While the rest of the world is cleaning up Christmas and already breaking New Year’s Resolutions, we in the South are counting down to our next big party—Mardi Gras!  Parades, beads, masks, parties, king cakes, and, for this seamstress, sewing with purple and green and gold!

While the season doesn’t actually start until January 6th, I wanted to share my favorite recipe with you a few days earlier.  I’ll be baking our first king cake for Monday.

Last year, I decided to fill my king cakes with something a little different than just cinnamon and sugar.  I mixed a stick of cream cheese with a cup of Nutella and spread this heavenly goodness over my dough before I rolled up the cake.  Oh. My.Goodness.  Another fun option is a stick of cream cheese and some strawberry syrup.  Oh yes, it is as good as it sounds.

How ever you choose to fill your king cake, don’t forget the baby!  Have fun baking and laissez bon temp rouler!