Mardi Gras season is here, and it brings out both the faithful and the hedonists for its carnival atmosphere. Beginning on January 6, the feast of the epiphany, and ending with Fat Tuesday on February 17, it’s a time of celebration and feasting before Lent begins.
Whether you celebrate Mardi Gras for religious reasons, or just for the fun of it, it’s a time to indulge in good food and drink. Much of the celebration revolves around the colorful king cake. While it is typically served on Twelfth Night, with a hidden plastic baby inside, many people, primarily in the southern United States, serve it at parties leading up to Fat Tuesday. The hidden baby represents the Christ child, and whoever is lucky enough to find it in their slice is crowned King or Queen of the Mardi Gras.
Colorful king cakes pop up all over Houston this time of year, alongside more traditional French galette de rois. Whichever you pick, it’s guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser.
Etoile Bar et Cuisine
Chef Philippe Verpiand’s French restaurant makes Old World king cakes in the style of galette de rois. The puff pastry is filled with buttery almond cream and is cooked to a beautiful, golden brown. Whole cakes, large enough for six to eight, are available to preorder for $44 through Saturday, January 31. As a bonus, the Uptown restaurant is serving it by the slice with Tahitian vanilla ice cream for $12. 1101-11 Uptown Park Blvd., Houston, etoilecuisine.com
Rao’s Bakery
This time-honored Houston bakery and cafe was established in 1941, and it is known to sell its Mardi Gras cakes year-round. The standard 12-inch cinnamon cream cheese is $27, while berry varieties are $31 each, and the coconut Voodoo is $35. For a smaller portion, find individual sized cakes for $10 each. 6915 Cypresswood Dr., Houston, raosbakery.com
Moeller’s Bakery
Since 1930, this family-owned bakery has been serving sweet baked goods to Houstonians. For Mardi Gras, its king cake comes in a small size for $45, and large for $64, with fillings like raspberry or cream cheese available at an additional cost. There are also decorated cookies for $6 each, or $68 for a dozen, and fleur de lis cupcakes for $3 each. 4201 Bellaire Blvd., Houston, moellersbakery.com
Common Bond
From mini king cakes to DIY cake kits, customers will find a number of options to celebrate the festive season at Common Bond. This is the sixth year of Common Bond’s donation campaign for Sky High for Kids, an organization that helps pediatric cancer patients at Texas Children’s Hospital. $5 from every full-sized king cake, and $0.50 from every mini cake sold will be donated to the cause. Cakes and kits can be ordered through Saturday, February 14 with 72 hours notice for pickup at any of the five bistro locations or the On-The-Go at Marq’E, while mini king cakes and king cake lattes are available in-store through Tuesday, February 17. Multiple locations, commonbondcafe.com
Kenny & Ziggy’s
A New York-style delicatessen may seem like an unusual place to get a king cake, but Kenny & Ziggy’s always knows how to be part of the celebration. Its King David cake celebrates the fact that the first King of Rex at New Orleans’ Mardi Gras, Louis Soloman, was Jewish. The $38 cake is a Danish pastry filled with cinnamon and cream cheese, and topped with blue and white icing. It’s available to order through Tuesday, February 17, with 48 hours advance notice. 1743 Post Oak Blvd., Houston, kennyandziggys.com
Great Harvest Bread Katy
Part of a national franchise, this Katy bakery serves king cakes that resemble yeasty cinnamon rolls, including mini rolls for $6 to $8. Larger cakes come in various in-store flavors, or can be ordered online for pickup or delivery, with options like cinnamon twist for $25, blueberry cream cheese for $32, and white chocolate praline for $36. 1623 S. Fry Rd., Katy, greatharvest.com/locations/katytx
French Gourmet Bakery
At French Gourmet Bakery, customers have the option of a 12-inch galette de rois for $60, or a 10-inch New Orleans king cake for $45. The NOLA version is available with almond, cinnamon, or cream cheese filling. Whole cakes require 24 to 48 hour advance ordering, but on the weekends, the shop sells individual king cake rolls for $5. 2250 Westheimer Rd., Houston, fgbakery.com
Dessert Gallery
With locations at Upper Kirby and in The Woodlands, this locally owned bakery offers several delicious king cake options. The 8-inch cinnamon swirl is $25, made with Danish dough, icing, and classic colored sugars; while the praline version is $27, finished with a pecan praline crunch—and both come with plastic babies for hiding. The bakery also sells decorative Mardi Gras cookies for $6 each. Cakes can be ordered online, and national shipping is available through Goldbelly. Multiple locations, dessertgallery.com
Kolache Shoppe
Texans love their kolaches, and this bakery gets into the Mardi Gras spirit by swapping the fruit filling for cinnamon cream cheese and pecans, creating a king cake-inspired treat. The special themed kolaches are drizzled with an almond-vanilla glaze and topped with colored sugar. King cake kolaches are available for $3 each at Kolache Shoppe’s Greenway location, Thursday through Saturday; and at its other three locations, Friday through Sunday, through Sunday, February 1. Multiple locations, kolacheshoppe.com
Three Brothers Bakery
This trusted Houston bakery has several locations slinging reasonably-priced king cakes. Flavors include cinnamon for $20, cream cheese-filled for $30, and pecan praline for $30—each with a plastic baby. There’s an indulgent cheesecake variety for $65, which uses king cake dough as its base. Along with cakes, Three Brothers offers petit fours decorated with fleur de lis and Mardi Gras colors. Themed cakes and cookies are available through Tuesday, February 17, either in-store or by online preorder. Multiple locations, 3brothersbakery.com
Memorial Bakery
Along with a traditional king cake for $20 and a filled version for $30, this bakery is slinging Mardi Gras cookies for $28 per dozen and cupcakes decorated in green, purple, and gold for $24 per half dozen. Customers can pre-order online, and cakes and cookies are available in-store, too. 9415 Katy Fwy., Houston, memorialbakery.com
Red Dessert Dive
Red Dessert Dive is offering a brioche king cake filled with a cinnamon cream cheese swirl for $28, large enough for six to eight to share. Cakes are available to order online through Sunday, February 15 for pickup at its Heights location only. 2214 W. 34th St., Houston, reddessertdive.com
Crescent City Sweets
This small Webster shop makes a limited number of king cakes, so availability depends on what’s freshly baked. Preorders can be placed by messaging the owner, or customers can stop by to see what’s in stock. The flavors are inventive and delicious, ranging from Boston cream, Bavarian, and pecan praline to a savory boudin-stuffed version for $50. The medium traditional king cake is $35, filled versions are $40, and prices vary by variety. 3126 FM 528 Rd., Webster, facebook.com/CrescentCityConnectionTX/
Josephine’s
Josephine’s is offering an in-house crafted king cake, available for dine-in or to-go. Priced at $28 and serving four, each cake features the classic hidden baby and a luscious strawberry jam and cream cheese filling. Pre-orders require 48 hours’ notice and can be placed by phone or email. 318 Gray St., Houston, josephinesgulfcoasttradition.com
Gulf Coast Bread Pudding
There are few things as Southern as bread pudding. Mixed with king cake flavors, this is even more so. This shop specializes in the delectable dessert and for a limited time, it’s offering a king cake bread pudding by the half pan for $20, and full pan for $38, made with cinnamon brioche bread, cinnamon custard, and topped with cream cheese frosting and colored sugar. Pans are available to order online for pickup or third party delivery, but customers can also drop by to enjoy a single serving with a cup of hot coffee or sweet tea. 17001 FM 529, Houston, gcbreadpudding.com
