Ordering a King Cake online is easy, but first-time buyers often have a few understandable questions about freshness, delivery dates, icing, shipping, and what should be in the box.
Most problems can be avoided by knowing what to expect before you place the order.
Choose the Delivery Date Carefully
One of the biggest misunderstandings with online King Cake orders is the difference between the delivery date and the shipping service.
If you select 2-Day shipping, that does not necessarily mean your cake will arrive two days after you place the order.
The shipping service describes how quickly the carrier transports the package after the bakery ships it.
Most online bakeries allow you to choose a future delivery date when you order.
So if you order in January for a Mardi Gras party several weeks later, the bakery does not bake your cake immediately and let it sit until then. The order is scheduled so the cake can be prepared and shipped closer to your requested delivery date.
Before you complete the order, double-check:
- Shipping address
- Billing address
- Requested delivery date
- Shipping method
- Cake flavor
- Quantity
This is especially important when sending a cake as a gift.
Some online checkout systems can occasionally replace the shipping address with the billing address during checkout. The bakery may have no way to know that happened unless the customer catches it.
Always review the final order confirmation carefully.
Ready to order? Browse our King Cakes and choose the delivery date that works best for you.
Do Not Wait Until Mardi Gras Week to Order
For much of King Cake season, same-week ordering is often possible.
The final week before Mardi Gras is different.
Popular delivery dates, especially Lundi Gras and Mardi Gras Day, can sell out well in advance.
If you absolutely need a cake for a specific party, office event, or celebration, order early and try to have it arrive at least a day or two before you need it.
That gives you some protection from weather delays or carrier problems. How Far in Advance Should You Order a King Cake for Mardi Gras?
Will a King Cake Still Be Fresh When It Arrives?
A good shipped King Cake should arrive fresh, soft, and full.
But shipping cannot make a poor cake into a good cake.
Freshness starts with the quality of the King Cake itself and how it is prepared and packaged before shipping.
When your cake arrives, it should feel soft and fresh rather than dry or hard.
If you are not going to ice or serve it within about a day, freezing it is usually the safest option.
When you are ready to use it, let the frozen cake thaw overnight if possible before icing and serving.
Should You Be Nervous About Icing the Cake Yourself?
No.
Icing a King Cake is very straightforward, and almost anyone can do it.
Many bakeries ship King Cakes un-iced because the cake often travels better that way.
A typical kit may include:
- A bag of icing
- Purple, green, and gold sugar
- Instructions
- A link or QR code to a decorating video
- A King Cake baby
The icing may need to be warmed or softened before use, so read the instructions before opening the bag and starting.
There is also no single correct way to apply the colored sugar.
You can use traditional sections of purple, green, and gold or decorate it however you like.
Part of the fun is making it your own.
What If the Cake Arrives Already Iced?
If you order an iced King Cake, open the package and check it soon after delivery.
Warm weather can sometimes cause icing to soften and stick to the protective bag or wrapping.
If the cake arrives warm and the icing appears very soft, it can sometimes help to chill or freeze the cake briefly before removing the bag.
That can make the icing firmer and reduce how much sticks to the packaging.
What Should Be in the Box?
If your King Cake arrives un-iced, you should generally expect the decorating items promised by the bakery.
Depending on the bakery, that may include icing, colored sugar, instructions, and a King Cake baby.
Occasionally, a small item such as the baby can be missed during packing or lost while the box is being opened.
That does not have to ruin the tradition.
A dried bean can be used instead.
In fact, using a bean is an older King Cake tradition that predates the modern plastic baby.
What About Filled King Cakes?
Many popular King Cake fillings are designed to travel safely at room temperature unless the bakery specifically tells you otherwise.
Always follow the bakery’s storage instructions for the particular flavor you ordered.
If refrigeration is required, the bakery should clearly say so.
How Do You Choose a Good King Cake Bakery?
Start with experience.
A bakery that has been making and shipping King Cakes for many years has had time to learn how to manage production, packaging, shipping, and the extreme demand of Mardi Gras season.
Then look at recent customer reviews.
Recent reviews usually tell you more about the current product and service than reviews from many years ago.
A bakery can change ownership, recipes, staff, shipping methods, or packaging over time, so older reviews may not always reflect what customers receive today.
Look for recent comments about:
- Freshness
- Flavor
- Packaging
- Shipping
- Customer service
- Whether the cake arrived when promised
Read the Instructions Before You Start
This sounds simple, but it prevents a surprising number of problems.
Do not immediately cut open the icing bag and start decorating.
Take a minute to read the instructions first.
The icing may need warming.
The cake may need to thaw.
The bakery may recommend a particular storage method.
A few minutes of preparation can make the final result much better.
The Simple Rule
For a first online King Cake order:
Choose an experienced bakery.
Check recent reviews.
Order early if the delivery date really matters.
Double-check the shipping address, delivery date, and shipping method before completing the order.
Read the instructions when the cake arrives.
Ordering more than one King Cake to the same address can significantly reduce the shipping cost per cake.
And do not worry about decorating it yourself.
Icing and adding the Mardi Gras sugars is simple, and for many families it becomes part of the King Cake experience.