Growing up Catholic on the east coast I remember going to Church every year on Ash Wednesday to get the cross (which looked more like a black blob) from ashes on my forehead. Once I was in Junior High School, I had a better understanding of Mardi Gras and how it related to Ash Wednesday. In College I had the opportunity to experience Mardi Gras in New Orleans and in Mobile. Now as a parent, I am trying to pass on my experiences, trivia and understand of Mardi Gras and Ash Wednesday to my kids.
Mardi Gras Trivia:
- Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday”
- Traditionally, this was the day families used up the “fat” foods in their kitchen, such as meat, eggs, butter,and sugar before Ash Wednesday. Once the 40 days of Lent began, people “fasted” from such foods as a sacrifice to God.
- The first time Mardi Gras was celebrated in North America was on March 3, 1699 by a French Canadian explorer.
- A “King Cake” is a traditional celebratory dessert on Mardi Gras. It is a cinnamon, sugar cake decorated with green, gold and purple sugar. What sets it apart is the small plastic baby found inside and the circular shape,which represents Jesus and a king’s crown.
- Once Lent begins, the Gloria and Alleluia are not used at Mass. So if you attend Mass on Mardi Gras, it’s the last time you say those prayers until Easter Mass.
Easy Peasy King Cake
Ingredients:
- 1 can of ready to bake cinnamon rolls (most brands contain 6 rolls)
- Colored sugar. Commonly used colors are gold, green, and purple, but use what you have and make it fun
- (Optional) A plastic baby, a nut, bean, or some type of trinket to represent Jesus. Be sure to use this trinket safely. Do NOT bake it and consider the choking risk for your family. The Jesus representation can be placed beside the cake if you prefer.
Instructions:
- Remove cinnamon rolls from the can and carefully straighten each roll.
- Take 3 unwound rolls and braid them together.
- Repeat with the other 3 unwound rolls so you have 2 sets of cinnamon roll braids. Use one set as the left side of your cake and the other braid as the right side.
- Pinch the braids together to form a crown, or circle shape.
- Bake per package directions.
- Once baked and cooled, drizzle with the packaged icing.
- Add colored sugar while the icing is wet.
The ultimate goal is to create a crown, or circular shaped cake, like the one pictured.
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