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King Cake Old Fashioned

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King Cake Old FashionedSara Bonisteel

Abigail Gullo, the head bar chef at SoBou in New Orleans, shared this recipe exclusively with Epicurious. In keeping with Mardi Gras tradition, Gullo occasionally sneaks a plastic baby (like those found in actual King Cakes) into the glass when she makes this drink at Sobou. "I tell people if you get the baby, you have to buy the next round." At home, another option is to freeze the baby into the large ice cube that chills the cocktail.

For more on Gullo and her King Cake Old Fashioned, see A Cake Cocktail That's King.

Cook's Notes:

To make your own praline-infused rum, you'll need 4 pralines (Gullo recommends Southern Candymakers pralines) and 1 (750-milliliter) bottle of good white or aged rum. Pour about 1 shot's worth of rum from the bottle then crumble up the pralines and add them to the bottle. Seal the bottle and let the rum infuse, at room temperature, overnight. Pour the infused rum through a fine-mesh sieve to remove any solids and sediment. The rum will appear a little cloudy; strain it through a coffee filter to remove the cloudiness, if desired. DO AHEAD: Homemade praline-infused rum can be made in advance and kept, in an airtight container at room temperature, for up to 1 month.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes 1 drink

Ingredients

For the cinnamon syrup:

1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water
6 to 8 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks

For the King Cake Old Fashioned:

1 (2 1/2-inch) ice cube or ice ball
2 ounces Rougaroux 13 Pennies Praline Rum*
2 dashes of El Guapo Chicory-Pecan Bitters**
1 (1/2- by 3-inch) piece orange peel and 2 to 3 golden raisins for garnish
*Rougaroux 13 Pennies Praline Rum is available throughout Louisiana, and has limited availability in Kentucky and Montana. It can be ordered and shipped to most states by calling or emailing Donner-Peltier Distillers (985-446-0002; info@dpdspirits.com). To make your own praline-infused rum, see the Cook's Notes below.
**El Guapo Chicory-Pecan bitters can be ordered from Amazon.com. Alternatively, Dale Degroff's Pimento Aromatic Bitters make a good substitute.

Equipment:

1 (2 1/2-inch) ice cube mold; 1 cocktail pick

Preparation

  1. Make the cinnamon syrup:

    Step 1

    In a small saucepan, bring the sugar, water, and cinnamon sticks to a boil, stirring occasionally, and continue boiling until the sugar is completely dissolved, 10 to 15 minutes. Cool the syrup then remove and discard the cinnamon sticks. DO AHEAD: Cinnamon syrup can be made ahead and refrigerated, in an airtight container, for up to 1 week.

  2. Make the King Cake Old Fashioned:

    Step 2

    Place 1 (2 1/2-inch) ice cube in a rocks glass. Add the rum, the bitters, and 1/2 teaspoon (1/4 ounce) cinnamon syrup, and stir until well chilled. Squeeze the orange peel over the drink, making sure the oils fall into the glass, then thread the peel, along with the raisins, onto a cocktail pick. Place the pick in the drink and serve.

TagsCocktailAlcoholBeveragesAmericanEpicurious

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