Mardi Gras Recipe: King Cake

The Mardi Gras festivities are filled with color, flavor, and tradition. The stories behind these traditions are often as fascinating as celebrations themselves. The King Cake is no exception. The King Cake was originally associated with the Christian season of Epiphany, the time when the three wise men arrived at Jesus' birth place to pay their respects and bring gifts. The King Cake was a part of European Epiphany celebrations, representing the three kings and the baby, Jesus. Baby Jesus is represented in the "surprise" baby that is baked directly into the cake. The tradition was that whoever got the piece of cake with the baby inside was to provide the next King Cake at the next celebration. Today however, people often regard the recipient of the baby as the "King" or "Queen" of the party. Either way, the King Cake is a fun way to participate in the Mardi Gras celebrations.

Traditional King Cakes are a sweet doughy pastry filled with cinnamon. Usually they are made in the shape of a hollow circle. The top of the cake is covered with a gooey glaze and then colored sugar is sprinkled over that to add the finishing touch. The sugar is dyed to match the signature Mardi Gras colors: purple, green, and gold. Purple represents justice, green represents faith, and gold represents power. You can buy colored sugars at most grocery stores, especially at holiday time. You can find the little plastic babies in most craft stores.

When I make King Cake, I just make my favorite monkey bread. Here is that recipe:

Ingredients

2 pkg. refrigerated buttermilk biscuits

1 cup brown sugar (packed)

2 teaspoons cinnamon

½ cup real butter (salted)

½ cup real maple syrup

Optional: ½ cup chopped walnuts

4 - 6 tablespoons of each of the colored sugars (purple, green, and gold)

Supplies You Need:

1 large zip lock bag

1 round pan (such as an angel food pan)

Directions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Separate the biscuits from the pan and cut them into quarters.

Melt the butter in the microwave in a small bowl.

In a large zip lock bag, combine the sugar and cinnamon.

Cover each biscuit quarter with melted butter and drop into the bag with the sugar and cinnamon.

Shake the bag to completely cover the biscuit balls.

Lay the biscuit balls into the pan layering them over each other.

You can sprinkle the nuts between layers or wait and sprinkle them all over the top.

When all the biscuit balls are in the pan, pour the syrup over the whole arrangement.

Bake for 25 - 30 minutes.

When you take the cake out of the oven, turn it onto a serving platter immediately.

Sprinkle the colored sugars over the top. You can mix and blend them any way you want - be creative!

Serve warm.

Directions

1. Cut each biscuit into quarters. In a small bowl, combine brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Dip biscuits in butter, then roll in sugar mixture. Layer half the biscuits in a 10-in. fluted pan; sprinkle with half the nuts. Repeat layers. Pour syrup over top. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately invert onto a serving platter. Serve warm. Refrigerate leftovers.