Fat Tuesday is March 4 – just around the corner, and it’s celebrated with, well, lots of decadent food (to ready ourselves for the lean eating during Lent) and, of course, King Cake. 

Authentic traditional King Cake is a yeasted dough that is a labor of love for sure, but today I’m sharing an easier recipe that starts from a cake mix.

When I chatted with Matt Swaim on the Sonrise Morning show, Sacred Heart radio this morning about King Cake and its significance, Matt said since we start fasting the very next day it’s OK to finish the whole cake on Fat Tuesday! I like that…

Lots of folks celebrate Fat Tuesday, aka Mardi Gras, with a King cake. 

From what I can gather, the name is derived from the Three Wise Men in the Bible, who came bearing gifts for Baby Jesus.

I found some interesting information from Nancy Atwell on Wordscr.com about King Cake so check that site out. And if you have information or tips and would like to share your knowledge about the meaning of the cake please do!

King cake can actually be first served on King’s Day/Feast of the Epiphany (January 6) and again on Fat Tuesday to celebrate the coming of the three kings, as well as to honor them with a homage to their jeweled crowns = King cake!

The cake is frosted with several different colors of sparkling sugar or frosting.

Simply said, the icing sums it up:  purple for justice and royalty, green for faith and hope and yellow for power and generosity.

How about the baby buried in the cake?

Legend has it the baby represents the “king”/Baby Jesus and whoever gets it will be blessed with good fortune…..or it may mean you are the one to have to bake the cake next year. You may even be dubbed “king” or “queen” if you are the lucky one to find the baby in your slice of cake!

EASY CINNAMON SWIRL KING CAKE FOR MARDI GRAS

This cinnamon scented cake is a good keeper at room temperature, covered. Now you can also wait until the cake cools and then carefully make a little hole to push the baby in before you frost the cake if you don’t want to bake plastic…..

Ingredients 

Cake

1 box yellow cake mix, 15.25 oz.

1 box vanilla instant pudding mix, 4 serving size

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 tablespoons favorite neutral oil

1-1/3 cups water

2 large eggs

1 plastic baby – optional

Streusel – combine together

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 cup brown sugar, packed, light or dark

1/2 cup nuts, chopped – optional but good

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1/4 cup butter, melted

Instructions

Cake

Preheat oven to 375 degrees,

Grease and flour 10” tube or Bundt pan.

On low speed in mixer or by hand, blend cake mix, pudding mix, cinnamon, oil, water and eggs.

Beat either 2 minutes on medium speed or vigorously by hand.

Spread 3/4 of the batter evenly in prepared pan.

Sprinkle 2/3 cup streusel mixture over batter in pan.

Spread remaining batter over streusel.

Top with reserved streusel. Swirl into batter with a knife.

Push baby in and keep it away from sides of the pan.

Bake 40-50 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Check after 40 minutes.

After removing from oven, take a knife or offset spatula and run it around the edges of the pan, including center. Let cool 15-20 minutes before frosting.

Drizzle cooled cake with confectioner’s sugar glaze, then while glaze is still wet, sprinkle each section with the colored sugars: purple for justice, green for faith and yellow for power.

MASTER RECIPE CONFECTIONER’S SUGAR GLAZE

Whisk together:

1 cup confectioner’s sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1 tablespoon water or more as needed