The History of the King Cake

King Cake is a coffee cake-style pastry that is recognized as a symbol of Mardi Gras. Its origins can be traced back to the Middle Ages in Europe, and this tradition was delivered by settlers to The Big Easy in the 1870's.

Typically the cake is decorated in the three royal colors: purple, which signifies justice, green for faith, and gold for power. These colors were chosen to resemble a jeweled crown in honor of the three Wise Men who visited the Christ Child (symbolized by the plastic baby) on the Epiphany.

King Cakes are exciting! Both kids and adults revel in the anticipation and fun in finding the little plastic baby buried inside of their slice. Just remember that if you are the fortunate one who receives the baby, tradition states that you must supply the cake the following year.

Start your own tradition and bake a King Cake the old-fashioned way. Just be sure to tell your guests that a tiny plastic baby awaits inside one of the slices!

If you run out of time or if your friends have consumed too many of those Louisiana Hurricanes to safely operate kitchen machinery, you can shop online and have one shipped out to you from any of these fine bakeries. These treats make great gifts too!