King cake from McEntyre’s Bakery

A king cake decorated in purple, gold and green is a must for any Mardi Gras celebration. Ryan and Steve McEntyre (generations three and four in a family of bakers) began baking king cakes when Hurricane Katrina blew New Orleans natives into the area. Ryan researched recipes, and created what he calls an Atlanta-style king cake, available with a choice of two fillings — cinnamon-pecan or cherry cream cheese-pecan. And, instead of sprinkling the cake with colored sugar, the bakery drizzles it with colored icing. “We created something that looks like a party, and tastes really good,” he said. The pillow-soft cake is wrapped around your chosen filling, and baked into a big oval that would make an impressive centerpiece for any party. The cakes come with the traditional “baby.” Make sure you provide the person who finds the baby with the address of McEntyre’s, so they can serve a McEntyre’s king cake when they host next year’s Mardi Gras party.

$32.99 per cake, serving 15-20 people. Available at McEntyre’s Bakery, 1184 Concord Road SE, Smyrna, or inside CrossRoads Gallery, 8774 Dallas Acworth Highway, Dallas. Delivery also is available. Call 770-4343115 at least 24 hours in advance to place an order and to discuss delivery. The bakery is closed Sundays and Mondays, so order by 5 p.m. on the Saturday before, for a Tuesday pickup or delivery. atlantakingcakes.com.

King cake from McEntyre’s Bakery.