King cake

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Part of a Mobilian-style king cake with the

baby figurine on top

Type Cake

Place of origin Portugal, Spain, France

Region or France
state

Similar dishes ● Jésuite

● conversation
tart

Media: King cake

A king cake, also known as a three kings cake, is a cake associated in many
countries with Epiphany.[1] Its form and ingredients are variable, but in most
cases a fève (lit. 'fava bean') such as a figurine, often said to represent the Christ
Child, is hidden inside.[2] After the cake is cut, whoever gets the fève wins a prize.
[3][2]
Modern fèves can be made of other materials, and can represent various
objects and people.[4]

History[edit]

Le gâteau des Rois, by Jean-Baptiste Greuze, 1774 (Musée Fabre)

In Western Christian tradition, Epiphany (also known as "Three Kings Day")

celebrates the visit of the Magi to the Christ Child. [5] From the 19th century
onwards, the tradition of the King cake has been associated with the Epiphany
("appearance" in Greek). The three kings cake takes its name from the Biblical
Magi, also referred to as the three kings:[5] Melchior, Balthazar and Gaspard, who
came to Jesus to offer him gifts, twelve days after his birth. The Eve of Epiphany
is known as Twelfth Night, which is the last day of the Christmas season, and
Epiphany Day itself commences the Epiphany season.[citation needed]

The origin of the cake tradition was popularly believed to be related to the Roman
Saturnalia.[6] These were festivals dedicated to the god Saturn so that the Roman
people, in general could celebrate the longer days that began to come after the
winter solstice.[7]

In the Middle Ages, it was said that the king who was chosen had to pay the
assembly a general round of drinks. To prevent cheating, the edible bean was
replaced by a porcelain bean.[8]
Later, Spanish and French settlers brought it to America. [5] It often includes a
figurine, and it is believed that the individual who discovers it will have good
fortune.[2][5] In some regions,[citation needed] the three kings cake is consumed
throughout Epiphanytide until the first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday.[5]

Regional variants[edit]

French-speaking countries and regions[edit]

Northern French style galette des rois

Southern French style gâteau des rois

In northern France, Quebec, Luxembourg and Belgium it is called galette des rois
in French or koningentaart in Dutch. In most of France it is a puff pastry filled
with frangipane.[9]

A paper crown is included with purchased cakes to crown the "king" or "queen"
who finds the "fève" or bean hidden inside the cake. To ensure a random
distribution of the pieces, the youngest person is to place themselves under the
table and name the recipient of each piece as they are cut. [10] When store-bought,
the fève can be a tiny porcelain figurine of a religious character or, nowadays, a
figurine referencing pop-culture or popular cartoons. [citation needed]

German-speaking countries[edit]

The German and Swiss Dreikönigskuchen 'three kings cake' are shaped like
wreathes or rounds, and uses an almond as the fève. [11]

Portugal[edit]

Bolo-rei (lit. 'king cake') is a traditional Portuguese cake eaten from the beginning
of December until Epiphany.[12] The recipe is derived from the Southern French
gâteau des rois which found its way to Portugal during the 1800s when
Confeitaria Nacional[13] opened as the Portuguese monarchy's official bakery in
1829.[14]

The cake is round with a large hole in the centre, [15] resembling a crown covered
with crystallized and dried fruit.[citation needed] It is baked from a soft, white dough,
with raisins, various nuts and crystallized fruit. Also included is the dried fava
bean, and tradition dictates that whoever finds the fava has to pay for the cake
next year.[16]

Spanish-speaking countries[edit]

Traditional plain "Roscón de Reyes".

 A Spanish (Castellón, Valencia region) "Roscón de Reyes" with whipped cream

The Roscón de Reyes is eaten in Spain, Latin America and the United States.
Recipes vary from country to country and between cultures but tend to be similar.
It generally has an oval shape due to the need to make cakes large enough for
large groups. For decoration, figs, quinces, cherries, or dried and candied fruits
are often, but not exclusively, used.[17] The tradition of placing a bean, candy or
figurine inside the cake that diners find in their slice is followed. [citation needed]

In Spain the cake consists of a sweet brioche dough aromatised with orange
blossom water and decorated with slices of candied or crystallized fruit of
various colors. It can be filled with whipped cream, cream, almond paste or
others. The figurine traditionally represents one of the Three Wise Men Biblical
Magi. A dry broad bean is also introduced inside the roscón. It is tradition that
whoever finds the bean pays for the roscón.[citation needed]

In Mexico, central and South America, the figurine represents the Child Jesus.
The figurine of the baby Jesus hidden in the bread represents the flight of the
Holy Family, fleeing from Herod the Great's Massacre of the Innocents. Whoever
finds the baby Jesus figurine is blessed and must take the figurine to the nearest
church on Candlemas Day[18] or host a party that day.[19]

