6 New Orleans bakeries that ship king cakes for Mardi Gras
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Manny Randazzo king cakes are popular for shipping and sell out quickly. Photo: Paul Broussard/neworleans.com
Rejoice, y'all! King cake season has finally arrived.
What's happening: New Orleans bakeries are blowing and going this time of year, with people lining up to buy the coveted Mardi Gras pastry.
- Some of the bakeries will ship king cakes to those who aren't blessed enough to live in the land of Carnival.
Be smart: King cakes are sold seasonally between Jan. 6 and Mardi Gras, which is Feb. 13 this year.
- Slots fill up fast, so order early.
Driving the news: Several bakeries changed their policies this year and reduced or stopped shipping for Mardi Gras 2024. These are six that are shipping.
- Manny Randazzo's.
- Caluda's.
- Tartine.
- Haydel's.
- Bittersweet Confections.
- Breads on Oak (vegan king cake).
Goldbelly
Several New Orleans bakeries are using national retailer Goldbelly to ship king cakes.
- Dong Phuong (waitlist only as of Jan. 3).
- Sucre.
- Gambino's.
- Maurice French Pastries.
- Debbie Does Doberge.
DIY shipping
Want to ship a king cake yourself? Here are some pro tips.
- The USPS flat rate box is the way to go. The boxes are free, and the medium flat rate and large flat rate hold most king cakes.
- FedEx has similar options, but you pay based on the destination.
- Put a small plastic or styrofoam cup in the center of your wrapped king cake to prevent it from getting squished in the mail. Add extra padding with bagged air from your Amazon deliveries and toss in some beads for extra pizazz.
- Ship on a Monday or Tuesday for the freshest cakes. USPS takes one to three business days. FedEx takes two, and you can spring for the pricier overnight shipping option.
