Louisiana Considered: The history of King Cake and how it became a Mardi Gras staple

By Alana Schreiber

Published January 10, 2022 at 4:05 PM CST

It’s officially Carnival season in Louisiana, and if there’s one delicacy synonymous with Mardi Gras, it’s King Cakes.

But how exactly did this dessert become such a staple of Mardi Gras? And how has the traditional King Cake taken on new styles and flavors over the years?

To learn more about the history of King Cakes and where these desserts are headed, WWNO’s Patrick Madden was joined by three guests: Mardi Gras historian Errol Laborde, restaurants and food culture reporter for the Times-Picayune Ian McNulty, and author of The Big Book of King Cake Matt Haines.

An inside look at The Big Book of King Cake by Matt Haines

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Alana Schreiber

Alana Schreiber is the managing producer for the live daily news program, Louisiana Considered. She comes to WWNO from KUNC in Northern Colorado, where she worked as a radio producer for the daily news magazine, Colorado Edition. She has previously interned for Minnesota Public Radio in St. Paul and The Documentary Group in New York City.

See stories by Alana Schreiber