Who is the King of Cakes?

Since I was old enough to remember my Dad would order me a Haydel's King Cake so I could bring it to school and throw a Mardi Gras party for my class. I carried this straight into College but I wasn't into sharing then so I would hide it in my room at the Pi Phi house and eat the entire thing myself. Package below.

And to continue with tradition I now order one to wherever I am working and throw a mini Mardi Gras Party complete with beads and cups. It has always been a Haydel's and I love routine so I have never broken from this tradition.

But my Uncle sent us a Randazzo's Christmas Candy Cane Cake and it was quite spectacular. Thank you Uncle Barlow! I ate 80% of that sucker on Christmas Day!

What is your vote? Haydel's vs Randazzo's? Are there others I don't know about yet? Yes..I know all about Gambinos....best Doberge on the planet. Too bad you have to make the cake your birthday present at $69.00!
I'm not totally biased, I would completely inhale a King Cake sold at a Grocery Store down in Nola...sh*t who am I kidding. I would eat one sold to me by a homeless man. But NO CREAM CHEESE OR FILLING. I like mine just good ole' cinnamon.

Here is a quick history of the King Cakes from Randazzo's site:

History of KingCakes

The Mardi Gras or Carnival season officially begins on January 6th or the "Twelfth Night," also known to Christians as the "Epiphany." Epiphany comes from a Greek word that means "to show." Jesus first showed himself to the three wisemen and to the world on this day. As a symbol of this Holy Day, a tiny plastic baby is placed inside each King Cake.

The King Cake tradition is thought to have been brought to New Orleans from France in 1870. A King Cake is an oval-shaped bakery delicacy, crossed between a coffee cake and a French pastry that is as rich in history as it is in flavor. It's decorated in royal colors of PURPLE which signifies "Justice," GREEN for "Faith," and GOLD for "Power." These colors were chosen to resemble a jeweled crown honoring the Wise Men who visited the Christ Child on Epiphany. In the past such things as coins, beans, pecans, or peas were also hidden in each King Cake.

Today, a tiny plastic baby is the common prize. At a party, the King Cake is sliced and served. Each person looks to see if their piece contains the "baby." If so, then that person is named "King" for a day and bound by custom to host the next party and provide the King Cake.

Mardi Gras Day has a moveable date and may occur on any Tuesday from February 3rd to March 9th. It is always the day before Ash Wednesday, and always falls 46 days before Easter.

So who do I order??

http://www.haydelbakery.com/

OR

 

http://www.mannyrandazzo.com/

If you would like my address to ship me one I will gladly provide!

Images here, here, and here