Having My Cake....

.......And Eating It, Too.

Kings Cake

A king cake (sometimes rendered as kingcake) is a type of cake traditions. It is popular in Carnival season in the area of the United States associated with Carnivalwhich celebrates Carnival ranging from Mobile, Alabama to South-Western Louisana, centered on New Orleans. The cakes have a small trinket inside, and the person who gets the piece of cake with the trinket has various privileges and obligations.

The tradition was brought to the area by colonists from France and Spain.

The king cake of the New Orleans Mardi Gras tradition comes in a number of styles. The most simple, said to be the most traditional, is a ring of twisted bread similar to that used in brioche topped with icing or sugar, usually coloured purple, green, and gold(the traditional Carnival colors) with food colouring. Some varieties have filling inside, the most common being cream cheese followed by marzipan.

The season for king cake is from Twelfth Night or Epiphany, January 6,through Mardi Gras Day. Some organizations or groups of friends may have "king cake parties" every week through the Carnival season.

The person who gets the trinket is declared king or queen of the party. The monarch is usually obliged to supply the next king cake or host the next party or both.

Source: Wikipedia.com

~ shopgirl