There are still many, many cakes still to discuss. So many cakes, so little time. I didn’t want the season to end without discussing another over-the-top king cake, the Nor Joe Importing Co.’s Cannoli King Cake!

New Orleans has a fairly rich Italian culture with much of the population having roots somewhere in Italy. Nor Joe Importing Co., or Nor Joe’s, is an Italian specialty store in Metairie that imports a variety of Italian foods and makes one of the most fabulous muffulettas I’ve ever had. (Don’t ask me if it’s better than Central Grocery—that’s just silly.) The current owner of Nor Joe, Mark Subervielle, purchased the business in 2016 and realized they didn’t have a king cake, which they obviously needed. According to the BBKC, Mark’s sister Rachel casually whipped up what is now known as the cannoli king cake. It is big, it is gorgeous, it is decadent. It is pretty special. And while this one is a bit “out there”—as in, very few people would dare call this a “traditional” king cake—it still has the spirit of a king cake. And a cannoli.

The dough is an EXTREMELY soft buttery brioche which, if you’re asking me, steals the show despite the numerous bells and whistles that come along with it. The cake is absolutely stuffed to the proverbial (or literal) brim with high-quality cannoli filling made from fresh ricotta and chocolate chips. These chocolate chips are not the bargain variety; rather, they are rich and delectable. The cake is topped with white icing and—instead of purple, green, and gold sugar—an alternating pattern of sprinkles, MORE delicious chocolate chips, and sliced almonds. Powdered sugar is then dusted on top of that. Holy cannoli! I hate that I just wrote that. But seriously, wow.

Can we just go back to the dough for a second? I watched an interview online with Mark in which he said that they had to come up with a dough special enough to replace the cannoli shell. Honestly, and I love a cannoli shell as much as the next guy, I think this brioche is better. I ate this cake after it had been chilled in the refrigerator (because of all of the ricotta) and I think perhaps I may have preferred it a bit closer to room temperature. But I’m not complaining—the cake had an almost cheesecake-esque quality to it. But even chilled, the dough was unbelievably soft and buttery. It’s not often that you taste a refrigerated brioche that tastes quite that good.

My favorite thing about this cake is that, despite all of its elements, which could have the potential to overwhelm, this cake somehow has a real simplicity to it. It’s not overly sweet and the ricotta gives it a mildness that is very pleasing. If you’re a fan of cannoli, or even just chocolate chips generally, I think you’ll absolutely love this. I also like that it’s pretty much one of a kind in New Orleans (although if anyone knows of other cannoli king cakes, let me know so I can try them). This cake is paradoxically entirely over the top yet deliciously simple—and I could find nothing wrong with it. 5 stars.