LAFAYETTE PARISH — What started as a playful gingerbread cookie experiment during the holidays has turned into a year-round crowd-pleaser at Twins Burgers and Sweets, where popular TikTok videos, handmade treats and King Cake season are bringing smiles and continuing tradition here in Lafayette.
After first launching their website for year-round gingerbread twin cookies, the sales were originally slower than what Twin Owners Billy and Denny Guilbeaux hoped for. However, during Christmas, the locally owned shop gained traction online after the owners leaned into humor and short-form videos Co-owner Billy Guilbeaux said those videos helped spark momentum.
“Once we started making the videos, things started to change,” Billy said. “People really connected with it.”
The gingerbread twins, sold two cookies to a pack, aren’t just a seasonal novelty. Billy and Denny said the cookies are available year-round at the shop, something longtime customers have come to expect.
Now that we are in Mardi Gras season, the focus shifts from gingerbread to King Cake. With Mardi Gras arriving earlier this year, the King Cake season is compressed, increasing demand and production in the bakery.
“Mardi Gras being early makes people feel like they need to hurry up and get a king cake,” Guilbeaux said. “We make the dough from scratch, the fillings, the icing, everything.”
One detail that sets their cakes apart is color. Instead of bright, artificial hues, Twins uses natural food coloring, resulting in softer shades of green, purple and gold.
“We do our best to give customers the best that we can.”
Behind the scenes, co-owner Denny Guilbeaux prefers to be in the bakery, trying to make sure everything is as close to perfect as possible, especially as online orders increase. Some King Cakes are baked specifically for shipping, while others are reserved to ensure in-store customers don’t leave empty-handed.
“The plan is not to run out in the front,” Denny said. “I don’t want people to come in and not have a king cake.”
While pecan praline and cream cheese remains a fan favorite, the twins say the real reward comes from customer feedback, both in person and online.
“When people tell us our videos made them laugh or that we brightened their day, that’s what motivates us,” Billy said. “That’s the fuel to get up and do it again every day.”
As King Cake season continues, the Guilbeaux twins hope their mix of humor, hospitality and handmade sweets keeps Acadiana smiling all the way to Mardi Gras.
