As a Louisiana native, the desire to feed people is in Meranda Hudson’s blood.
“(Food is) what we celebrate everything with,” says Hudson, who now lives and works in Ocean Springs. “We may not have much, but we will never go hungry.”
In 2022, she began a humble baking operation in her home kitchen, making sweet treats for friends, family and local farmers’ markets. At her first event, she caught the attention of a prominent restaurant owner.
“One bite is all it took for him to say, ‘Look, we’ve got to get you where you’re licensed and selling to places. This is too good to pass up,’” Hudson recalls. “It was like overnight, we quickly grew into one of the Gulf Coast’s most sought-after wholesale king cake and specialty bakery suppliers.”
“It was like overnight, we quickly grew into one of the Gulf Coast’s most sought-after wholesale king cake and specialty bakery suppliers.”
Her business, Sucre Dolot Bakery, has gone on to win the title of best king cake in Ocean Springs — an accolade that affirms the bakery’s commitment to flavor, craftsmanship and consistency. Every filling, dough and topping is created in-house from start to finish.
“We will always (put) quality over quantity,” Hudson says. “I started this with passion, and I will never stop making everything from scratch — just like I did in my kitchen on day one.”
HANDCRAFTED WITH LOVE
Hudson’s bakery has earned a reputation for selling some of the most unique and inventive king cakes on the Coast, which are still proudly rolled by hand.
“The demand during Mardi Gras season has been extraordinary,” she says, “with customers seeking Sucre Dolot king cakes from multiple business partners across the Gulf Coast.”
Some fan-favorite flavors include New Orleans-style Chantilly, with raspberry, Chantilly cream and fresh fruit; decadent turtle, made with local pecans, homemade chocolate ganache and caramel; and strawberry whipped cream cheese. For those craving a savory option, there’s even a king cake featuring Louisiana boudin and crawfish cheese sauce.
Besides king cakes, the bakery has an extensive wholesale menu, which includes crowd-pleasers like cinnamon rolls, artisan sourdough and other specialty breads. A white-chocolate bread pudding with vanilla sauce is made with French bread delivered weekly from New Orleans, and Sucre Dolot’s peach cobbler features its signature king cake dough.
“Built on the belief that food made with love simply tastes better, Sucre Dolot Bakery has never strayed from its original core philosophy,” Hudson says — “small batch, scratch-made and always handcrafted with love.”
HOME ON THE COAST
The bakery continues to grow each season, according to Hudson, with more business owners requesting to carry its confections. The bakery supplies restaurants, cafés and retail partners across the Gulf Coast while also shipping nationwide — giving customers throughout the country a taste of authentic king cake.
“Professionally, I’m proud of how far I have come since my first event,” Hudson says. “I hope and pray we will continue to expand our small-batch-made bakery.”
She hints at “something big in the works” that will hugely impact the business if it goes through.
“This will have our king-cake bites rolling through multiple cities and expanding our customer base,” she says. “Stay tuned for the news in the next couple of months.”
Meanwhile, she’s thankful for the seven years she’s spent in Ocean Springs, which have introduced her to many wonderful places and people. While she will always remember her Louisiana roots, the Coast has become her home.
“It’s an honor to be a part of this area,” she says, “supplying and having our items available to all.”