Wednesday, April 5, 2017

There Have Been Many Different Types of King Cakes Throughout History



King cakes are associated with the festival of Epiphany, which is the end of the Christmas season. It is commonly linked with the Pre-Lenten celebrations. The first king cakes were dry French bread, topped with sugar, and a bean in the center. King cakes aren’t restricted to be eaten by only Christians and Catholics. Most of the people prefer to have king cakes in their parties and times of celebrations.  

The king cake history dates back to 300 years ago. The original form of king cakes has undergone a milestone of changes with different multiplicities depending upon the country and the place. The initial cakes were made a mere ring of dough with few decorations. However, the king cakes of today are braided and baked with a Baby figurine inside.



The cake ring is elaborately covered with sugar toppings, tasty additives, etc. The bakers are getting creative with their talents to decorate the rings. The stuffing or the fillings have also undergone many changes, with unique flavors and fruits. You can order cakes online for your party or celebration as per your preferences.     



Types Of King Cakes:


Few king cakes are made of sweet dough, shaped in a hollow circle, with colored sugar topping.
  • The king cake can either be braided or made in different shapes. 
  • The shape will mimic the crown of a king in almost all the king cakes. 
  • King cakes can also be made up of a puff pastry with fillings inside it. 
  • The fillings are cream cheese, almonds, nuts, apple, pears, chocolate, etc. 
  • The most commonly used colors are green, gold, and purple.
  • The colors represent strong emotions such as faith, power, justice, etc.    
  • Many bakers make the king cakes with a small figurine hidden inside it.
  • The figurine will differ from one baker to the other and is mostly based on a famous cultural icon or a hit movie of the time.
  • Sometimes the king cake will have a hidden Baby Jesus inside it.
  • The Baby Jesus can be made up of plastic, porcelain, or even gold.
  • The person who gets the king cake with the Baby Jesus will be bestowed with many privileges.

History Of King Cakes:
  • The name “king cakes” was coined after the Biblical Kings of the olden days. 
  • The eve of the Epiphany is the Twelfth Night, counted from the Christmas Eve. 
  • The day is called as Mardi Gas or Fat Tuesday, which is the day before the start of Lent. 
  • It is also called as “Little Christmas.”
  • It is 47 days before the “Easter Day.”
  • It is a time of celebrations, festivity, exchange of gifts, and feasting.
  • King cakes are popularly made during the Christmas season.
  • Early January is the time of the year when the bakers start displaying their skills in making the king cakes.
  • The king cakes are mostly available to eat until the start of Lent.
  • However, many bakers take orders even throughout the year. 
  • The name of the cake changes across the different parts of the world.
  • The cake can be made in various shapes, styles, flavors, decorations, colors, etc.
  • The king cakes had originated in France and Spain, and slowly the tradition spread across the globe.  
  • The various places where king cakes are made and eaten by people are as follows:

·       Belgium

·       France

·       Quebec

·       Switzerland

·       Portugal

·       Spain

·       Greece

·       Cyprus

·       Bulgaria

·       New Orleans

·       Bay Saint Louis

·       Pensacola

·       Galveston


Religious Significance Of The King Cakes: 
The day of Epiphany has great historical significance for the Catholics. It marks the arrival of the kings of Bethlehem, who had delivered gifts to the newly born Baby Jesus. It is the reason why a trinket or figurine is placed in the center of the King cakes.
The person who finds the trinket or gets the slice of the cake with the figurine inside it is supposed to be the lucky one! The person will be considered to be the king of the day. It is said to bring good luck and happiness in the life of the individual. The person is mostly made to get the next king cake, in the party or celebration which follows.  


Ordering The King Cakes:

King cakes are ordered by most people these days in parties, office, social gatherings, etc. People from all over the world are placing the order king cake. There are many bakers and confectioners who willing take up the orders online through bookthesurprise, throughout the year, making it convenient for one and all.

You can conveniently order king cake online through the various websites. They give the complete details about the kind of fillings they offer, the toppings, the figurine, the colors and the flavors of the cake for you!

The websites will also have the option of the payment to the made either when you place the order online and also have the cash on delivery options. The estimated time for the king cake delivery will be mentioned online, and you can give you preferred date.  

There are many recipes available online these days, which will help you in making the DIY cakes at home. There will be a complete list of ingredients required for the baking of the cake, the variations that can be made, and the different decorating options. If you don’t wish to make the figurine at home, you can purchase one from any store and place it in the center of the cake. 

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