Get a slice of Mardi Gras with these king cakes from Central NJ bakeries

Celebrated with colorful beads, loud music, rambunctious parades and rich foods, Mardi Gras — French for "Fat Tuesday" — is the period before Lent when Catholics have one last hurrah before their 40-day fast. And what better way to live it up than with a decadent cake?

That's where king cakes come in, which are named after the visit of the three kings to baby Jesus (also known as Three Kings Day or the Epiphany). But depending on where you're from, king cakes vary after that.

In the United States, the traditional cakes are rings of cinnamon roll-style dough topped with purple, gold and green icing or sugar. They're often served close to Fat Tuesday. A tiny porcelain (or plastic or sugar) baby symbolizing Jesus is customarily hidden inside, giving good fortune to whomever is lucky enough to nab the fated slice.

But in France, the king cake's counterpart, known as galette des rois, takes on a different form as a puff pastry filled with frangipane. It's often served closer to the Epiphany. A bean, called a fève, takes the place of the baby, but symbolizes just the same to its finder.

New Jersey is more than 1,200 miles from the Mardi Gras capital of New Orleans and 3,700 miles from France, but our bakeries still get in on the sweet king cake fun. Here's where to find one near you, whether you're on the lookout for an iced ring cake or its European-style parallel.

CocoLuxe Fine Pastries, Peapack-Gladstone

As a French-style patisserie, Cocoluxe Fine Pastries has been bringing both the galette des rois as well as the Mardi Gras king cake to Peapack-Gladstone for a decade. Owner Paula Canariato said that demand for both has grown over the years.

"We try to vary the flavors from year to year," she said of the king cakes. "We've made sweet cream cheese-filled, cinnamon-filled and almond-filled."

Although this year's options were not solidified by press time, Canariato said the shop is likely to offer sweet cream cheese-filled or cinnamon-filled this year ($25 each). The 10-inch cakes serve 12 people. A baby made out of sugar is hidden inside.

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"Our king cakes taste like sweet yeast bread, similar to our danishes," Canariato said.

While a few are available in the bakery for pickup, Canariato said it's best to order in advance to guarantee availability.

Go: 161 Main St., Peapack-Gladstone; 908-781-5554, cocoluxepastry.com

La Bon Bake Shoppes, Edison, Woodbridge, South Plainfield and Somerset

Although La Bon Bake Shoppes has long made king cakes for Mardi Gras, their selection got a taste of authenticity when owner Brian Pansari met the owner of Paul's Pastry Shop (which is about an hour from New Orleans) seven years ago.

"Paul’s Pastry Shop was having trouble keeping up with demand between local orders and shipping requests, so it was a great partnership to bring authentic king cakes to New Jersey," Pansari said.

La Bon Bake Shoppes became the exclusive New Jersey partner to Paul's Pastry Shop, which originated the cream cheese-filled king cake in 1972, when its head baker flew to New Jersey to train La Bon Bake Shoppes' staff on how to create the cakes.

Now, La Bon Bake Shoppes sells hundreds of king cakes in the few days around Fat Tuesday, and people start ordering in early January. They have 14 varieties, including cinnamon with cream cheese, pecan praline and berry deluxe. Customers also can request their own varieties.

The cakes can be ordered anytime during the year with 24 hours notice, and they will also be available in store Feb. 18 to 20, and Feb. 25 to March 1. A medium cake, which serves 10 to 15 people, costs $17. A large cake, which costs $29, serves 20 to 25 people. The plastic baby is baked inside, with a note to remind customers to eat with care.

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"One of the best things about our king cakes is that there is almost an endless combination of flavors for the filling," said Pansari. "It’s like having your favorite fruit or cream cheese filling wrapped in a soft and tender dough and topped with sweet icing and sugar. What’s not to love?"

Go: la-bonbonniere-bake-shoppe.myshopify.com/collections/king-cakes-2

Victoria's Cake, Westfield

Victoria Marmet, a French native, brought a slice of her home country to Westfield when she co-opened a French bakery in the township in September. She's bringing France's Epiphany traditions here, too, with her offering of the galette des rois for $40, which serves six to eight people.

"It is crispy and flaky on the outside, and sweet and buttery on the inside with a nice delicate touch of almond," said Marmet. "If you love croissants, you will love the galette des rois, as it is the same puff pastry."

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A French chef bakes the galette des rois at the bakery, but the fève isn't included for safety reasons, Marmet said, since many Americans are not aware of the tradition and she doesn't want them to bite into it.

Orders for the cake should be placed 48 hours in advance.

Go: 409 Westfield Ave., Westfield; 908-228-2720, victoriascakeofficial.com

Jenna Intersimone has been a staff member at the USA Today Network New Jersey since 2014, after becoming a blogger-turned-reporter following the creation of her award-winning travel blog. To get unlimited access to her stories about food, drink and fun, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. Contact: [email protected] or @JIntersimone.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: King cakes near me: Where to find Mardi Gras treat in NJ