
Courtesy of Molly's Rise and Shine
Molly’s Rise and Shine’s Meyer Lemon Pistachio King Cake
Some might call it a sin to depart from the traditional king cake recipes—the delicious cinnamon, brioche, cream cheese delights that they are. But the truth is that Mardi Gras has always been for the rule-breakers. Some unconventional approaches to the Carnival cake have caught our eye this year, such as Molly’s Rise and Shine’s Meyer Lemon Pistachio confection, filled with lemon mascarpone and topped with cream cheese frosting, lemon zest, and pistachio “puppy chow” made of white chocolate Chex and chow mein noodles. Instead of a baby fève, these babies hold plastic dinosaurs.

Courtesy of Twins
Boudin King Cake from Twins in Lafayette

Courtesy of City Pork
City Pork's Boudin King Cake
And then, of course, there’s the savory king cakes. Call up your favorite local butcher’s shop, and chances are they’ve got one—though some standouts include Lilah’s in Shreveport, City Pork’s in Baton Rouge, and Twins in Lafayette. There’s also Cavan’s crawfish and goat cheese king cake, or—a classic—Rock’n’Sake’s sushi king cake (my personal plan for Valentine’s dinner, in case anyone was wondering).
What are your favorite unconventional king cakes? Send submissions to editorial@countryroadsmag.com for a chance to see them featured on our social media.
More interested in a classic approach? Over the years, we've covered those too—read this roundup of some of the region's most popular classic king cakes, or this essay by publisher James Fox-Smith, describing that year he decided to try every king cake he could get his hands on. Or, try to whip up your own Dong Phuong style delicacy with Murmurs of Ricotta's recipe!