From Gonzales to Central, news of breweries and distilleries coming to the Baton Rouge area have been filing headlines the past couple of months. The details of leasings, permits, construction and branding have filled our computer screens, with businesses getting a move on and making roots here in the Red Stick.
All that activity made us wonder—what will the original distilleries and breweries do to stand out? As it turns out, Baton Rouge’s Cane Land Distilling Company has already got it covered.
While the distillery is already known for several varieties of rum, late last year Cane Land came out with a line of packaged food products including a Praline Rum Cake and Spiced Rum Pecans. Yvette Bonanno-Tharp, currently known as the “director of everything delicious” at Cane Land Distilling Company, led the project.
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A restaurant and catering company owner herself, Bonanno-Tharp began the project about a year before the product’s debut. The team spent a lot of time testing different flavors and ingredients for the cakes before arriving on praline rum to complement the company’s spirits—as well as show off some Louisiana pride.
“We ended up deciding on praline to give a nod to Louisiana,” Bonanno-Tharp says. “There is also no other praline-flavored rum cake on the market.”
The unique and rich flavors in both the cakes and pecans shine through in every single bite. Diving into the cake, you can immediately taste Cane Land’s Dark Rum in the bake itself and in the syrup topping. The sweetness of the praline both balances and complements the intensity of the rum, creating a decadent combination.
The Spiced Rum Pecans are equally satisfying, made with pecans from Bergeron’s Pecan Shelling Company in New Roads and Cane Land’s own Spiced Rum. They are comfortably sweet and also provide a spicy kick.
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Almost immediately upon releasing the items, the Cane Land team realized the success they had found. The cakes and pecans flew off the shelves, to the point that Bonnano-Tharp and her team could not keep up. To add to the hype, the national Mardi Gras Ball in Washington, D.C., became interested in the products, buying the entire inventory of cakes available. Now, the items are found in 123 stores around Baton Rouge, New Orleans and parts of Mississippi and Alabama.
Approaching the upcoming holiday season, Bonnano-Tharp says her team is ready. Both the cakes and pecans are perfect editions to any gathering, and Cane Land will be introducing a larger size of the cakes for larger parties and events.
You can purchase Cane Land’s Praline Rum Cake and Spiced Rum Pecans at Cane Land Distillery Company, 760 St. Philip St. You can also check local grocery stores and specialty liquor stores around Baton Rouge or go to rumyum.co for a full list.