Celebrate Mardi Gras with a traditional King Cake
Mardi Gras, an extended period of partying, revelry, and overindulging, officially begins on January 6, which isKing's Day, also called Twelfth Day or the Epiphany. Mardi Gras season ends on Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday, beginning the forty-day observance of Lent when Christians repent, self-reflect and atone for their overindulgence. Throughout the Mardi Gras season and in celebration of King's Day, King Cakes are served as part of the festivities.
Centuries ago, King Cakes became an important part of Mardi Gras. According to legend, a small figure of an infant Jesus or other small trinket is often hidden in a King Cake for good luck. Once a King Cake is sliced and served, whoever gets the piece of cake with the trinket will experience good fortune. An English Twelfth Night version of this early tradition served a pie or cake with a hidden bean and pea. Those getting the bean and the pea were designated "King" and "Queen" of the festivity.
Drawing the lucky piece in a King Cake may also come with some responsibilities such as supplying theKing Cakeat a future celebration, hosting a "King Cake" party, even fulfilling some church duties, depending on the church and the geographic region. The traditions of King Cakes and King Cake parties have become very popular during the Mardi Gras season over the years.
King's Day is thought to have originated back when the Three Kings, or Three Wise Men, brought their gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh to the infant Jesus. Many of the Mardi Gras traditions, including King's Day and King Cake, can be traced back to the French and Spanish who settled in the Louisiana region back in the early 1700s. Some of the earliest traditions can be traced back to pre-Christian Western Europe, when pagan rituals were the norm and often included human sacrifice.
King Cakes vary in size, shape, contents and decor, depending on the region, religion and the baker. Some cakes use dough flavored with cinnamon while others include fillings such as cream cheese or fruit. One of the more traditional King Cakes is made with twisted or rolled dough similar to coffee cake dough, which is then formed into an oval or circular shape said to signify the unifying of the faiths. Some believe the round shape of the cake represents the circles the Three Kings traveled on their way to visit the Baby Jesus, hoping to ward off King Herod, who when learning of Jesus' birth, ordered all young males from Bethlehem killed.
Traditionally, King Cakes are decorated with colored sugar crystals and other decorator sprinkles. Plain granulated sugar can also be used, adding a touch of food dye for color. A glaze or frosting is often dripped over the top of the cake before the colored sugar is added.
New Orleans King Cakes often combine the royal colors purple, gold and green in the decorating. According to Mardi Gras legend going back to 1892, Rex, considered "King of Carnival" in New Orleans, declared purple, gold and green as the official Mardi Gras colors, with purple representing justice, gold representing power and green representing faith.
Some King Cakes include a Baby Jesus. Others may include small cartoon figures or porcelain figures of famous people. Some countries still honor the age-old custom of hiding peas and beans in the cakes. All the hidden trinkets, even the peas and beans, are believed to bring good luck.
If you would like to make a King Cake for Mardi Gras, check out this easy onlinerecipethat uses an already-prepared crescent roll dough. Decorate with colored sugars, add in a hidden trinket and celebrate Mardi Gras this year in traditional style with your family and friends.
