"It's a historic sweet cake with old world origins that has been tied to Mardi Gras since the 1700s, when the tradition was that whoever found a bean inside their piece would be forced to hold the next ball. Today, a small plastic baby is stuffed inside the cake instead and the superstition is that whoever finds it has to buy the next cake."
"The knife debate is actually a pretty hot topic in NOLA, and there are some divisive takes out there. Many are adamant that it needs to stay in the box until the last slice, while others prefer to use a clean one every time. In a Facebook post where users discussed their views, one person said, "Once a knife has been used to cut a piece, it stays in the box until the king cake is gone!" Another commented, "I always wash the knife between cuttings. No judgement, just prefer a clean knife.""
King cake is a historic sweet that combines coffee-cake and cinnamon-roll textures and takes its name from the Three Kings in the nativity story. The cake is traditionally topped with purple, green, and gold icing and is eaten throughout the Carnival season, often at breakfast. The practice of hiding a token dates to the 1700s when a bean determined duty to host the next ball; modern cakes hide a small plastic baby and the finder is expected to buy the next cake. Knife placement and cutting etiquette in New Orleans provoke strong, divided opinions.
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