As good as king cake is straight out of the bag, chefs of all stripes continue to find new ways to use it as the basis of fresh creations.

For everyone who has no intention of letting professional chefs have all the fun, we gathered the best recipes that use king cakes. So grab your king cake, turn up the WWOZ, and see how far you can take this NOLA classic.

King Cake Bread Pudding

• Half a traditional Haydel’s king cake cubed, about 10 cups
• ¾ cup granulated white sugar
• 1 lb butter (4 sticks)
• 1 8 oz package cream cheese
• 4 tablespoons butter, softened
• ½ cup powdered sugar
• 2 eggs
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk
• 2 teaspoons real vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 4 tablespoons milk
• Whiskey Sauce

Eat half a Haydel’s traditional king cake and cube the rest – should be about 10 cups. Make sure that the baby is out of there, though, it’s important.

Preheat oven to 350º with the butter and cream cheese sitting on it so they get to room temp quicker. Rub a big baking dish down with butter. Don’t be shy either. Rub it down good and then put the cubed king cake in the dish.

In a separate bowl, combine butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar. Mix with a hand mixer – or stand mixer if you’re fancy – until it’s smooth. Add eggs, one at a time, then add half-and-half, milk, condensed milk, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.

Beat until smooth and then pour mixture over cubed king cake.

Let soak for 45 minutes or so. Use this time to call your mom, she misses you.

Bake for about 45 minutes, then check to see if it’s done by sticking a knife in the center – if it comes out clean, you’re done.

If you’re really trying to impress your guests, put your dish in a water bath to bake. You’ll get a more even cook, but it’s not really necessary. (Emeril doesn’t use a water bath when he makes bread pudding, so who are we to say you gotta do it?)

Remove from oven (and from water bath, if used) and let stand for 15 minutes.
Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm with Whiskey Sauce – get Emeril’s recipe here.

The King’s Toast

• Half a leftover* Haydel’s king cake – preferably a couple days old
• 5 eggs
• 4 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 cup half-and-half
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 stick of butter
• Dash of ground cinnamon
• Pinch of ground nutmeg
• Pinch of salt
• Pure maple syrup

Preheat oven to 250º with a large plate in it. Mix eggs, half-and-half, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
Cut king cake into 6 slices, each about 1-inch thick, and soak in egg mixture for 10 minutes.

Add a little butter to a heavy-bottomed skillet and fry the king cake one slice at a time until brown. When each piece is done, blot it on a paper towel and place it on the plate in the oven.

Serve with maple syrup, if you’re into that kind of thing.

*Yeah, we know there’s no such thing as “leftover” king cake. But sometimes your aunt comes over and you know she’ll eat you fresh out of king cake so you just kinda hide it for a bit. Maybe you forget it’s there for a day or two and you end up with “leftover” king cake.

King Cake Finger Sandwich

• 4 slices of traditional Haydel’s king cake – cut on a bias
• 2 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• Fresh strawberries
• 2 tablespoons butter
• Lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon granulated white sugar

Cut king cake on a bias to get 4 large slices. Accidentally cut 1 too many and eat the extra so it doesn’t go to waste. Brush off most sugar and icing into a bowl and mix with room-temperature cream cheese.

Chop strawberries and mix with sugar and a dash of lemon juice. Let sit in fridge for 15 minutes.

Toast king cake slices in a little butter, blot dry, then add a light smear of cream cheese mixture and strawberries. Top with a second toasted slice of king cake, cut horizontally, and serve.

Ready to try these recipes out for yourself?

Grab a king cake online or at one of our pop-up locations throughout New Orleans.

King Cake Trailer at 2431 Metairie Rd. in front of The Ridgeway
8:30-5:30pm Monday – Friday; 8:30-4pm Saturday; 9-2pm Sunday

Inside of Chris Specialty Meats – Lakeview at 6251 West End Blvd
8:30-5:30pm Monday – Friday; 8:30-4pm Saturday; 9-2pm Sunday

4001 Magazine St. in the Snowizard Snoball Stand
8:30-5pm Monday – Saturday; 9-2pm Sunday

Plus, our main location:
4037 Jefferson Hwy, New Orleans, LA 70121
7:30-5pm Monday – Friday; 8:30-4pm Saturday; 9-2pm Sunday

What about you?

Do you have any recipes you make with king cake? Let us know in the comments below.