You can anticipate leaving your shoes outside your door for gifts, watching yearly parades, going to parties, or enjoying a piece of king cake if you celebrate the Epiphany, which is the festival of the Twelfth Night following Christmas on January 6.
The dessert’s name comes from the account of the three magi, or three kings, who bring presents to baby Jesus in Matthew’s Gospel. Numerous Christian traditions commemorate the Epiphany, which falls on a Sunday between January 2 and January 8 and is a holy day of obligation in the Catholic Church.
During the Mardi Gras season, which starts on January 6 and finishes on Fat Tuesday, the day before Lent, which is March 4 this year, king cake is also a mainstay. Despite its popularity in the US, king cake’s origins can be found in medieval European customs, especially in Spain and France.
READ MORE: Where to get king cake in Portland for Mardi Gras and Epiphany celebrations
There are numerous variations of king cake in various civilizations. The rosca de reyes is a sweet bread ring topped with dried fruit in Latin America, and the galette des rois is a flaky puff pastry filled with almond cream in France.
French and Spanish settlers brought the delicacy to Louisiana in the 18th century, and it became a mainstay of Mardi Gras in the United States. King cakes in the New Orleans style are usually constructed with brioche dough and adorned with vibrant decorations.
The element that unites all of these customs is a tiny baby figurine or other symbolic object concealed within the cake. The lucky winner is the one who almost eats the figure in their piece of cake.
Depending on the culture, the prize could be anything from good fortune for the upcoming year to being crowned king or queen for the day, replete with a paper crown. Additionally, the winner is usually assigned a responsibility, which could include preparing tamales, throwing a celebration, or purchasing the next king cake.
These are some of the customs and symbolic components that are common to each type of king cake.
Rosca de reyes
Multicolored dried fruits, which represent the jewels in the magi’s crowns, are served with the Latin American version of king cake, which is shaped like a ring. Rosca de reyes, or wreath of the kings, is a mildly sweetened, soft dessert that is frequently flavored with cinnamon and citrus zest. Some variations have a fruit or sweet cream filling.
On January 6, celebrants usually indulge in this dessert, which is frequently served with champurrado, a spiced chocolate beverage from Mexico. For D a de la Candelaria (Candlemas) on February 2, the individual who discovers the figurine inside their slice is assigned to throw a party or make tamales.
Owners Gabriel and Josue Azcorra create rosca de reyes at Dos Hermanos Bakery on Southeast Stark Street, drawing inspiration from their Mexican ancestry. “The large pastry is best enjoyed with others, so it’s a way to bring family together,” Josue remarked. Their version is covered with dried fruit to symbolize the magi’s gifts and yellow sugar paste to symbolize pleasure. Only on January 6th is the pastry available.
Galette des rois
The almond cream filling, often called frangipane, and the flaky puff pastry layers make the French galette des rois unique. This version’s sweetness is more subdued, and its golden crust is frequently adorned with elaborate patterns. It has a tiny porcelain item called a f ve, or fava bean, in place of a baby figurine. In homage to the original f ée in medieval France, a dried bean is occasionally used in place of the trinket.
Wearing a paper crown that is frequently included with the cake, the fortunate finder of the five is crowned king or queen for the day. The galette des rois is a long-standing culinary custom associated with the Epiphany that is frequently enjoyed throughout the month of January in France.
Galette des rois is sold throughout January at St. Honor Boulangerie, which has several locations in Portland, as a lucky charm for the upcoming year. The cakes come with a tiny, variable porcelain charm and are made to order. Inside your galette des rois, you might discover a baby, star, angel, or farm animal—all of which are representations of the Christian Nativity scene. A paper crown is also included with every order of a small or medium cake.
New Orleans king cake
King cake has come to represent the colorful Mardi Gras festivities in Louisiana in the United States.With its tender brioche dough, this variation is usually braided into an oval or ring and decorated with Mardi Gras-inspired sugar or icing in the colors purple for justice, green for faith, and gold for power.
The classic cinnamon filling is available, as well as more decadent choices like cream cheese, praline, chocolate, or fruit preserves. Finding the concealed figurine—typically a tiny plastic baby—usually entails taking on the duty of buying or making the next dessert for the celebrations of the season.
For Mardi Gras season, chef and owner Bonnie Ward Strauss of Gris Gris Kitchen, a pop-up kitchen in Southeast Portland, has reopened orders for king cakes, offering a selection of New Orleans-style cakes. Strauss is selling sweet king cakes this year that are topped with pralines, chocolate, cream cheese, or cinnamon and sugar. Cajun ingredients including boudin, crawfish, cheese, and jalape o jelly will be served at Gris Gris Kitchen on the savory side. Every order includes a baby, a crown, and beads.
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Chiara Profenna discusses faith, religion, and cultural ties. You may contact her at [email protected] or @chiaraprofenna, or 503-221-4327.
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