Ralph’s king cakes are a tasty kickoff to the season

Carnival season officially began Jan. 6, the Feast of the Epiphany, but Louisianans know it’s here when stacks of white rectangular boxes adorned in purple, green and gold appear in local grocery stores. King cakes are back, and most locals will pick up more than one before Ash Wednesday brings the Carnival festivities to a close. Supermarkets and bakeries take Louisiana’s favorite pastry seriously, but few outlets have the same following as Gonzales-based independent grocery store Ralph’s Market.

Founded in 1984, with three locations in the greater Baton Rouge area, Ralph’s has built a large fan base for its homemade king cakes. The store sells an average of 38,000 king cakes every year, topping out at 50,000 in 2010 when the Saints won Super Bowl XLIV. Click here to find out more about Ralph’s unique king cakes. —Maggie Heyn Richardson