King Cake

This colorful, cinnamon-flavored cake hailing from Louisiana supposedly takes its name from the Biblical Magi—also known as the Three Kings or Wise Men. King cake is associated with the Epiphany, the Twelfth Night, and the pre-Lenten celebrations of Carnival or Mardi Gras.

The purple, green, and gold colors that are often found on King cakes represent justice, faith, and power, respectively. Beginning on the 6th of January, the people of New Orleans throw King cake parties that bring their community and families together.

Traditionally, there is a small plastic or porcelain trinket hidden in the cake, representing baby Jesus, but also luck and prosperity for the finder, and in some traditions, that person is the designated "king" or "queen" of the celebration. In 2006, shortly after Hurricane Katrina, thousands of King cake orders were placed in bakeries in and outside of Louisiana as a way to reconnect and begin healing; a true tribute to the significance of this American dessert.