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NATCHEZ — Natchez businessman and Ward 6 Alderman Curtis Moroney loves a challenge.

Moroney, known primarily for his technology expertise, is now known in town for making delicious King Cakes. 

“For years, I have been very involved with the Krewe of Phoenix. I was at a Duke and Duchess party upstairs at The Camp several years ago, and Scott Christian and I walked up to the food table at the same time and began eating a piece of King Cake,” Moroney said. “I looked at him and asked if he knew anywhere in town to get a good King Cake. I love King Cake and at the time, we didn’t have the bakeries in Natchez that we have now, and I love King Cake.

“Scott said he did not know anywhere here that made a good King Cake, and I basically said, ‘Challenge accepted,’ “ he said. “I think I made my first King Cake the next day.”

Moroney searched King Cake recipes online and began baking the traditional brown sugar and cinnamon King Cake.

He made another King Cake of the traditional variety and took it to trivia at the Natchez Brewery, which he said was well received. 

“After that turned out pretty good, I said, ‘OK, I’ve got to make one for Scott next week.’ “

A Mardi Gras-related brunch was being held the next week for Christian, and Moroney showed up with a strawberry jam and cream cheese-filled King Cake.

“I tried braiding the strips of dough for the one I did for Scott’s party, but the middle was so fat, I couldn’t make it into a circle, so it was just a flat King Cake, but it was good,” he said.

Since that time, Moroney has made a number of King Cakes each season. 

Moroney enjoys cooking, as did his late father, the renowned Natchez architect Charles Moroney.

“The first thing I learned to cook as a little kid before I was 10 years old was oatmeal cookies. I learned to cook those from Ruth Ellen Calhoun. Her son, Bo, who is now a cardiologist in Tupelo, was my good friend when I was growing up. His father, Dr. (Bill) Calhoun, was my pediatrician. I was at their house and they were making cookies. I helped make them and enjoyed it and Ruth Ellen gave me the recipe. I’ve been cooking them ever since,” Moroney said.

Also, while still a youngster, Moroney began making beignets from the box of Cafe Du Monde mix. “I still make them using that mix. I just made some a few weeks ago.”

Members of the Rotary Club of Natchez know Moroney for his delicious pralines.

“David Steckler always smoked a ham for the Rotary auction, which was kind of special. It became a prized item for Rotarians to win at the annual auction. Those hams made a lot of money. I decided I wanted to make something that I could contribute to the auction, so I learned to make pralines. It took me a while to find just the right recipe. I asked a bunch of people about praline recipes and changed them up a bit and the first time I made them, they turned out great. I took them to a Sunday School party. I’ve been making pralines for about 30 years.

“In 2023, I made a King Cake to take to Rotary with pralines. I made a batch of pecan pralines and stuffed them into the cake. After making the cake, I decided to melt down the leftover pralines and pour them on the top,” Moroney said. “I made eight King Cakes that year. Last year, I made 13. I took one to Rotary last year and to City Hall, and I take a few to clients who have bigger offices with lots of people who can share it. And I take them to Mardi Gras parties.”

Moroney said this King Cake recipe is nothing special. 

“It’s a dough that has a lot of butter in it. People can search the internet and get a good recipe.”