re: Why do King cakes have a plastic baby in them?

quote:

---

That may or may not be true in New Orleans, but using a fava bean or other small item in the cake to represent baby jesus goes back at least a couple hundred years in other countries.

---

Show me a source....yes, baking a lucky token inside of a cake (or a steamed pudding, or a loaf of bread) is a venerable tradition, but I've not found legitimate sources that associate the token as being a representation of the baby Jesus/Christ child.

The favor/lucky token may variously indicate luck for the coming year, or indicate which person is "king for a day" or rules over the gathering.

But token equaling baby Jesus? Again, old sources please...not contemporary assumptions/folklore.