Mardi Gras pro-tip: If you’re looking for a new king cake to try, you can’t go wrong with one made by hometown bakers in one of Acadiana’s locally-owned neighborhood markets.
I’d been hearing for awhile that the king cake at Millside Market in New Iberia was worth a drive, and as I saw people circling their well-stocked shelves, I understood why. Filling options like cookies and cream, apple caramel, amaretto, Reese’s, fig, strawberry and a classic cinnamon all caught my eye, and I eventually decided to go with raspberry lemon (I’m a fool for fruit fillings.)
Prices are solidly reasonable, and range from $7.99 for a mini strawberry filled cake, to $22.99 for a 1 pound king cake with fig and walnut. The final judgement lies in what’s going on through all those layers of icing, sugar crystals, braided brioche and fillings — and this king cake passed the flavor, texture and moisture test with flying colors.
I loved that the sugar crystals are dusted over the top with a light hand, letting the rich creaminess of the icing shine through. The brioche was sturdy yet not at all dry, with a citrus-y flavor that complemented the fruit filling perfectly. I could tell a lot of thought had gone into the way the lemon was not overbearing, but quietly highlighted the tangy and sweet raspberry jam that spilled out around the side of the cake…