Happy Mardi Gras: Here are 11 places to get a King Cake in Memphis
Jennifer ChandlerLaissez les bon temps rouler !
Mardi Gras season is underway … and that means King Cakes are here.
For those who might not be familiar with King Cakes, a sweet danish dough filled with cinnamon sugar, cream cheese or fruit filling is covered with vanilla icing and decorated with the Mardi Gras colors of purple, green and gold. The person who gets the slice with the plastic baby inside becomes “king” for the day and is bound by custom to host the next party and provide the King Cake.
It’s a fun and tasty tradition that can be enjoyed, not just in New Orleans, but across the country.
It used to be you had to make your own King Cake or order one from New Orleans, but now many Memphis bakeries are making this Mardi Gras treat.
Here are 11 places in Memphis to find a King Cake before Mardi Gras ends on Feb. 25.
Sweet LaLa’s Bakery
6150 Poplar Ave.; (901) 654-3646; sweetlalas.com
Sweet LaLa’s Bakery makes King Cakes for special orders. “We think what makes ours the best is our risen dough and made-from-scratch cream cheese and cinnamon filling,” owner Lauren Young said. These King Cakes are approximately 10 inches and feed 15 to 20. The cost is $24. Orders should be placed at least 48 hours in advance.
La Baguette
3088 Poplar Ave.; (901) 458-0900; labaguettememphis.com
French bakery La Baguette has been making King Cakes for decades. The 12-inch King Cakes are made from danish dough and are cinnamon cream cheese flavored. You should allow two days for special orders. The cost is $23.49, which includes tax.
Prima’s Bakery and Boutique
523 S. Main St.; (901) 352-4193; primasbakeryandboutique.com
Prima’s Bakery and Boutique in Downtown Memphis makes a 10-inch cinnamon cream cheese King Cake for special orders. The cost is $25. Rachel Mullen, who runs the bakery, will also be making Mardi Gras-themed French macaron cookies this year. A box of 12 comes with half King Cake macarons and half Bananas Foster macarons. The cost for the box is $24.
LadyBugg Bakery
39 W. Commerce St., Hernando; (662) 449-7000; ladybuggbakery.com
Each King Cake at LadyBugg Bakery is made from scratch using cinnamon roll dough. Choose from cinnamon, cream cheese, strawberry or strawberry cream cheese filling. “We try to have a few in the case every day during Mardi Gras season,” owner Heather Ries said. “But they go very fast, so special orders are recommended.” Choose from two sizes: small (10-inch) for $20 or large (14-inch) for $35.
Lucy J’s Bakery
1350 Concourse Ave.; (901) 257-9206; lucyjbakery.com
Lucy J’s Bakery in Crosstown Concourse is making King Cakes in both cinnamon pecan and cream cheese flavors. The large (10-inch) King Cake is a special order item and costs $30. It feeds 15 to 20. They request 48 hours notice for special order items. They will also offer a mini individual-sized King Cake in their bakery cases for $8 each.
Kay Bakery
667 Avon Road; (901) 767-0780
King Cakes at Kay Bakery are only available in the traditional cinnamon flavor. A special order item, this King Cake feeds 10 to 15. The cost is $12.50.
City & State
2625 Broad Ave.; (901) 249-2406; cityandstate.us
City & State coffee shop is selling individual King Cakes. These cute little treats come in two flavors. A traditionally decorated King Cake comes in a cinnamon sugar flavor. A Memphis-themed version is filled with a peanut butter, banana and bacon filling. This “Elvis” king cake is covered in white icing and topped with gold and silver sprinkles and a cute pair of mini sunglasses. Each version costs $5.
Gibson’s Donuts
760 Mt. Moriah Road; (901) 682-8200
Gibson’s owner Don DeWeese credits their popular King Cake doughnuts to his son Britton. Britton makes these specialty doughnuts from the shop’s cinnamon roll dough. They will start appearing in the shop case about a week before Fat Tuesday (Feb. 25). They are also available by special order.
Thomas Meat & Seafood Market
642 W. Poplar Ave., Collierville; (901) 221-8584; thomasmeatandseafoods.com
Thomas Meat & Seafood Market does not make King Cakes, but they do order them from the world-famous Gambino’s Bakery in New Orleans. They try to keep two flavors in stock during Mardi Gras season. Choose from praline or cream cheese. The cost is $24.99.
Kroger
Multiple locations; kroger.com
At Kroger, you can find King Cakes from Gambino’s Bakery in New Orleans. The Union Avenue store plans on shipping in anywhere from 60 to 100 King Cakes each week until Mardi Gras. Available in assorted flavors, each King Cake feeds 13. If Gambino’s runs out close to Fat Tuesday (something that occasionally happens), Kroger plans to make its own. To reserve a King Cake, call the store bakery. The cost is $10.99.
Whole Foods Market
5014 Poplar Ave.; (901) 969-4368; wholefoodsmarket.com
Whole Foods in East Memphis has three different flavors of King Cakes available. Choose from cinnamon, cream cheese or berry chantilly. The cost is $14.99.
Jennifer Chandler is the Food & Dining reporter at The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at jennifer.chandler@commercialappeal.com and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @cookwjennifer.