Readers posted suggestions for Baton Rouge’s best king cake on The Daily Reveille’s Facebook page, and I took those suggestions to journey across the city to find a dessert fit for a king. While all five royal treats were delicious, only one takes the cake.
#1. Gambino’s Bakery, 5778 Essen Lane
Cost: $11.90
This royal pastry is soft and doughy, with a texture similar to a warm croissant. Thick icing was generously spread atop the cake along with fine granules of tricolor sugar crystals. The cinnamon-sugar flavor struck the perfect balance — prevalent, but not overwhelming. It toned down the sweetness of the icing and didn’t cause a sugar-induced coma. And it’s a steal — Gambino’s had the largest cake on this list with a price tag comparable to that of smaller cakes.
#2. Thee Heavenly Donut, 17732 Highland Road
Cost: $22.99
The twisted tubes of donuts under a confectioner’s sugar glaze and pastel sprinkles tasted of pure happiness. Although this cake is lick-your-plate-in-public delicious, it costs more than 20 big ones. It was also the farthest location from campus and had the earliest afternoon closing time.
#3. Baum’s Fine Pastries and Chocolates, 10550 Perkins Road
Cost: $11.99
More like a sweet bread than a cake, this confection was sparingly drizzled with a thin glaze and sugar crystals. The cake wasn’t drowning in icing like many of its fellow Mardi Gras pastries, but the bread itself has an unexpected sweetness. The inside of the pastry was coated with a syrupy cinnamon spread.
#4. The Ambrosia Bakery, 8546 Siegen Lane
Cost: $4.25 (for a mini size)
This Carnival treat pales in comparison to various other desserts I’ve tasted from the renowned Baton Rouge bakery. The icing had a strong taste of confectioner’s sugar and was slightly gooey. Ambrosia was one of the few bakeries in the area to offer a mini-size king cake, which results in both a lower price and less overeating and subsequent self-loathing. The mini was less than $5 and a more reasonable size to feed four people rather than 12.
#5. Calandro’s Supermarket, 12732 Perkins Road
Cost: $11.99
Instead of a glaze, this cake was topped with a thick frosting that had a hint of cream cheese. The frosting countered the flavor of the cake, which was not sweet and tasted strongly of cinnamon. The dough was filled with air pockets that created hollow spaces inside. The cake was still tasty, but it didn’t quite measure up to its competitors.
 
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Contact Haylie Navarre at [email protected]