilla, and milk or cream)
**
Cream together filling ingredients (except pie filling) in small bowl (or pulse in food processor). Preheat oven to 350. Spray a pizza pan or baking sheet with buttery spray, or line with parchment paper.
Unroll crescent roll dough and separate into triangles. Put triangles next to each other with the points toward the center, overlapping the long sides about 1/4”, forming a large round. IMPORTANT: Where the pieces overlap, press the seams together ONLY IN THE CENTER of each seam, leaving either ends of the seams unsealed so you can fold them up over the filling.
Spread the filling around in a ring covering the center sealed seam of each triangle. Spread pie filling or jam over cream filling. **
Fold the short side of each triangle toward the center just to the edge of the filling to cover. Then pull the point end of the triangles toward the outer rim of the pan to fully enclose the filling, tucking under the points. Lightly press the seams.
Bake 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Let cool to room temperature.
Meanwhile, make the ICING: Whisk together powdered sugar & vanilla, adding milk gradually until smooth. (Consistency should be fairly thick, but thin enough to slowly drip down sides.) Spoon the icing around the top of the King Cake and allow it to slowly drip down the sides. Sprinkle colored sugar in bands around cake.
To make COLORED SUGAR: Put 1/4 cup sugar EACH into 3 small zip-top baggies. Add 1 drop red and 1 drop blue food coloring to one bag ~ 1-2 drops of yellow food coloring to one bag ~ 1-2 drops green food coloring to one bag. Seal the bags. Take each one and squeeze it with your fingers, until all the sugar has been colored.