Mardi Gras is this Tuesday, February 17, and many celebrate by biting into a king cake. Traditional king cakes are shaped in a ring with icing or sugar in the Mardi Gras colors of green, gold, and purple.
The cakes contain a lucky trinket — usually a small baby — which some say represents the baby Jesus. The person who finds the baby in their slice is said to be the lucky king or queen — and is charged with hosting next year’s celebration.
So, if you found the baby last year, it’s time to place your king cake order. We’ve rounded up a few local options where you can buy the festive Fat Tuesday treat.
Amphora Bakery
Amphora’s king cake is filled with velvety cream cheese and decorated in classic Mardi Gras colors, with the baby hidden inside. It’s also topped with colorful beads and a festive mask. The cake is available in a 10- and 12-inch size and runs $41.95 or $56.95, respectively. 294 Sunset Park Dr., Herndon
Bayou Bakery Coffee Bar & Eatery
Bayou crafts its king cake as a cinnamon danish stuffed with creole cream cheese and a hint of lemon. It’s topped with fluffy white icing and tri-colored sugar and includes beads and a plastic baby. The cake is $50 and serves 14 to 16. The bakery also offers other sweet New Orleans treats like beignets and pralines. 1515 N. Courthouse Rd., Ste. 100, Arlington
Dauphine’s
Dauphine’s “Birthday Cake Funfetti,” in collaboration with local artist Julia Hurst, pays tribute to this year’s theme: “Birds of a Feather.” The bakery also serves classic and miniature sized king cakes. Mini cakes are $25 and serve four to 10; large cakes run $55 and serve 15 to 20. 1100 15th St. NW, Washington, DC
Heidelberg Pastry Shoppe
Heidelberg fashions its king cake (available through April 30) out of yeast dough and adds diced fruits, raisins, and nuts. It’s covered with fondant icing and decorated with green, purple, and yellow sugar sprinkles, with a plastic baby inside. The cake serves six to eight and is $14.95. 2150 N. Culpeper St., Arlington
Nalls Produce & Garden Center
If you’d like to try decorating your own king cake this year, Alexandria’s Nalls Produce & Garden Center is selling pre-make kits for $25. The kits include a 7-inch locally baked braided cinnamon cake, frosting, three colors of sugar, and the Mardi Gras baby. The kits will be available for pick up on February 17. 7310 Beulah St., Alexandria
Voodoo Brothers Cajun Creole
Voodoo Brothers offers traditional, cinnamon-flavored king cakes with a baby for $30 each. They are also offering king cake beignets that are topped with cream cheese icing and purple, gold, and green sugar. They come with four per order for $10. 9112 Center St., Manassas
Feature image courtesy farhwasser/stock.adobe.com
