king cake

noun

plural king cakes

: a sweet ring-shaped cake traditionally with a symbolic bean or figurine of the infant Jesus inside that is served from the Epiphany to Shrove Tuesday

Of course, no one does king cake quite like New Orleans. It's decorated in the colors of Mardi Gras—purple (to represent justice), green (faith) and gold (power)—as chosen by one of the city's first Mardi Gras organizations, or krewes. A token or trinket—usually a plastic baby symbolizing the infant Jesus—is hidden inside. Whoever finds the baby may be crowned king or queen of the party; more important, that person is responsible for bringing the cake to the next gathering.

—Noelle Carter

Examples of king cake in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Whoever receives the slice with the plastic baby inside has the duty to either buy a new king cake or host a party for the next year. —Ella Gonzales, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 8 Jan. 2026

Louisiana-style king cakes are made of sweet cinnamon pastry covered in white frosting and sprinkles in the colors of Mardi Gras — green for faith, purple for justice, and gold for power. —Jordan Green, Memphis Commercial Appeal, 6 Jan. 2026

Don a string of beads and take a tour — complete with a sweet slice of king cake. —Npr Staff, NPR, 18 Dec. 2025

They are also known for their seasonal cherry bomb fritters (their take on cherry thing-a-lings from Schmidt Bakery, in Batesville), king cakes and wedding cakes. —Keith Pandolfi, The Enquirer, 23 Aug. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1741, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for king cake

• awake
• backache
• beefsteak
• betake
• cheesecake
• cupcake
• daybreak
• earthquake
• eastlake
• forsake
• handshake
• headache