What Cake Has A Baby In It? Surprise!

In my series of cake questions, another one of the top questions was, “What Cake Has A Baby In It?”.

The cake you're referring to is called a King Cake, which is a traditional dessert associated with Mardi Gras celebrations, particularly in New Orleans and other parts of Louisiana. The cake is typically a ring-shaped, sweet pastry, similar to a brioche, and is decorated with colored sugar or icing in the traditional Mardi Gras colors of purple, green, and gold.

A small, plastic baby figurine is hidden inside the cake before it is baked. The tradition holds that whoever finds the baby in their slice of cake is said to have good luck and is also responsible for providing the King Cake for the next Mardi Gras celebration. Personally, I think it’s pretty dangerous and a scary choking hazard, but, tradition? If you are planning on putting a small plastic doll inside, do yourself and others a favor and forewarn them, so everyone takes careful bites.