Jan 8, 2024 - Food and Drink

Antoine's makes a great New Orleans king cake

Chelsea Brasted

A slice of king cake sits on a small dessert plate with the baby tucked into the top. Behind the cake plate is a yellow box with the rest of the king cake. The box has a knife perched on top, and the box says Antoine's: Home of the Queen Cake. — With an Antoine's king cake, you've got the stick the baby in yourself. Photo: Chelsea Brasted/Axios

Kings Day 2024 has finally arrived in New Orleans, and that means the start of Carnival, and the start of king cake season.

Why it matters: King cakes are the tastiest part of New Orleans' Mardi Gras tradition, and we're revisiting favorites and checking out new cakes once a week all season long.

The king cake I get from Antoine's is filled with cream cheese, partly because it guarantees an always-moist cake, and partly because the wait on Kings Day morning is over an hour long for the standard traditional.

It costs $29.47 (not including tax) for medium-sized filled, and you've got to stick the baby in yourself.

The flavor is vaguely lemony, laced with cinnamon and tastes like weekends without agenda or responsibility.

The bottom line: Antoine's makes the cake your mom buys when you got the baby, and now you need to bring one for the whole class.

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Antoine's makes a great New Orleans king cake

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