King Cakes rule Mardi Gras.
Before Lent Begins, Chef David Guas is sure to be knee-deep in gold, green, and purple sugar—the colors of power, faith, and justice—in the Arlington kitchen of Bayou Bakery, where he creates the sweet treat that signals Mardi Gras, coming this year on Feb. 21.
A New Orleans native, Guas, author of DamGoodSweet: Desserts to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth, New Orleans Style (Taunton Press, 2009), began making King Cakes long before he opened his NoVa bakery in 2010.
Guided by the secrets he learned in his Aunt Boo’s kitchen, Guas’ King Cakes are filled with creole cream cheese, dusted with cinnamon and sugar, and frosted with vanilla- or lemon-infused white icing, before they’re sprinkled with plenty of colored sugar. The result is what the Washington Post has crowned, “one of the top 5 King Cakes in the country.” BayouBakeryVa.com
