Balboni's cannoli king cake has fired up a lot of buzz this Carnival season in New Orleans. Beyond its elaborate back story, here's what the extravagant cake is like.

Mardi Gras celebrations call for a king cake, clad in green, purple, and gold sprinkles. Here's the history of the holiday food, from Europe to New Orleans.

There are bakeries in New Orleans that will ship king cakes, many that can arrive overnight. A list can be found on the New Orleans tourism website. Many local grocery stores sell them pre-packaged. And some local bakeries will custom make a king cake.