Twelfth Night King Cakes
Twelfth Night, Epiphany, Three Kings Day, the night before January 6, and 12 days after Christmas.
In some traditions, it marks the day that John the Baptist baptized Jesus. Other traditions, it is the day that the Three Wise Men, after traveling for 12 days, visited the infant Jesus and bestowed upon him gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. In secular tradition, Twelfth Night signifies the ending of Christmas and the official commencement of wintertime.
Decorations are taken down and stowed away as the reality of cold months ahead seeps in. In England, under the ruling of Queen Elizabeth I, Twelfth Night meant the beginnings of a debaucherous eight-day festival. A special Twelfth Night cake was presented, composed of yeast and enhanced with ale and dried fruits. Inside of the Twelfth Night cake, a bean was hidden, and those who discovered it were made queen or king for the day. Feasting and festivities ensued.
For New Orleanians, Twelfth Night symbolizes a reveling anew—a celebration. Carnival season is upon us. Consumed only during Carnival season is a highly-anticipated, indulgent treat—the king cake.
Similar to a European pastry, a king cake is circular in shape, densely covered in icing. Traditional King Cakes are generally without filling and topped with granulated sugar colored purple, green, and gold to represent Mardi Gras. But popular non-traditional assortments are enhanced with flavorful toppings and oftentimes filled with cream cheese, a variety of fruity or other flavored fillings, and could even not be sweet at all.
A wide array of finger-licking king cakes are available during Carnival season. Here are a few non-traditional variations one can find in the Greater New Orleans area. Laissez les bons temps rouler.
Breads on Oak
222 Carondelet St., 504-841-9432, breadsonoak.com
We all have that one vegan friend and know that it's harder for them to find something that fits with their dietary restrictions. Fortunately, Breads on Oak exists. Their vegan-version of a classic King Cake is void of any animal products without sacrificing quality or flavor.
Their Bavarian King Cake is an absolute hit and is topped with a cinnamon icing derived from maple syrup. Even their sprinkles are plant-based. How do they manage to pull off this feat? No one knows. But you will have no room for debate when you're inhaling their delectable treats by the mouthful.
Brennan's
417 Royal St., 504-525-9711, brennansneworleans.com
Brennan's harnessed the passion, skill, and expertise acquired after over 75 years of New Orleans fine dining experience into curating three distinct king cakes, all handcrafted with a proprietary Brioche dough recipe. Their Traditional (purple, green, and gold) is fantastic, but the Pink Parade, filled with whipped cream cheese and Johnsdale Farm's Ponchatoula strawberry filling, is great as well.
By far the signature favorite is their Bananas Foster King Cake. The only thing better than having your cake is eating it too, and having one classic NOLA dessert representing another NOLA favorite sweet is the best of both worlds.
Bywater Bakery
3624 Dauphine St., 504-336-3336, bywaterbakery.com
No stranger to New Orleanians, Bywater Bakery's classic King Cakes are a Carnival staple and can be found at King Cake Hub; however, it's their sweet and savory options that will assuredly leave your head spinning whilst reaching for your debit card. Spinach and artichoke, boudin, crawfish, brownie bomb, and vegan Bourbon cinnamon are just a few of the selections available for you to peruse over.
Their boudin and crawfish king cakes are composed of a house-made bread and stuffed with your ingredient of choice before being glazed over with garlic butter and topped with Parmesan cheese. If you're not foaming at the mouth by now like a rabid animal, you're probably dead inside.
Coffee Science
Multiple Locations, coffeesciencenola.com
A coffee shop making a dent in the king cake space? In this economy? Coffee Science is hidden in plain sight on Broad Street but those who know of it know it well and are most likely dedicated customers. As if hosting a weekly farmers market, offering locally-grown farm to table groceries, natural wines, and some of the best coffee money can buy in New Orleans wasn't enough,
Tom Oliver and staff have taken a stab at king cake creation. Their Chocolate Espresso and Venetian Creme King Cakes are a smash and are available for purchase by the slice to pair with your caffeinated beverage.
Maurice French Pastries
3501 Hessmer Ave., Metairie, 504-885-1526, mauricefrenchpastries.com
Hailing from the French Alps, Chef Jean-Luc Albin has made quite the name for himself. His king cakes are equally mouth watering as they are appealing to the eye. They range from traditional to fillings of blueberry, Bavarian cream, guava, chantilly cream, and chocolate pecan, as well as a puffy French King Cake oozing with a rum flavored frangipane.
After years spent traveling the world honing his skills, the Greater New Orleans area is lucky to welcome him home. The best way to show your appreciation is via your stomach. Once visited, you'll want to devour everything Maurice French Pastries has to offer.
Rock N Sake
2913 Metairie Rd., Metairie, 504-267-9761, rocknsake.com
This popular Japanese restaurant's Sushi King Cake is the go-to move if you're showing up to a Mardi Gras party and wish to be remembered as a hero. Fresh salmon, snow crab, yellowtail, spicy tuna, and much more packed with rice, stuffed with cream cheese and topped with everything from Sriracha to chili-sesame oil, lemon zest, and wasabi tobiko. If you're afraid of commitment, be cautious. Any cancellations attempted outside of the 72-hour pick up window will result in a full charge, so if you're doing it, go all in.
Get on one knee and devote yourself to this one-of-a-kind Carnival creation that, let's be honest, is probably a little out of your league. Remember, not all heroes wear capes; some of them show up with Sushi King Cake.
