The Top 5 Mara Desserts at Animal Kingdom Lodge
I thought it couldn’t be real, the peanut butter brownie from The Mara vanished. Their lengthy menu of deliciously offbeat selections had me debating between two entrees when I decided to take a walk to the scan the desserts. Frantic, I whipped my head left and right and bolted to the nearest Cast Member who confirmed what I thought was true- the peanut butter brownie was no longer on the menu.
Just before the Holidays, The Mara gave me what I’ll always remember as my favorite gift of 2018: the return of the peanut butter brownie! Since I hadn’t visited The Mara since the outrageous events I’ve just described, the peanut butter brownie wasn’t the only thing in the desserts case that tempted me! With nothing but a long afternoon of relaxing by the pool ahead of me, I ordered the lot…and here’s how they stack up!
#5 – The Flamingo Cake
Credit: Maria Salerno
This plant-based dessert option is all about the curb appeal. Ribbons of piped coconut ganache frosting pulled my eye right to the dessert, and the beautiful pink ribboned decoration only upped its visual appeal.
However, for me, the surface appeal is the best part of this dessert. The spice cake was cumbly, and the overall texture was not at all reminiscent of cake. The coconut flavor overpowered the ganache, and its dark color confused my palette into thinking it would be more “chocolate-y” than fruity! Without a doubt, this ranked at the bottom.
#4 – The Iridescent Rhino Cupcake
Credit: Maria Salerno
The last of the hangers-on of Disney’s ‘iridescent cupcake’ phase, the chocolate rhino-inspired cupcake was a huge departure from the Flamingo Cake- in a good way! I would recommend this cupcake to any kid in the restaurant because the soft chocolate cake combine with rich caramel custard creates the most decadent, kid-friendly option on the menu! Seeing that I’m a full-grown adult and enjoyed the heck out of it…maybe it’s not just for kids after all…
#3 – Mickey Mouse Chocolate Chip Cookie
Credit: Maria Salerno
I originally judged this cookie for not sticking with the animal theme of the Resort. The others all feature Okapis and Rhinos and super-cool animals of the like, but on second glance, I realized this chocolate chip cookie had the best theme of them all: Mickey Mouse!
The cookie base was chewy on the outside and very soft in the middle, just like any respectable chocolate chip cookie should be! It lost points for the unnecessary heap of vanilla frosting in the center. The cookie itself was really good, but when my fork hit on a that big glob of frosting, the first bite sent me into a sweetness overload that I was not expecting or enjoying. After scraping the icing off my cookie, I was able to enjoy it again, and I would only recommend this one to someone who doesn’t mind wiping off frosting.
#2- The Okapi Brownie
Credit: Maria Salerno
I’m thrilled the Okapi Brownie ranked highly on my list since Okapi are my favorite animal at Animal Kingdom Lodge! The brownie base was thick enough to provide a decent base for the frosting, yet thin enough to balance with the adornments perfectly. The big hazelnut crisp on top made for a really good texture contrast to the otherwise creamy and smooth dessert. The brownie/chocolate frosting combo though, is what earned this bad boy the #2 spot. So rich, so chewy, so decadent, so perfect.
#1 – The Nyala Brownie
Credit: Maria Salerno
Without surprise, the Nyala Brownie (formerly the peanut butter brownie) takes the cake (errr… brownie). Either way, this dessert is one to go with if the dining plan prevents you from ordering more than one when you visit The Mara. Sharing the same decadently perfect chocolate brownie base as the Okapi Brownie, the Nyala Brownie takes the treat one step further with the addition of peanut butter buttercream.
The ample yet not overly-thick piping of peanut butter frosting elevates the already-perfect brownie to the next level. A level that I hope Animal Kingdom Lodge has realized should stay on The Mara’s menu forever, because it really is the best of the best desserts they have to offer! Have you tasted any of these desserts from The Mara? If so, leave me a comment and let me know which your favorite is!
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