The King Cake - Mardi Gras

The  Traditional King Cake

Epiphany or the "Twelfth Night" is the European celebration of the Wisemen to the Christ Child. It's celebrated by the giving of gifts and feasting. In honor of this occasion a special cake was baked and called...A King's Cake. A small bean was hidden inside the cake and the person finding the bean had to portray one of the Kings. This European tradition was brought to America by the French and Spanish that settled in the new world.

In Latin America, the bean was replaced by a small toy baby representing the Christ Child. The lucky person finding the baby received a year of good fortune. This tradition continued to grow as it moved to the new territory of Louisiana. New Orleanians perpetuated the celebration by having the person who received the baby continue the festivities by having the next party and another "King Cake."

Starting the twelfth day after Christmas, King Cake parties continue until the first day of Lent, ending on Fat Tuesday or Mardi Gras! The New Orleans - style King Cake is brightly decorated with Mardi Gras- colored sugars and has the figure of a baby inside it.

The tradition is still practiced in New Orleans and south Louisiana. Every year thousands of "King Cake" parties take place prior to Mardi Gras and the beginning of Lent.

From Our Louisiana Pen Pals, we received our own King Cake!

We had a King Cake Party on February 12, 2004
AND

We celebrated Mardi Grad - Feb. 24, 2004