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King Cake – A Mardi Gras Tradition
Royal Tours New Orleans • January 15, 2018
King Cake – A Mardi Gras Tradition
The tradition of king cake is hundreds of years old. King Cake is used to “celebrate the feast of Epiphany, the Christian holiday that celebrates the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child”. But, what is its origin, and what is its history in New Orleans? As with a lot of New Orleans history, the answer is shrouded in a bit of mystery. So, we went sleuthing…
The tradition of king cake is hundreds of years old. King Cake is used to “celebrate the feast of Epiphany, the Christian holiday that celebrates the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child”.
“The Magi” refers to the Three Wise Men, also known as the Three Kings.
The king cake tradition traveled across the globe and across centuries, it has taken many forms. From the southern French Brioche des Rois to the northern French version, Galette des rois, and Mexican version, Rosca De Reyes.
The King Cake tradition is thought to have been brought to New Orleans from France in 1870. A King Cake is an oval-shaped bakery delicacy, crossed between a coffee cake and a French pastry that is as rich in history as it is in flavor. It is decorated in royal colors of PURPLE which signifies “Justice,” GREEN for “Faith,” and GOLD for “Power.” These colors were chosen to resemble a jeweled crown honoring the Wise Men who visited the Christ Child on Epiphany. In the past such things as coins, beans, pecans, or peas were also hidden in each King Cake.
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But New Orleanians will tell you the king cake didn’t reach its potential until 1964 when Hurricane Betsy leveled a little donut shop in New Orleans by the name of Haydel’s Sunny Flake Bakery. When it was rebuilt by David Haydel and Dottie Freeland following the hurricane, the new bakery expanded their offerings to include their now-famous King Cake.
The recipe has had few changes since the 60s for fear of upsetting loyal local fans. The people of New Orleans will tell you that changing the recipe is “far more dangerous than any hurricane”.
The third generation of Haydels now protects the recipe. A recipe that in 2016, was used to make over 75,000 king cakes.
But, not so fast. Many locals will point to Manny Randazzo King Cakes as the baker who popularized the King Cake. In 1965 Manuel Sr., along with his father and brothers, opened the renowned Randazzo’s HiLan Bakery in Chalmette, Louisiana. And since 1995, they have devoted their entire operation to the baking of their popular King Cake.
Manny Randazzo King Cakes claim that they are the ones with the original recipe in New Orleans. No matter which, both bakeries have been running since the 60s and they both make a fantastic King Cake. If you are from out of town or out of the country, they will ship the cake to your location. You can't go wrong ordering from either.
These days, after liability, the baby is no longer placed in the cake but outside of it. Once delivered to your address, have someone place the baby in it and then spin the King Cake around before serving.
During Mardi Gras, the King Cake is as common at parties as beer is on Bourbon Street. Once sliced, each person looks to see if their piece contains the “baby.” If you are the one to find the baby you’re named “King” for a day and bound by custom to host the next party and provide the King Cake.
Mardi Gras Day has a movable date and may occur on any Tuesday from February 3rd to March 9th. It is always the day before Ash Wednesday, and always falls 46 days before Easter.
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N orma Wallace, a name that evokes intrigue and fascination, was a prominent figure in New Orleans during the early and mid-20th century. As a powerful and resourceful madam, she operated a network of brothels that thrived despite the constant threat of law enforcement. Beginning in 1920, she would operate brothels for the next 45 years, a span that has not been beaten in the history of New Orleans.
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