Why Are There Babies In King Cake?

At first, the idea of having cake with a little plastic baby found in one random piece caught me off guard, but it's cake and I'm a sucker for food.

Most Cajuns are aware of the tradition of king cake but not the story of where it started. The tradition goes that if you get the baby in your slice then it's your turn to buy the next cake. But as I ate my slice of delicious creme cheese filed king cake. I wondered where this far-fetched tradition originated from.

The Mardi Gras or Carnival season officially begins on January 6th or the "Twelfth Night," also known to Christians as the "Epiphany." Epiphany comes from a Greek word that means "to show." Jesus first showed himself to the three wise men and to the world on this day. As a symbol of this holy day, a tiny plastic baby is placed inside each King Cake. The tradition was said to come from France to New Orleans in 1870. It's decorated in royal colors of PURPLE which signifies "Justice," GREEN for "Faith," and GOLD for "Power.

So if you get the baby in your slice enjoy being "King for the Day" and remember the next cake is on you.