Special Edition: King Cake for Mardi Gras

"If music be the food of love, play on."
-Duke Orsinio, Twelfth Night, Act 1, Scene 1

What about food that is the food of love? Eat on?

Last week for Mardi Gras (Tuesday says, "You calling me fat?") we baked a king cake. It is like a wreath, only edible, traditionally enjoyed between Twelfth Night and Lent. The tradition was brought to the southern US by French and Spanish colonists in the days of yore. It takes its name from the Biblical three kings, who journeyed to Bethlehem over twelve days, arriving with gifts for baby Jesus on Epiphany.

The recipe says to bake "until golden." At this stage our king cake was still slightly undercooked in the middle. Jean also made the frosting too thick, and it sort of weighed down the delicate cake. Next time we would thin the frosting to a very light glaze so that it more easily drizzles.

At any rate, it was very pretty with its traditional green, gold and purple sprinkles, and it tasted quite yummy.

We forgot to hide a mini baby Jesus inside, so that whoever finds him would win all sorts of privileges and obligations. It has become customary in the New Orleans culture, for example, that whoever finds the trinket hidden inside must provide the next king cake.