Whether tied to religious traditions or just to have a little fun with pastry, some people like to start the new year with a sweet, cinnamon-rolled pastry called king cake.
The trick, though, is to find a place in Massachusetts that sells them.
The brioche cake traditionally hides a secret good luck charm — a baby figurine symbolizing the king.
Whoever gets the slice of cake with the baby in it is believed to have good luck and prosperity. They are also responsible for buying next week’s cake or hosting the next Mardi Gras party.
According to Eater, in Catholic tradition the king cake is eaten on Jan. 6 in honor of Epiphany which marks the arrival of three wise men in Bethlehem who delivered gifts for baby Jesus.
However, these cakes have become engrained as a fun, festive addition to Mardi Gras and are also eaten throughout Carnival season, which runs from Jan. 6 until Fat Tuesday — the day before Lent begins.
This year, Mardi Gras falls on March 4.
King cakes are popular and easy to find in Louisiana and other parts of the Gulf Coast, given that the tradition was brought to the U.S. in the late 1800s by French settlers in New Orleans, according to Southern Living.
But king cakes are significantly more challenging to find in the Northeast.
MassLive searched high and low throughout the state to find bakeries and stores offering the colorful creation. Here are the ones we found. If we missed any, email Dallas Gagnon at dgagnon@masslive.com.
Central Mass.
European Bakery in Worcester offers king cakes with almonds, cinnamon and roasted pecans through Fat Tuesday.European Bakery
Located at 29 Millbury St., Worcester, European Bakery & Pastry will be offering king cakes through Fat Tuesday — March 4.
European Bakery & Pastry king cakes feature a traditional brioche dough, cinnamon sugar, “Copious Amounts of Butter,” and toasted pecans.
It costs $18.99.
Hours:
Tuesday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Saturday, 8 a.m – 4 p.m.
NOLA Cajun Kitchen is offering whole king cakes for $43 at both of its locations: West Boylston and Shrewsbury.NOLA
NOLA Cajun Kitchen, West Boylston and Shrewsbury
NOLA Cajun Kitchen is offering whole king cakes while supplies last at both its West Boylston and Shrewsbury locations.
For $43, guests can grab a Gambino Praline king cake from NOLA Cajun Kitchen ordered directly from New Orleans.
Hours:
Shrewsbury
Monday, Wednesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Sunday, 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.
West Boylston
Monday through Saturday, 11:30 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Western Mass.
King cakes, GOMBO Nola Kitchen & Oyster Bar is offering King Cakes through Fat Tuesday. GOMBO
Cajun and Creole Restaurant, GOMBO Nola Kitchen & Oyster Bar located at 159 Main St. in Northampton is offering king cake by the slice or whole cakes for special order.
For those who choose to dine-in and get a slice of king cake after a meal, you can take your chances on getting that meal for free if you find the baby in your slice.
For those who want to bring some home, you can place your order for a whole cake by reaching out to nyah@gumbo-oyster.com or by phone at 413-341-3533.
A slice from the dessert menu is $7 and whole cakes are $70 each or two for $120.
Guests are asked to place their orders for whole cakes 48 hours in advance as everything is made from scratch.
Hours:
Wednesday through Saturday, 4 p.m. – 9 p.m.
Sunday, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
Wells Provisions, a market and café nestled in the Berkshires brings a little “New Orleans funk to the hill(s).”
Wells Provision king cakes are stuffed with traditional brown sugar and cinnamon filling and topped with maple cream cheese frosting.
Located at 159 Main St., the market is offering whole king cakes for sale at $32 a cake.
However, there are a limited number of whole cakes and customers are asked to pre-order them for pick up via email at wellsprovisions@gmail.com.
Pickup is available during their popup event Saturday, Feb. 8, between 8:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.
King cake from Randall’s Farm in Ludlow, Mass.Nicole Simmons/MassLive
Randall’s Farm, located 631 Center St., Ludlow, makes its own king cakes in celebration of Carnival season.
Randall’s will offer king cakes starting late February, closer to Fat Tuesday.
Guests can call 413-589-7071 and ask for the bakery to see if king cakes are yet offered.
Hours:
Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. – 8 p.m.
Saturday through Sunday, 7 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Eastern Mass.
The Blue Frog Bakery in Jamaica Plain offers king cakes for sale starting Feb. 25.The Blue Frog Bakery
The Blue Frog Bakery, Jamaica Plain
This nearly 20 years, The Blue Frog Bakery has offered king cakes stuffed with cinnamon-sugar (and babies) in time for Mardi Gras.
Located at 3 Green St., Jamaica Plain, The Blue Frog will once again offer king cakes, starting Feb. 25. They are $40 each.
Guests are recommended to pre-order, though the bakery will sometimes have a few extra available for walk-ins.
Hours:
Tuesday through Thursday, 7:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Friday through Saturday, 7:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Statewide
Grocery store chain Wegmans offers king cakes in the bakery section of its stores closer to Fat Tuesday — March 4.
The chain usually gets king cakes a few weeks before Mardi Gras, in late February, an employee confirmed with MassLive.
Customers can call one of Wegmans’ five Massachusetts locations to confirm when king cakes are being offered for the 2025 season.
Can’t make it to the bakery? Order one and have it shipped directly from Louisiana
If you want to participate in the king cake tradition but don’t have time to swing by a bakery, you can always have one shipped and delivered directly to you.
Joe Gambino’s Bakery in New Orleans has built a reputation over the last 75 years as a world-famous bakery offering traditional king cakes and more.
You can order directly from New Orleans in packs of one, two, three or six online at Gambino’s.com.
They range in price from a single traditional cake at $26 each, to ones with fillings costing up to $37 each.
Filling options include cream cheese, Bavarian cream, pecan praline, strawberry, apple, praline and cream cheese, strawberry cream cheese, chocolate cream and almond.
You could also try your hand at making your own.
