Each year as Mardi Gras season approaches, people start searching for the best King Cake.
Newcomers to the area might wonder what a King Cake is or why it is associated with Mardi Gras. Either way, there are plenty of places where you can satisfy your sweet tooth.
The King Cake's history dates to medieval Europe, where Catholic countries celebrated Epiphany on Jan. 6. The origins of the King Cake we eat locally varies, but most agree that the modern confection was influenced by French and Spanish settlers as well as African, German, Irish and Anglo-Americans.
Regardless of how it came to be, the King Cake we enjoy each Carnival Season is made with a yeasted bread dough that is either cinnamon sugar flavor or filled. Fillings range from cream cheese, Bavarian cream, fruit jam or pecan-praline. The oval or circle "cake" is then enrobed in icing and decorated with green, purple and gold sugar or sprinkles.
Yes, that is a little plastic baby in the box. Do not be alarmed and do not eat it. In our area, the lucky reveler that finds the baby must bring the King Cake to the next celebration. The origins of the baby are also debated but historians believe it began with the Twelfth Night Revelers in the late 19th century in New Orleans. Today, plastic babies are usually placed on top of the King Cake to give the host the option of hiding or not.

King Cakes are not hard to find locally but they are all different. It will take some time to find your favorite bakery, brand and flavor. While you can walk into any local grocery store or big box store and pick one up, you might need to place an order for one from a local bakery but it's worth the wait.

Bakeries:
Fairhope Chocolate
403 Fairhope Ave., Fairhope
(251) 928-7750

Fairhope Chocolate bakers are making King Cakes daily using their brioche dough. Stop in to pick up a slice to enjoy with coffee or take a whole cake home. Flavors are cinnamon sugar or cinnamon sugar and cream cheese. It is recommended that you place an order to guarantee availability.

Warehouse Bakery and Donuts
759 Nichols Ave., Fairhope
(251) 928-7223
Warehouse Bakery won the best King Cake at the 2020 King Cake Off. They bake daily but recommend ordering ahead to guarantee the flavor you would like. They offer plain (cinnamon sugar), plain with cream cheese, blueberry cream cheese, strawberry cream cheese, raspberry cream cheese, German chocolate and pecan cinnamon sugar.

Prices vary from $12 to $40.

Gourmet Goodies
1539 U.S. Highway 98, Suite 302, Daphne
(251) 239-6325
Gourmet Goodies makes large King Cakes in a variety of flavors that include cinnamon, cream cheese, strawberry and praline. Cinnamon is $25 and filled are $30. Call to place an order.

BuzzCatz Coffee and Sweets
25689 Canal Road, Orange Beach
(251) 980-2899
BuzzCatz Coffee and Sweets offers a selection of small King Cakes daily but large are custom order only. Call to place an order in advance. Flavors offered include cream cheese, strawberry, Bavarian cream, cinnamon sugar, Nutella and pecan. Prices vary from $6 for a small cinnamon sugar to $20 for large filled.

A Sweet Secret Bakery and Café

1538 Gulf Shores Parkway, Gulf Shores
(251) 307-2014
A Sweet Secret Bakery and Café recommends calling ahead to pre-order to ensure you secure the flavor you desire because the King Cakes are selling fast. The large King Cake is $25 and comes in cream cheese, strawberry or cinnamon sugar.

A Specialty Bakery
2200 East 2nd St., Suite I, Gulf Shores

(251) 968-2253
A Specialty Bakery is offering King Cakes in two sizes, small $10 and large $20. The shop is baking but they are selling fast so they recommend customer place order 48 hours in advance. The flavors on offer are cinnamon, strawberry, raspberry, cream cheese, Bavarian cream and strawberry cream cheese.

Grocery stores locally selling King Cakes:
Rouses Market
Publix locations
Winn Dixie
Piggly Wiggly
Walmart