NO King Cakes
#1
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Join Date: Oct 2009
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NO King Cakes
Some us are travelling to New Orleans for Mardi Gras (March 6-11) and we are dying to taste a king cake. We were wondering who has the best traditional king cake? Cost does not matter to us, we just want to taste the best. We've heard from friends who have gone in the past years that Cannata's is the best, is this true? Also would it be better to buy one from the stores while we are there for that week or order online and have it shipped?
Thanks in advance!
Thanks in advance!
#2
Join Date: Feb 2003
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Louisiana native friend says Gambino's (yes, like the crime family) is the place for her. She swears by them.
Ordering and shipping is a good option, but really the cakes are so overrated it's preposterous.
Ordering and shipping is a good option, but really the cakes are so overrated it's preposterous.
#6
I lived in N.O. for two years. IMO the thing is wonderfully traditional and if you are fortunate enough to "get the baby" then it's even more fun. But the ones I had while there, and believe me, I had more than a few, were no more than a rather dry coffee cake type concoction dressed up in purple, green, and gold. But, to each their own.
#7
Join Date: Jun 2006
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One of my coworkers is from Shreveport and went to med school at Tulane. Every year he orders us a king cake from Haydel's:
http://www.haydelbakery.com/
He swears it's the best, and they include some chicory coffee with the cake when you order it. I don't have vast experience, but the king cakes I've had generally taste similar to a glazed doughnut with cream cheese. It's fun, though.
http://www.haydelbakery.com/
He swears it's the best, and they include some chicory coffee with the cake when you order it. I don't have vast experience, but the king cakes I've had generally taste similar to a glazed doughnut with cream cheese. It's fun, though.
#9
Join Date: Jun 2009
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Jent's suggestion is correct! Haydel's Bakery is one of our favorites! Also, Randazzo's (Manny Randazzo) in Metairie has the best dough and is only open during Mardi Gras season. They make only a certain amount every day and sell out.
You can have one shipped now to enjoy ..... It will start getting you excited about your trip! Mardi Gras week, locals line up early at the best bakeries so it will be difficult to get these if you wait until your trip. Also, be thinking about what kind you want. There are plain, cream cheese, praline, lemon, blueberry, apple, etc.
You can have one shipped now to enjoy ..... It will start getting you excited about your trip! Mardi Gras week, locals line up early at the best bakeries so it will be difficult to get these if you wait until your trip. Also, be thinking about what kind you want. There are plain, cream cheese, praline, lemon, blueberry, apple, etc.
#11
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I know about the King cakes but have never tasted one, but it reminded me of a thread on the Europe Forum about the famous Austrian Sacher Torte. Some loved it, but I thought it tasted like chocolate sawdust.
We have a friend that makes the cake and is making one soon for a New Year's celebration for a French Class. Apparently it is customary for New Year's as well as Mardi Gras.
We have a friend that makes the cake and is making one soon for a New Year's celebration for a French Class. Apparently it is customary for New Year's as well as Mardi Gras.
#12
Join Date: Apr 2003
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The traditional king cake found in all of the grocery stores is a yeast dough shaped into a ring, iced with powdered sugar frosting and sprinkled with green, gold and purple sugars. Some cakes may have a filling and all will have a tiny plastic baby in them. I always found the cakes to be dry and highly overrated but something fun to have during Carnival season. I believe a few specialty bakeries do a king cake with puff pastry, but that is definitely not what is eaten in workplaces and schools (usually each Friday during Carnival season). Personally, I prefer a good Danish kringle!
#13
Join Date: Jan 2011
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I really like moist filled King Cakes. Pralines & Cream Cheese are really great. I see where www.BuyLouisiana.com is running a special this week. $23.99 for a Medium shipped anywhere in the lower 48. Had their Praline last year. It was really good.
#15
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There are definitely many differing opinions about King Cakes; the comments section on this is about as funny as the content:
http://www.cakewrecks.com/home/2011/3/7/king-me.html
http://www.cakewrecks.com/home/2011/3/7/king-me.html
#16
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We've had Gambino's and Haydel's and enjoyed both. I prefer the ones that have the fillings to jazz it up a bit. Some that we've ordered came frosted and others came with frosting that we had to put on ourselves along with the colored sugar. The prefrosted ones looked pretty messy when they arrived, but tasted good.
#17
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I grew up eating King Cakes from McKenzie's (no longer around). They were only available during Mardi Season (Jan 6 - Mardi Gras day) and were pretty dreadful. But the ones from Gambinos, Haydel's, and Randazzo's are much, much better.
#18
Consider Sucre's -
http://www.shopsucre.com/sucre-king-cake.html
http://www.shopsucre.com/sucre-king-cake.html