It’s officially Mardi Gras season and that means KING CAKES! If you are not local to the state of Louisiana, especially the southern half, you may not be familiar with the term “King Cake.” Mardi Gras celebrations start on the twelfth night after Christmas and begin with Mardi Gras balls with fancy costumes and a huge feast. The King Cake is part of this traditional feast and it continues to be a favorite throughout the Mardi Gras season. The King Cake is baked and named so to honor the three kings who brought gifts to baby Jesus on the twelfth night after Christmas.
What Is A King Cake?
A King Cake is nothing more than a fancy bread or cinnamon roll sometimes braided and formed into a circle or oval with the center completely open. The oval shape symbolizes unity in faith. Once baked, the cake is decorated with icing and various sprinkles in the Mardi Gras colors of purple, green, and yellow.
King Cakes come in different varieties and flavors. You can buy a plain King Cake, which is a tasty cinnamon flavor or you can be adventurous and try a filled King Cakes. Fillings include fruit fillings of strawberry, blueberry, apple, cherry, pineapple, raspberry, peach, and lemon. You can also get chocolate mousse fillings, cream cheese, pecan praline and chocolate brownie depending on the location and store purchased from.
Inside each cake is a tiny baby. This baby represents baby Jesus. It is actually baked inside the dough so as to be a surprise to the person eating the cake. Usually the person lucky enough to bite into the baby, brings the next King Cake! Since babies have been accidentally swallowed in previous years, many bakeries just include them in the box now for you to hide the baby by pushing him into the dough from underneath the King Cake. You may also find some pretty Mardi Gras beads on your cake or inside the package in honor of the big celebration.
What Do The Mardi Gras Colors Mean?
Mardi Gras is a festive celebration and the most colorful celebration in southern Louisiana. The traditional Mardi Gras colors are purple, green and gold. They each have a unique representation as follows: Green represents Faith, Gold represents Power and the Purple represents Justice.
Where Can I Buy A King Cake?
If you live in Louisiana, you can find a King Cake at just about any bakery, grocery store or convenience store. However, if you are not one of the lucky ones to reside in Louisiana, you can still indulge in a King Cake. Many bakeries ship them throughout the Mardi Gras season. Some of the best King Cakes can be ordered from the following bakeries:
Ambrosia Bakery, LLC
Baton Rouge, LA
Phone: 225-763-6489
Website: http://ambrosiabakery.com
Gambino’s Bakeries Inc. (Corporate Office)
KENNER, LA
Phone: (504) 712-0809
Website: http://www.gambinos.com
Randazzo’s Camellia City Bakery
New Orleans, LA
Phone: 1-800-684-2253
Website: http://www.kingcakes.com/
The Cake Palace
Baton Rouge, LA
Shipped through Louisiana Gourmet Shippers
Phone: 1-866-238-9891
Website: http://www.louisianagourmetshipper.com
New Orleans Grocer
Shipping from Metairie, LA
Phone: 504-539-5889
Website: http://www.neworleansgrocer.com/
This is the perfect dessert for Fat Tuesday but feel free to indulge anytime during the Mardi Gras season! Happy Mardi Gras!
