The state of Louisiana is known for a lot of delicious cajun food. Gumbo, jambalaya, crawfish, boudin sausage, king cake, you name it! All scrumptious on their own, but what if you combined some of them to create the ultimate Mardi Gras feast? Let me introduce you to Boudin King Cake, a cheesy, spicy, and sweet golden brown treat that marries two New Orleans specialties perfectly.
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What is Boudin King Cake?
To understand boudin king cake, you have to look at both components separately; the king cake and cajun boudin sausage. Eaten during Carnival season (the time between Epiphany and Fat Tuesday), King Cake is a sweet yeasted bread topped with a drizzle of sweet icing and decorated with colored sprinkles. Traditionally a small baby figure is hidden inside of the cake, representing Jesus. Today, it is said that whoever finds the baby in their slice is lucky, though it's also a tradition that the person who finds the baby has to host the next party.
Boudin sausage is the other half of this partnership. Stuffed with cooked rice, pork, onions, green peppers, and seasonings, Louisiana boudin can be enjoyed baked, steamed, or rolled into balls, breaded, and fried. There's even a Southwest Louisiana Boudin Trail-- that's how serious they are about this sausage.
According to The Advertiser, the popularity of boudin king cake arose when Robert Carriker, a University of Louisiana at Lafayette professor created the dish for fun and posted about it on social media. Initially, he planned to sell a few of the breads topped with cane syrup and cracklin, but after hundreds of orders started piling in, he looked to Twins Burgers and Sweets in Lafayette to help fill his orders.
Today a number of bakeries in Louisiana sell the treat; most topped with pepper jack cheese, jalapenos, and can syrup. One store, the Cajun Market Donut Company, bakes its version with donut dough.
How to Make Boudin King Cake
It's easy to make your own version of this Louisiana specialty right at home! George Graham of Acadiana Table creates his DIY king cake with red pepper jelly (the Tabasco brand is great!), boudin links, pepper jack cheese, Pillsbury crescent dough sheets, crispy crumbled bacon, and chopped green onion.
This article was originally published on February 11, 2020.
READ MORE: The History and Tradition of Mardi Gras King Cake + Recipes
