Mardi Gras King Cake: A Little History
Alright, so we learned all about the Galette des Rois, the traditional King Cake from Northern France (for a history lesson recap, click here).
However, the beloved American Mardi Gras is quickly approaching, and that means King Cake again — except this kind is much more colorful & vibrant.
So, what’s the difference (other than color)? Where does the Mardi Gras King Cake originate?
What is Mardi Gras?
Mardi Gras is French for "Fat Tuesday," also called Shrove Tuesday. It is the day before Ash Wednesday, which marks the start of Christian Lent season leading up to Easter. During Lent, many Christians fast, and the name Fat Tuesday refers to the last day of eating richer foods before the leaner days of Lent begin (usatoday.com).
Mardi Gras is also known as Carnaval and begins on January 6 (Epiphany) and ends on Fat Tuesday. It is celebrated all over the world with the most widely known American Mardi Gras celebration taking place in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Mardi Gras King Cake History
The Mardi Gras King Cake started in Europe to celebrate Epiphany, but slowly evolved as it made its way across the pond.
“It is thought to have been introduced to New Orleans, along with other elements of French culture, in the late 1800s, though some point out that “the New Orleans and Louisiana cakes have evolved into what they are today and are not very similar in taste or appearance to those you will still find in regions of Europe.
The Difference in Mardi Gras King Cake and Galette des Rois
Well, it’s pretty obvious. One is VIBRANT. While the traditional Galette des Rois is more simple in design with the puff pastry as the star as the show, the Mardi Gras King Cake is covered in icing and Mardi Gras-colored sugar. That’s right — the purple, green, and gold are the official colors of Mardi Gras, and for good reason. They’re royal colors, with purple signifying “justice,” green signifying “faith,” and gold signifying “power,” chosen to symbolize a jeweled crown in honor of the Wise Men who visited the Christ Child on Epiphany.
Another difference? Our Mardi Gras King Cake comes with a gold paper crown and beads, when the Galette des Rois is usually only served with a crown.
And finally, it’s a completely different cake in general. While the GdR is a puff pastry with sweet almond cream, our take on the Mardi Gras King Cake is a cinnamon streusel-filled brioche ring topped with a classic icing and covered in Mardi Gras-colored sugar.
Mardi Gras King Cake Traditions
Similar to the Galette des Rois, the Mardi Gras King Cake comes with a little baby figurine baked inside. And whoever gets the tiny baby in their slice of cake gets to be king or queen for the day and don the paper crown. Some Mardi Gras traditions also include that the finder of the baby is the one who gets to provide the party with the King Cake the following year.
Where to get Mardi Gras King Cake
Why, at Gourmandise of course! Our Mardi Gras King Cakes are available 2/12 - 2/17 and come equipped with a baked-in baby figurine, gold paper crown, and Mardi Gras-colored beads.