By LEIGH FLYNN DOTY
While people in many areas of the country start a new year off by making resolutions, people in Louisiana know that the sweetest, most indulgent season is still to come.
From parties and parades to beads and masks, Mardi Gras season is a time for excessive celebration. One of the primary elements of that celebration is the king cake, which one local bakery owner says brings “joy” to everyone who experiences it.
Cindy Price, owner of Sweet JOY Bakery, has been bringing the joy of king cakes to central Louisiana for nearly a decade. She officially began her business in 2016, but she says she baked for many years and sold king cakes part-time while maintaining a full-time job as well.
During the pandemic, word spread quickly about Sweet JOY’s king cakes. “We grew exponentially during the pandemic and the years that followed. As we worked from our home, we quickly realized that we needed to get a building.”
After exploring the options, Price said they purchased the land and began building their shop. They officially opened their storefront in June 2023.
Business has continued to grow, Price said. And, even though the bakery sells king cakes year-round, they sell an average of 200 king cakes daily during Mardi Gras season. The wedding cake king cake is Sweet JOY’s most popular flavor, but the bakery sells nearly 20 varieties of the sweet dessert.
King cakes are not the only item on Sweet JOY’s menu. Other items are available, including specialty cakes, cupcakes, and treats. The shop also serves a variety of breakfast and lunch items.
“Our breakfast burrito has become very popular, as well as the homemade soup and half a sandwich for lunch,” Price said. “And, of course, ending any meal with a freshly baked cupcake would, well, bring joy to your day!”
“Joy” is Price’s favorite word, so it made sense that it would be part of everything she does, including the name of her bakery.
“I want all that enter here to have joy when they taste our delicious menu items,” she said. “There is the perception that we are just a bakery, but we are so much more than that. Food is such an important part of our daily lives, and as people eat in a beautiful atmosphere I want them to have ‘joy’ – in their conversations, in the atmosphere, and, of course, in the amazing food and sweets we provide.”
The easiest way to order a king cake or other specialty item from Sweet JOY is on their website (www.SweetJoyBakery.com). On most days, Price said there are “extras” that are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Sweet JOY’s king cakes can also be found at a few other Pineville area businesses.
Sweet JOY Bakery, which is located at 3324 Military Highway in Pineville, is open Tuesday through Friday from 6 a.m. until 6 p.m., and Saturday from 6 a.m. until noon. They can be contacted by phone at 318-704-2125, or via email at sweetjoybakeryla@gmail.com.