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A king cake, also known as a three kings cake or a baby cake, is a cake associated in many countries with Epiphany, the celebration of the Twelfth Night after Christmas. (2020). 9781725254848, Wipf and Stock Publishers. ISBN 9781725254848 Traditionally made with brioche dough, in most cases a fève () such as a figurine representing the Christ Child, was hidden inside. After the cake is cut, whoever finds the fève in their slice wins a prize. Eliza Barclay: Is That a Plastic Baby Jesus in My Cake, National Public Radio from 2012-2-17(englisch) In a nod to tradition, a plastic baby figurine is often taped to the packaging of commercially produced cakes. Modern fèves can be made of other materials, but always represent the King or Baby Jesus.
In the Middle Ages, it was said that the king who was chosen had to pay the assembly a general round of drinks. To prevent cheating, the edible bean was replaced by a porcelain bean. In Christian tradition the cake commemorates the witness of the "Biblical Magi".
The earliest known reference to a king cake in North America, including a recipe, dates to 1649. An early French settler of Port Royal, Acadia (now Annapolis Royal, Nova Scotia) was required to deliver annually to the lord of Port Royal and his wife, "on the eve of the Feast of Kings ... a round cake made with a quarter bushel of the finest white wheat flour, kneaded with six eggs and half a pound of the freshest butter, with a black bean placed in the cake’s edge ... to their château and seigneurial manor at Port Royal."
The tradition of the Mardi Gras king cake did not become established until the 20th-century, although the ubiquitous gold, purple and green sprinkles have been standard decoration since 1872. The cake is usually purchased at a shop. Many holiday foods have rituals and customs connected to the preparation of the food, but the customs of the kings cake mainly revolve around the fève. Sugar was always a big industry in New Orleans, where local bakeries took an active role in turning the cake into a modern cultural icon. Old-fashioned versions of the cake are basically a round braided brioche without filling but these days bakeries try to outdo one another with creative fillings.
The gâteau des rois associated mainly with the region of Provence in the south of France is a brioche dough decorated with candied fruit and coarse sugar.
The Guianan galette (more commonly known as the Creole galette) is a traditional pastry of French Guianan cuisine. This is a Creole variant of the galette des rois which is eaten as a dessert during Epiphany. Le carnaval des familles It can be garnished with pastry cream, coconut, guava, etc. It is consumed throughout the Carnival period (from the Epiphany until Lent, ending Ash Wednesday) and preferably accompanied by champagne.
A paper crown is included with purchased cakes to crown the "king" or "queen" who finds the "fève" or bean, or coin hidden inside the cake. To ensure a random distribution of the pieces, the youngest person is to place themselves under the table and name the recipient of each piece as they are cut. (2025). 9782226136312, Albin Michel. ISBN 9782226136312 When store-bought, the fève can be a tiny porcelain figurine of a religious character or, nowadays, a figurine referencing pop-culture or popular cartoons.
The cake is round with a large hole in the centre, A Foodie’s Guide to Christmas in Europe Retrieved 12 August 2013 resembling a crown covered with crystallized and dried fruit. It is baked from a soft, white dough, with raisins, various nuts and candied fruit. Also included is the dried fava bean, and tradition dictates that whoever finds the fava has to pay for the cake next year. Bolo Rei Portuguese Kings Cake – A treat for your Christmas table recipe Retrieved 12 August 2013
In Spain the cake consists of a sweet brioche dough aromatised with orange blossom water and decorated with slices of candied or crystallized fruit of various colors. It can be filled with whipped cream, cream, almond paste or others. The figurine traditionally represents one of the Three Wise Men Biblical Magi. A dry broad bean is also introduced inside the roscón. It is tradition that whoever finds the bean pays for the roscón.Beth Hensperger Beth Hensperger's bread made easy: a baker's first bread book Ten Speed Press, 2000 , page 84
In Mexico, Central and South America, the figurine represents the Child Jesus. The figurine of the baby Jesus hidden in the bread represents the flight of the Holy Family, fleeing from Herod the Great's Massacre of the Innocents. Whoever finds the baby Jesus figurine is blessed and must take the figurine to the nearest church on Candlemas Day. The name Candlemas is derived from the use of on liturgical observances, representing the light of Christ presented to the world (). or host a party that day.
Samuel Pepys recorded a party in London on Epiphany night 1659/1660, and described the role the cake played in the choosing of a "King" and "Queen" for the occasion: "to my cousin Stradwick, where, after a good supper, there being there my father, mother, brothers, and sister, my cousin Scott and his wife, Mr. Drawwater and his wife, and her brother, Mr. Stradwick, we had a brave cake brought us, and in the choosing, Pall was Queen and Mr. Stradwick was King. After that my wife and I bid adieu and came home, it being still a great frost."
Although still occasionally found in the United Kingdom, as the Industrial Revolution curtailed the celebration of the 12 days of Christmas during the Victorian era, the cake declined in popularity to be replaced by the Christmas cake. 18th century actor Robert Baddeley's will bequeathed £3 per annum to serve wine, punch and a Twelfth Night cake to the performers of the Drury Lane Theatre in the green room each Twelfth Night; the ceremony of the "Baddeley Cake" has remained a regular event, missed only 13 times in over 200 years, during wartimes or theatre closures.
It comes in a number of styles. The simplest, said to be the most traditional, is a ring of twisted cinnamon roll-style dough. It may be topped with icing or sugar, which may be colored to show the traditional Mardi Gras colors of purple for justice, green for faith, and gold for power. Cakes may also be filled with cream cheese, praline, cinnamon, or an assortment of fruit fillings.
Traditionally, a small plastic baby, symbolizing Jesus, is hidden in the king cake and is a way for residents of Louisiana to celebrate their Christian faith. The baby symbolizes luck and prosperity to whoever finds it. That person is also responsible for purchasing next week's cake or hosting the next Mardi Gras party. (2025). 9781578065295, University Press of Mississippi. ISBN 9781578065295 Often, bakers place the baby outside of the cake, leaving the purchaser to hide it themselves. This is usually to avoid liability for any choking hazard.
In 2009, the New Orleans Pelicans NBA team introduced the King Cake Baby as a seasonal mascot. The New Orleans Baby Cakes (formerly the Zephyrs) were a AAA baseball team that played their final three seasons (2017–2019) with that name before relocating and becoming the Wichita Wind Surge.
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