King Cakes

Most people think of Mardi Gras as our season of merriment before Lent. Still, many of our traditions, such as the sweet and decorative king cake, actually begin with Christmas.

King cakes date back to 12th century France when a cake was baked on the eve of Jan. 6 with a small token hidden inside. Whoever got the token in his or her slice became the royalty of the night. The original French cakes, known as the galette des rois, were round, reflecting the route taken by the Magi to confuse King Herod, whose army was following the Wise Men.

The Louisiana king cake tradition differs from France. Louisiana king cakes are oval and decorated in the Carnival colors of purple, green and gold, which represent justice (purple), faith (green) and power (gold). Some are plain with only decorated sugar on top while others are filled with wonderful things like cream cheese, fruit preserves and praline filling.

Lafayette's culinary scene can be inventive, so don't be surprised to find king cake bread pudding on a menu and other variations such as the king cake martini. Looking to try your hand at making a king cake at home? Check out the video below or click here for even more recipe ideas.

For a list of places making king cakes, and those that deliver, see below.

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