United Kingdom[edit]

The Twelfth cake, Twelfth-night cake, or Twelfth-tide cake [20][11] was once popular
in the United Kingdom on Twelfth Night. It was frequently baked with a bean
hidden in one side and a pea hidden in the other; the man/lord finding the bean
became King for the night, while the woman/lady finding the pea became the
Queen[21] – also known as the Lord or Lady of Misrule.[22] Earlier, in the time of
Shakespeare, there was only a Lord of Misrule, chosen by the hidden bean,
reflected in Shakespeare's play Twelfth Night.[23]
Samuel Pepys recorded a party in London on Epiphany night 1659/1660, and
described the role the cake played in the choosing of a "King" and "Queen" for
the occasion: "...to my cousin Stradwick, where, after a good supper, there being
there my father, mother, brothers, and sister, my cousin Scott and his wife, Mr.
Drawwater and his wife, and her brother, Mr. Stradwick, we had a brave cake
brought us, and in the choosing, Pall was Queen and Mr. Stradwick was King.
After that my wife and I bid adieu and came home, it being still a great frost." [24]

Although still occasionally found in the United Kingdom, as the Industrial

Revolution curtailed the celebration of the 12 days of Christmas during the
Victorian era,[25] the cake declined in popularity to be replaced by the Christmas
cake. 18th century actor Robert Baddeley's will bequeathed £3 per annum to
serve wine, punch and a Twelfth Night cake to the performers of the Drury Lane
Theatre in the green room each Twelfth Night; the ceremony of the "Baddeley
Cake" has remained a regular event, missed only 13 times in over 200 years,
during wartimes or theatre closures.[26]

United States[edit]

Baby figure popularly used in Louisiana (U.S.) king cake

In Louisiana and parts of the Gulf Coast region historically settled by the French,
king cake is associated with Mardi Gras and is traditionally served from Epiphany
until Carnival[27] and recently year-round.[28] It may have been introduced by
Basque settlers in 1718,[29] or by the French in 1870.[30]

It comes in a number of styles. The most simple, said to be the most traditional, is
a ring of twisted cinnamon roll-style dough. It may be topped with icing or sugar,
which may be colored to show the traditional Mardi Gras colors of purple for
justice, green for faith, and gold for power.[27] Cakes may also be filled with cream
cheese, praline, cinnamon, or an assortment of fruit fillings. The "Zulu King Cake"
has chocolate icing with a coconut filling.[31]

Traditionally, a small porcelain baby,[32] symbolizing Jesus, is hidden in the king

cake and is a way for residents of Louisiana to celebrate their Christian faith. [33]
The baby symbolizes luck and prosperity to whoever finds it. That person is also
responsible for purchasing next week's cake[34] or hosting the next Mardi Gras
party.[31][35] Often, bakers place the baby outside of the cake, leaving the
purchaser to hide it themselves. This is usually to avoid liability for any choking
hazard.[36]

In 2009, the New Orleans Pelicans basketball team introduced the King Cake
Baby as a seasonal mascot.[37] The New Orleans Baby Cakes (formerly the
Zephyrs) were a AAA baseball team that played their final three seasons (2017–
2019) with that name before relocating and becoming the Wichita Wind Surge.
[citation needed]

Greece[edit]

The Greek Vasilopita ('king pie') which uses a coin as the fève, is eaten on New
Year's Day in Greece (but often even much later), and is associated with Saint
Basil.[38][39]

Gallery[edit]

●
Portuguese Bolo Rei
 ●

Roscón
●

Mexican Rosca de reyes

●

Dreikönigskuchen in Switzerland

See also[edit]

Food portal
● Barmbrack – a bread is associated with Hallowe'en in Ireland, where an
item (often a ring) is placed inside the bread, with the person who
receives it considered fortunate.
● Black bun – a Scottish fruit cake covered with pastry, originally eaten
on Twelfth Night but now enjoyed at Hogmanay.
● Bean-feast
● Bread in Spain
● Ensaïmada
● Panettone – an Italian sweet bread served during the Christmas period.

