LOUISVILLE, Ky. — What is now a ball of dough will soon be a cinnamon-filled, sweet delight, topped with icing and sprinkles. 

It’s an iconic dessert to celebrate Mardi Gras. 

Lee Kresovsky and her husband Joe make King Cakes out of their kitchen — a lot of them. 

“Figuring this whole thing out, we can do 12 dough balls here, so 12 cakes, which is huge,” Joe said. 

And in the meantime, they have cakes baking in their four ovens, which they added to their kitchen after launching their business. 

The full-time engineers were looking for a King Cake, one that tasted like home for Lee. But the New Orleans native and her husband had a hard time finding one that matched the authenticity of the cakes they were used to.

So, they did what any parents of two with a full-time job, and part-time musical career would do — create a small business selling the cakes. 

“When we finish a batch, we just keep going. So, we stay up really late and get up really early and I’m losing track of how many we’re making,” Lee said. 

With inflation in full swing — the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that food prices have increased 10.1% over the last twelve months — Small Batch Craft Bakery hasn’t seen a reduction in business. 

“It has not impacted our business. We are busier than ever,” Lee said.  

And with their engineering minds, the family is focused on creating the most productive flow within their business. 

“Efficiency improvements. Even our seven-year-old is working his efficiency on his baby bagging,” Joe said. 

That’s right — you can’t have a true New Orleans King Cake without the baby. In line with tradition, whoever bites into the piece of the braided cake with the baby is to host the King Cake party next year and is named king for the day. 

Small Batch Craft Bakery is putting the icing on the cake and on your table for Mardi Gras.