I've never made a King's Cake and looking at on-line recipes it looks like a lot of work and limited participation on the student’s part.
Idea: King's Cupcakes Food Workshop
Children will make two King’s Cupcakes, one to eat and one to give-away. Here is an example of a TWO layered cupcake. Photo from the now inactive site: thecupcakeblog-com-assorted-three-layer-cupcakes.
You INSTEAD WILL BE doing FOUR LAYERS (three cuts): one for each gift - gold, frankincense, myrrh, and the top will be their gift to Jesus —their HEART (cinnamon heart).
NOTE: when decorating have the kids just add sprinkles onto the iced sides only, so they can be see the gifts on their completed cupcake (like the orange rinds can be seen in the above picture.
They will also create a King’s Cupcake in a Jar —to give away. This one they will decorate each section BUT, then drop each section gently into a small canning jar, similar to picture below, http://www.glorioustreats.com/...pcakes-in-a-jar.html
You could pre-cut paper circles they could insert between the two canning lid pieces with a message or title.
Sprinkles – I looked and found all but one carried by – Wilton http://www.wilton.com/shop/
Limit amount they can use and have them only sprinkle a tiny amount around each outside edge (to limit the amount of sugar) and so they can be seen when finished. Might help to give each child a small paper plate and dole out small piles of each gift and they can use their CLEAN fingers to sprinkle from what’s on their plate onto their cupcake iced side area and in some cases they will only be adding 1 or 3 of a specific sprinkle.
Lesson Idea
1) Read the scripture.
2) King's Cupcake Food Activity
Have two pre-made cupcakes, per student. Maybe chocolate to represent the journey on the road? Give each student one cupcake to start and a plastic knife. Have some bowls of easy spread icing or cool whip, one for every two students. Map.
Have them cut the cupcake tree times, so they have FOUR sections.
Discuss the length of their journey and it is believed they arrived possibly up to two years after Jesus was born – look at a map showing possible routes they took!
Layer One (bottom): Star – Wisemen - Gold
SPREAD on Icing or Cool Whip
Always ask first what they know, before telling them the facts on each item.
ADD - 1 Star to side ( Wilton’s Gold Star Sprinkle)
http://www.wilton.com/gold-stars-edible-accents/703-200.html#start=11
TALK about what is known about the star.
ADD – 1st Wiseman (Wilton’s Gingerbread Man Candy Sprinkle) 
http://www.wilton.com/gingerbr...ml#sz=90&start=5
TALK about the wisemen - the bible doesn’t say their names or how many-kings, magi? – where did their names come from -Armenian tradition identifying the "Magi of Bethlehem" as Balthasar of Arabia, Melchior of Persia, and Gaspar of India, etc.
ADD – Gold (Wilton’s Gold Sugar Pearls Sprinkles)
TALK about what gold would mean for the family.
http://www.wilton.com/gold-sug...l#sz=90&start=14
Layer Two: Frankincense
SPREAD on Icing or Cool Whip
ADD – 2nd Wiseman (Wilton’s Gingerbread Man Candy Sprinkle)
ADD – Frankincense
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frankincense
SHOW pictures or samples (touch & smell) of Frankincense and tell them what the family could use it for. Why give this as a gift?
(USE gold chunky sugar
http://www.layercakeshop.com/products/pearly_gold_chunky_sugar)
ADD – dash of vanilla - to represent the sweet smell (could add it to a bit of icing on their plate and mix, then apply to cupcake)
Layer Three: Myrrh
SPREAD on Icing or Cool Whip
ADD – 3nd Wiseman (Wilton’s Gingerbread Man Candy Sprinkle)
ADD – Myrrh
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myrrh
SHOW pictures or samples of Myrrh and tell them what the family could use it for. Why give this as a gift?
(USE Wilton’s Pearlized Sugar-Gold Sprinkles)
http://www.wilton.com/pearlized-sugar-gold/710-041.html#sz=90&start=15
ADD – dash of cinnamon (to represent the sweet smell)
Top of Cupcake: Me
SPREAD on Icing or Cool Whip
Talk about what gifts they could give (do on Jesus’ behalf this coming year).
ADD – the most important thing they can give Jesus is their heart – top off their cupcake with a Cinnamon Heart.
3) KING’S CAKE IN A JAR
Have them decorate a King’s Cupcake to give away. Give each student one cupcake.
Hand out canning jars. Decorate same as above except this time show them how to drop each decorated section into the jar.
Add Jar Title: KING’S CUPCAKE IN A JAR (You could pre-cut paper circles they could insert between the two canning lid pieces with a written title or message.)
Close with a prayer to help them be useful to Jesus over the coming months giving their gifts to others.... and may the recipient of their jars feel the heart of Jesus touch their souls..... or something....
Your suggestions/changes/adaptations most welcome...
Luanne
