returning print xtable from a function includes escaped characters knitr r

Question

• I'm trying to build tables in knitr using xtable.
• Some tables have multilevel column names
• I'm building the tables in functions and storing the output of the functions as variables
• these table variables are then used to build a knitr report

Code for the Rmd below

---
output:
  pdf_document
---
```{r setup}
library(knitr)
library(xtable)
library(tidyverse)

data <- diamonds %>% head(3) %>% select(carat, cut, color, depth)

make_table <- function(){
  addtorow_comp <- list()
  addtorow_comp$pos <- list(0,0)
  addtorow_comp$command <- c("\\multicolumn{3}{c}{all the Cs} & D \\\\\n",
                               "carat & cut & color & depth \\\\\n")
    
    tmp <- xtable(data,
                  caption="a table",
                  align = c('l|','c{0.3in}', 'c{0.4in}','c{0.4in}|', 'c{0.4in}|'),
                  digits= c(0,0,0,0,1))
    
  return(print(tmp, add.to.row = addtorow_comp, 
                         include.colnames = FALSE, 
                         rotate.colnames = FALSE, 
                         include.rownames = FALSE,
                         type="latex"))
}
tbl_to_output <- make_table()
```

```{r output_table, results="asis", cache=FALSE}
tbl_to_output

```

tbl_to_output outputs the latex with the text including escape characters, e.g. \\ for a single slash and \n for newline. If I were to run the print command directly from the the output_table chunk it works fine, but I want to separate the building of tables from where they display.

desired output:

Output when returned from the function:

Answer 1

I add some corrections and comments, now it works:

---
output:
  pdf_document
---

```{r setup, results='asis', echo=FALSE, include=FALSE}
library(knitr)
library(xtable)
library(tidyverse)

data <- diamonds %>% head(3) %>% select(carat, cut, color, depth)

make_table <- function(){
  addtorow_comp <- list()
  addtorow_comp$pos <- list(0,0)
  addtorow_comp$command <- c("\\multicolumn{3}{c}{all the Cs} & D \\\\\n",
                               "carat & cut & color & depth \\\\\n")
    
    tmp <- xtable(data,
                  caption="a table",
                  align = c('l|','c@{0.3in}', 'c@{0.4in}','c@{0.4in}|', 'c@{0.4in}|'), #don't forget about @
                  digits= c(0,0,0,0,1))
    
  return(print(tmp, add.to.row = addtorow_comp, 
                         include.colnames = FALSE, 
                         rotate.colnames = FALSE, 
                         include.rownames = FALSE,
                         type="latex", 
                         table.placement="H", 
                         comment=FALSE)) #hold pos and no comments
}

#tbl_to_output <- make_table()
```


```{r xtable, results='asis', echo=FALSE, message=FALSE}
tbl_to_output <- make_table()
```

---

An addition:

You can do it also by this way:

\begin{figure}
`r tbl_to_output`
\end{figure}