The History of the Mardi Gras King Cake

European style king cake decorated with dried fruits.

The king cake is a tradition associated with Mardi Gras, the festive holiday celebrating the last day of revelry before the 40 days of Lent. Though originally from Europe, the Mardi Gras king cake has become an iconic symbol of the city of New Orleans and its famous take on Mardi Gras festivities. Other forms of king cake are enjoyed in various countries in Europe and the Americas.

Origins

Mardi Gras is French for Fat Tuesday. This holiday is also known in Italy and the Americas as Carnival. Mardi Gras celebrates the last day of revelry and decadence before the start of Lent. Catholics celebrate Lent as a time for sacrifice and fasting, which lasts 40 days. The practice of Lent is in honor of Jesus Christ's 40-day journey through the desert, when he is said to have gone without food or water. Lent ends on Easter Sunday. The origin of king cake ceremonies dates back to the 3rd century in Europe, but the king cake's association with Mardi Gras began in the 16th century.

The Cake

A king cake is traditionally made from coffee cake. The New Orleans king cake is a round or oval-shaped ring. A New Orleans king cake is immediately recognizable, for it features icing in the Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold. The cake can be filled with any number of fruit, nut, custard or cream cheese fillings, but bakeries are experimenting with flavors and fillings.Other versions from Spain, Portugal and France are also made in the shape of a ring but decorated with dried, candied fruits instead of the tri-colored icing.

Hidden Treasure

The king cake at a Mardi Gras party is not just for eating. It is also at the center of a festive ritual where one guest is chosen as the "king" of the party. The king imagery is said to have come from the wise men who traveled the desert to bestow gifts upon the infant Christ. Baked inside a Mardi Gras cake is a small trinket, usually a plastic baby. The baby is said to represent the infant Christ. Whoever finds the baby in his portion of cake is the "king" of the party and has the responsibility of providing the cake for the following year's celebration.

The Trinket

The trinket found in the cake is most commonly the plastic baby representing Christ. However, as Mardi Gras and Carnival celebrations became more a secular celebration than a religious one, many began to move away from religious symbology and experiment with new images for the trinkets. Many versions of figurines are available and have become collectibles.

Mardi Gras and Carnival

The holiday of Mardi Gras has become a cultural celebration, enjoyed by people of all faiths. The cities of Venice, New Orleans and Rio de Janeiro are world famous for their unique versions of Mardi Gras or Carnival celebrations, which draw guests from around the world. The parades, as well as the king cake, has enjoyed international fame, and one does not need to participate in Lent in order to enjoy the good times of a Mardi Gras king cake party.

References

• Mardi Gras Unmasked: King Cake, A Rich History
• Global Gourmet: Recipe for Mardi Gras King Cake
• Mardi Gras Parade Schedule