King Cake

One of the most popular foods during Mardi Gras is the king cake. It is traditionally sold in bakeries, grocery stores and delis from January 6 to Ash Wednesday. Locals and visitors eat king cake for breakfast, coffee break, and dessert. The tradition of king cake dates back to the Middle Ages when a popular devotion during Christmas was placed on the Three Wise Men who followed the North Star to find baby Jesus. The twelfth night after the birth of Christ marks the end of Christmas and the celebration of Epiphany. Twelfth Night in some cultures became a time for pageants and giving special presents to children. Along with gifts came the celebratory cake, or king cake. Today's king cake is a confection made of braided Danish pastry, laced with cinnamon. It is always iced in the Mardi Gras colors of purple which represents justice, green which stands for faith and gold which represents power. Hidden in each king cake is a tiny plastic baby. The person who finds the baby must buy the next king cake or host the next party. Contemporary king cakes are often filled with cream cheese, fruit fillings, such as apple or strawberry, and other fillings.