I grew up just outside of New Orleans and I can't remember a carnival season going by where we didn't have at least one King Cake in our house. In fact, in elementary school every Friday someone would have to bring a King Cake to class to share. The teacher would start the season with a cake and then the child who got the baby (the little plastic doll inside the cake) would have to bring the cake next week.
If you aren't familiar with King Cakes, they are tasty circle cakes made from French bread and decorated with purple, green and gold-colored sugar. Many are filled with fruit or cream cheese. They are a huge part of the Mardi Gras season in Louisiana.
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While you can get them shipped from some Louisiana bakeries, since I moved to North Carolina I have been searching for places offering these cakes.
Below is a list of local places where you can get a King Cake this carnival season.
La Farm Bakery (Cary) - Their bread is out of this world, so their King Cakes will undoubtedly be tasty!
Papa Mojo's (Durham) - This Cajun restaurant will be selling Gambino's King Cakes, according to our friends over at Durham Mardi Gras. You can order by phone at 919-361-2222. Gambino's is a famous bakery in New Orleans, so they must be getting the cakes shipped in.
Whole Foods (various locations) - Durham Mardi Gras is reporting that you can order King Cakes at this grocery store. The cakes are being prepared in their in-house NOLA bakery and being shipped. A cream-cheese filled cake will run you about $15. You can order the cakes at the bakery counter.
UPDATE: Stick Boy Bread Company (Fuquay-Varina)and Lowes Foods in Knightdale have them!
Balcazar Bakery at 4020 Capital Blvd. in Raleigh has Colombian King Cakes. They are filled with fruit and contain some cream on top. Good, but not like the traditional New Orleans' King Cakes. Much less sugar.
Mardi Gras is March 4 and there are several events happening in the Triangle to help you get into the carnival spirit. Look for a post about that next week.