Mardi Gras Bread

1/2 c. sugar
3 t. cinnamon
1 1/2 sticks butter
1 1/2 c. packed brown sugar
1 pt. fresh strawberries, hulled and halved
8 oz. cream cheese
2 cans (10 ct) Grands buttermilk biscuits
1 1/2 c. chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Spray bundt or angel food cake pan. Combine cinnamon and sugar, set aside. Melt butter and brown sugar over low heat, stirring well. Set aside. Cut cream cheese block into 20 cubes. Press the biscuits out with fingers. Cut in half. Sprinkle each half with 1/3 t. cinnamon sugar. Place 1 cube of cream cheese in center of half of the biscuits, sealing the dough around the cream cheese. Roll into a ball. Place half a strawberry in the center of the other half of the biscuits, sealing the dough around the strawberry. Roll into a ball. Sprinkle half the pecans into the bottom of the pan. Pour 1/3 of melted butter mixture on top of pecans. Place half the balls on top, mixing up the cream cheese and strawberry balls, if desired, or keeping them separate, your choice. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar, 1/3 of butter mixture, and 1/3 of pecans. Layer the remaining balls on top, sprinkle with remaining sugar, add remaining butter mixture, and top with remaining pecans. Bake for 30-45 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and cool, no more than 10 minutes, before inverting onto plate. Decorate with colored sugars (Green, gold, purple) in alternating sections, about 2" wide each.

*Don't forget to hide the plastic baby inside one of the dough balls before baking, but warn everyone to look for it. (Whoever finds the baby is deemed "king of the day". That's why this bread is often called king cake.)

(originally posted by Just a Pinch recipes)