6 King Cakes

and you know what that means—king cakes! For our friends who may not be familiar with carnival, or Mardi Gras, it is a series of celebrations leading up to the Lenten season in the Roman Catholic church., have even been turning out classic king cakes for more than 100 years. also taps into tradition with their frangipane filling, a dense almond paste. Then there’s relative newcomer , turning out their interpretations like the berry-filled Chantilly. also has an incredible selection of flavors for you to choose from. The family at , famous for their recipe, ships cakes worldwide so everyone can get a taste. And in Virginia might be geographically disconnected from the carnival action, but the owner’s Louisiana roots make his adaptation a must-try. With so many to choose from, we set out to determine who does it best, and we narrowed our list down to these amazing options. Each bakery has its own unique take on the classic recipe, and their cakes are delicious in their own right. Still not convinced? Order a king cake for yourself and see why they’ve become synonymous with the season.