Watch: Columbus Chef Yonder Miller prepares a king cake for Mardi ...

Growing up in New Orleans, Chef Yonder Miller has fond memories of eating king cake, a traditional treat that is named for the three kings, or Three Wise Men, who brought gifts to Christ after his birth.

And if you find a plastic baby Jesus in your cake, consider it a sign of wealth and prosperity to come, said Miller, who co-owns Way Down Yonder Beignets & Coffee in Downtown Columbus.

“It brings me back to when I was younger,” she said. “We used to order king cakes from different local bakeries. We would bring them to school, and we would share it with our friends. And whoever finds the baby, they have to bring the next king cake.”

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Miller said she has received more than 50 orders ahead of this year's Mardi Gras, which falls on Tuesday, Feb. 21.

She makes the cake from scratch, combining flour, butter, oils and other ingredients into a dough, which is kneaded on a dough sheeter, cut and braided in three strands. Next, she adds a filling, typically cinnamon, and pops it into the oven.

The cake is topped with glaze and purple, green and gold sugars, representing the official Mardi Gras colors.

"King cakes are a celebratory thing," Miller said. "We definitely want to make sure that we keep that around because it brings people together. It is something that people look forward to."

Scroll down or head over to the Dispatch Instagram account (@columbusdispatch) to watch Miller and her staff prepare a king cake.

ethompson@dispatch.com

@miss_ethompson