The Difference Between a King Cake and a Danish

  Have you ever wondered just what makes one thing a whole lot different than another? I do. I ponder these great mysteries of life.  For instance, while baking today, I worried over the difference between a Danish and a King Cake.  For those who might not know, a King Cake is a filled delight that we in the Deep South always indulge in during this time of year.  Mardi Gras is in full swing and will be for the next couple of weeks.  There are elegant balls, massive parades and sought after plastic beads but best of all (in my view) are the King Cakes!  These mouthwatering pastries all the rage during this season!  This is the only part of Mardi Gras in which I really participate.  If it involves food, then I am all for it!  

  Most King Cakes are large pastries with (more oft than not) a cream cheese and fruit filling.  The dough is rolled or braided closed and then baked.  Well, this is not a whole lot different than most Danish rolls according to what I have always seen.  So just what is the difference? THAT, my friend, is obviously all in the presentation! King Cakes are required to be baked in a circle to represent a crown (hence "king") and have a plastic or ceramic baby hidden inside.  Contrary to what a lot of folks believe, this cake is not to honor some king of the Mardi Gras season.  It originally was to honor the three kings and that baby represents Baby Jesus.  Alrighty then!  So we have a round filled braided pastry that has a baby stuck inside.  Well, that baby is also a big part of the tradition of Mardi Gras.  Some folks say that it is a sign of good fortune (or misfortune) biting into the piece containing the baby. Others claim that the finder of the baby must provide the next King Cake.  Either way, I figure that poking a plastic doll in a cake is asking for trouble!  I am quite sure that (knowing my luck), my guest would choke on said trinket!  What a fiasco that would be!  So no plastic baby lurks beneath the crust of my breads!  (Besides, here lately, those babies are a mite scary looking.)

  Another required trait of a King Cake that is not present on a Danish is COLOR!  Frosting MUST be slathered on the pastry.  This frosting is then doused with color in the form of dyed sugar.  Purple, green and gold were selected by the Krew of Rex back in the 1800s to be the official colors of Mardi Gras.  So now during the months of celebration, one can only imagine that there might be a shortage of food dyes in those three colors in the Deep South.  If you plan on making King Cakes for Mardi Gras, you would be best advised to start stocking up on food colorings way back as far as Thanksgiving!  Otherwise, you just may have to get quite inventive on how to "paint" your King Cake!  

  The there are the mandatory beads.  These are cheap plastic beads that become the most sought after "jewelry" for a couple of months after Christmastime.  During no other time of the year is it perfectly acceptable (nigh on required) for folks to wear gaudy, plastic beads. These same beads almost always make an appearance on or around a King Cake.

  So there you have it!  Is there a difference between a King Cake and a Danish?  From my point of view...nary a one in the pastry itself.  It all lies in the presentation.  Shape, frosting, color, baby, beads and attitude.  So that said....Laissez les bon temps roulez!!!