What is the story behind the King Cake?
Starting the 12th day after Christmas, and lasting until Mardi Gras day, it’s common for offices, classrooms and homes throughout New Orleans and South Louisiana to host King Cake parties. These fun social celebrations actually have roots tracing back to the late 1800s. In those days, a small coin, bean or pecan traditionally was hidden inside the oval-shaped cake. The lucky person to discover the treasure hidden inside his or her slice was declared king for a day – and traditionally was bound to host the next King Cake event. Today, Louisianans continue that tradition using a small plastic baby, which represents the Christ Child.
