Mardi Gras 2011: Will king cake make you fat on Fat Tuesday?

(CBS) Mardi Gras revelers know all about king cake, a traditional part of Fat Tuesday celebrations. The gooey, buttery cake is named for the three kings whose journey to Bethlehem to honor the baby Jesus took 12 days, according to one website.

But given all the sugar, milk, and butter in the cake, it wouldn't be far from the mark to say it's called "king" because it's the king of fatty, high-calorie desserts.

Or at least a prince. A single slice from a recipe published on SparkRecipes.com delivers 239.7 calories, 5.6 g of total fat, and 42 carbs.

King cake is often made with a plastic Jesus stashed inside. One thing's for sure, if you eat too much of the stuff, you'll have only one hope for not getting fat.

Divine intervention.