Inside The Mardi Gras King Cake Tradition - New Orleans - New Orleans & Company (2024)

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Inside The Mardi Gras King Cake Tradition - New Orleans - New Orleans & Company? ›

Remember, finding the baby inside the king cake not only makes you a “king,” but it also comes with some responsibilities. If you are so fortunate to find the baby in your slice of cake, you will be responsible for hosting the next Mardi Gras celebration and providing the next king cake!

Remember, finding the baby inside the king cake not only makes you a “king,” but it also comes with some responsibilities. If you are so fortunate to find the baby in your slice of cake, you will be responsible for hosting the next Mardi Gras celebration and providing the next king cake!

Every king cake contains a trinket — often a small figurine in the shape of a baby — which plays a crucial part in the celebration of the holiday that inspired this pastry. Whomever finds the trinket in their slice of cake gets to be the “king” for a day.

King cake is first served on King's Day (January 6) and lasts through the eve of Mardi Gras to celebrate the three kings' coming and honor them with a delicious homage to their jeweled crowns. Hidden in the cake's interior, or under a slice, is a small plastic baby.

What does the baby inside the king cake mean? Hidden in its interior, or under a slice, is a small plastic baby. Whoever finds it must either bring the next cake or throw a party, thus sparking an unending round of food and fun.

Even the colors of the icing (and royal colors of Mardi Gras) have a deeper meaning. Gold represents power, green is associated with faith, and purple illustrates justice. King cake is baked without a center, like your average Bundt cake, except buried inside the batter is a tiny, plastic baby figurine.

Though baking a plastic baby in a cake sounds like a melted mess just waiting to happen, Sproles said that's not an issue. "It doesn't get hot enough to melt it. Plus, they're designed to [be cooked]. We've tested them, too," he said.

Something like king cake is available year round, but those faithful to New Orleans tradition know it only has its cultural significance during Carnival season. That season will fly by this year, between the kick off on Jan. 6 and Fat Tuesday bringing down the curtain on Feb. 13.

Inside one of the slices of this circular loaf of bread is a bite-size plastic toy baby meant to represent Jesus. The person who gets the slice with the inedible toy will owe his family or friends a tamales party on Dia de la Candelaría, which lands on February 2nd.

For centuries the king cake has been associated with the Catholic religion and more specifically the Epiphany and Twelfth Night (both referring to the arrival of the Three Kings in Bethlehem), but in actuality the king cake stems from a pagan festival celebrated by the Ancient Roman Empire.

Does king cake represent New Orleans culture? ›

Yeah. The king cake baby is its own cultural emblem now in New Orleans. And it's a little - typically a little plastic baby. But the significance of it is if you get the slice of king cake with the baby within, you're on the hook to buy the next king cake.

Manny Randazzo King Cakes

A classic king cake if there ever was one, Randazzo is a favorite among purists, and for good reason—the family has been making this beloved recipe since 1965. Their hand-braided, cinnamon-infused cake is covered in "Randazzo" icing and topped with the traditional tri-colored sprinkles.

The King Cake is believed to have originated in France around the 12th century. These early Europeans celebrated the coming of the three wise men bearing gifts twelve days after Christmas calling it the Feast of the epiphany, Twelfth Night, or King's Day.

At Three Brothers Bakery, we offer three different sizes of king cake: regular (serves 8-12), large (serves 10-17), and party size (serves 18-24).

The history of the king cake came from European and Roman Catholic roots, which made its way into the New Orleans area in the 1870s. In contrast to the French king cakes, which are a flaky puff pastry, the New Orleans style is similar to the Spanish tradition, which is oval-shaped and topped with icing.

It is good luck but some people amusingly try to avoid it so they do not have to host a party. The best part of it all is that it is another excuse to bring the family together and have a good time. Will you be getting a Jesus toy in your slice??

If you find the baby Jesus in a slice you cut, you are responsible for making tamales and hosting a party on Día de la Candelaria, also known as the Presentation of Jesus Christ, a religious holiday held every February 2, based on the biblical story of Jesus being brought to the Temple for the first time.

Whoever finds the trinket is considered King or Queen of the day and must provide the next king cake or host the next Mardi Gras party. We saw many different types of mixes for King Cake in Louisiana (even some designed for bread machines), but it's actually just like making bread from scratch.

If you find the bean in your slice, you might be in for some hosting duties. In some traditions, the person who discovers the bean is obligated to host the next social gathering or, in some cases, bake the next King Cake.