I am from Texas, and when I came over to Louisiana I had the pleasure of trying this cake that is famous in Louisiana. I was told that it was called a King Cake. So I wanted to learn more about it...
The History Behind Mardi Gras King Cakes:
The King Cake was believed to have originated in France in the 12th century. The Europeans celebrated the Christian festival of Epiphany which was the celebration of the coming of the three wise men bearing gifts for Jesus. The festival started twelve days after Christmas, so the festival became known as Epiphany, Twelfth Night, or King's Day.
The main part of the celebration was the baking of a King Cake to honor the three Kings. The cakes were made circular because the three wise men took a circular route in order to visit Jesus. A circular route was taken to confuse King Herod who was trying to follow the wise men so that he could kill Jesus. In the early days, a tradition of placing a bean, pea, or coin inside the the cake. Whoever got the hidden piece was declared King for the day, or was said to have good luck in the coming year.
Today in Louisiana, Twelfth Night signifies the beginning of the carnival season, which ends on Mardi Gras Day. The beans, peas, and coins have been replaced with a small plastic baby to signify Jesus Christ. The person who gets the baby is expected to carry on the carnival festivities by hosting the next King Cake Party.
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