It’s Mardi Gras season in the South!
Southerners LOVE celebrating life and while most places wrap up holiday celebrations on New Year’s Day, in the south, we charge full steam ahead into carnival season. Homes are decorated and Christmas trees stay up, getting converted to spectacular green, gold and purple masterpieces. It also means parties, parades, beads and king cake, especially king cake…at home, at work, in grocery stores, gas stations, and of course, bakeries. Carnival season in the south is not the time for restraint or calorie counting and it all comes to an end next week on Ash Wednesday.
What is king cake?
King cake is a traditional sweet treat associated with Mardi Gras enjoyed by southerners (and thanks to mail order, for southern ex pats!) It appears in homes and store shelves from the Epiphany (January 6) until Fat Tuesday, the day before Ash Wednesday and the beginning of Lent.
King cake origins
The cake is named after the biblical Three Kings who visited the baby Jesus on the Epiphany. It is circular or oval in shape to represent the circular route taken by the wise men to confuse King Herod and avoid disclosing the location of the baby Jesus.
King cakes are made of a sweet dough and typically decorated with icing in the traditional Mardi Gras colors: purple, green, and gold, symbolizing justice, faith, and power, respectively. They may be filled with cinnamon, cream cheese, fruit, or other fillings. A new personal favorite of mine is pecan praline, which was brought to a parade pregame at my house last week from Paul’s Pastry Shop.
And the baby inside…?
A small plastic baby, representing the baby Jesus, is often hidden inside the cake before baking (though safety concerns have led to bakeries leaving the baby out for the buyer to hide in the cake.) Whoever finds the baby in their slice is blessed with good luck and is expected buy the next cake. And though people are always happy to bring king cakes to events, no one really wants to get stuck with the baby!
King cake roundup
Most king cake aficionados have their favorite spot to grab one. Along the Gulf Coast a favorite grocery store based in New Orleans has a great following. Read more about how Rouse’s gets them ready year round and ships them anywhere… and not just for Mardi Gras!
A Mississippi Gulf Coast fave that my sister religiously sent me every year on Fat Tuesday while we lived In Buffalo is Sweet Stuff Cake Boutique. They make a flavor for all tastes!
Don’t have a large crowd? No problem! Southern Girl Cookies makes individual sized cakes and cookies.
The South also loves their donuts, so of course our local favorite, Ocean Spring’s The Tatonut Donut Shop, gets in on the fun.
King cakes near you
Fat Tuesday is one week away so now is the time to enjoy this cherished Mardi Gras treat with no guilt. Check out this map to find one near you but if you want to try your own, here is an authentic recipe from @girlraisedinthesouth.
Here are some of my favorite peeps enjoying a lagniappe lifestyle at the Oceans Springs day parade. Happy Mardi Gras, Y’all! Laissez le bon temps rouler!
[…] All Hail the King Cake! […]