References[edit]
● ^ Okholm, Trevecca (21 July 2020). The Grandparenting Effect: Bridging Generations
One Story at a Time. Wipf and Stock Publishers. p. 134. ISBN 978-1-7252-5484-8.
● ^
● Jump up to:
abc
● Eliza Barclay: Is That a Plastic Baby Jesus in My Cake, National Public Radio from
2012-2-17(englisch)
● ^ "History of King Cakes". New Orleans Showcase.
● ^ Papadopoulos, Madina (3 February 2016). "A Short History of King Cake's Long
History". pastemagazine.com. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
● ^
● Jump up to:
abcde
● Kostelny, Laura (8 February 2021). "Here's Everything You Need to Know About
King Cakes". Country Living. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
● ^ @NatGeoFrance (5 January 2022). "Épiphanie : d'où vient la tradition de la galette des
rois ?". National Geographic (in French). Retrieved 9 February 2023.
● ^ "Tout savoir sur la galette des rois - Edélices". www.edelices.com. Retrieved 9
February 2023.
● ^ "L'histoire de la galette des rois et de la fève". L'Express (in French). 6 January 2015.
Retrieved 9 February 2023.
● ^ "Galette Des Rois Vs Roscón De Reyes: The Difference Between King Cakes". Yahoo
Life. 1 January 2024. Retrieved 7 January 2024.
● ^ Philippe, Didier (2003). Petit lexique des fêtes religieuses et laïques. Paris: Albin
Michel. p. 42. ISBN 978-2-22613-631-2.
● ^
● Jump up to:
ab
● Alan Davidson, ed., The Oxford Companion to Food, 1st ed., ISBN 0192115790, s.v.
'Twelfth Night cake', p. 814
● ^ A Portuguese Christmas Retrieved 12 August 2013
● ^ Bolo-Rei: The King of Portuguese Christmas Cakes Retrieved 12 August 2013
● ^ The Battle for Lisbon’s best pastry Archived 2014-11-14 at the Wayback Machine
Retrieved 12 August 2013
● ^ A Foodie’s Guide to Christmas in Europe Retrieved 12 August 2013
● ^ Bolo Rei Portuguese Kings Cake – A treat for your Christmas table recipe Retrieved 12
August 2013
● ^ "Rosca de Reyes Recipe (Kings Day Bread)". My Latina Table. 4 January 2019.
Retrieved 9 January 2020.
● ^ . The name Candlemas is derived from the use of candles on liturgical observances,
representing the light of Christ presented to the world (John 1:9).
● ^ "Happy Candlemas! ¡Feliz Día de la Candelaria!". CancunSafe. NeuMedia. Retrieved 2
March 2011.
● ^ Oxford English Dictionary, 1st edition, 1916, s.v.
● ^ Macclain, Alexia (4 January 2013). "Twelfth Night Traditions: A Cake, a Bean, and a
King -". Smithsonian Libraries. Retrieved 10 January 2018. According to the 1923
Dennison's Christmas Book, "there should be a King and a Queen, chosen by cutting a
cake…" The Twelfth Night Cake has a bean and a pea baked into it. The man who finds
the bean in his slice of cake becomes King for the night while the woman who finds a
pea in her slice of cake becomes Queen for the night.
● ^ Lawrence, Anne (9 December 2016). "Christmas 2016: Twelfth Cake". Reading History.
Retrieved 10 January 2018.
● ^ Dobson, Michael (15 March 2016). "Festivity, dressing up and misrule in Twelfth
Night". British Library. Retrieved 10 January 2018.
● ^ Diary of Samuel Pepys
● ^ Baldock, James (26 December 2016). "Sea swimming, wassailing and minced lamb –
11 fun things you can do between Boxing Day and Twelfth Night". Metro. Retrieved 10
January 2018.
● ^ Ewbank, Anne (5 January 2019). "How £100 Bought an Obscure British Actor 224 Years
of Cake and Fame". Gastro Obscura. Atlas Obscura. Retrieved 5 January 2019.
● ^
 ● Jump up to:
ab
● Layla Eplett (4 March 2014). "Three Men and a Baby: A Brief History of King Cakes".
Scientific American, Blog Network.
● ^ "How to Celebrate Twelfth Night in New Orleans". 2 January 2017. Retrieved 7 January
2017.
● ^ Byrn, Anne (2016). American Cake: From colonial gingerbread to classic layer, the
stories and recipes behind more than 125 of our best-loved cakes. p. 18. ISBN
9781623365431. OCLC 934884678.
● ^ "Randazzo's Camellia City Bakery". Archived from the original on 7 May 2014.
Retrieved 27 February 2017.
● ^
● Jump up to:
ab
● Stanonis, Anthony J.; Wallace, Rachel (2018). "Tasting New Orleans: How the Mardi
Gras King Cake Came to Represent the Crescent City". Southern Cultures. 24 (4): 6–23.
doi:10.1353/scu.2018.0043. S2CID 150226732.
● ^ Gladys L. Knight (2014). Pop Culture Places: An Encyclopedia of Places in American
Popular Culture. p. 568. ISBN 978-0313398827.
● ^ "History". King Cake.
● ^ "History of King Cakes". New Orleans Showcase.
● ^ Gaudet, Marcia (2003). "The New Orleans King Cake in Southwest Louisiana". In
Gaudet, Marcia; McDonald, James C. (eds.). Mardi Gras, Gumbo, and Zydeco: Readings
in Louisiana Culture. Jackson, MS: University Press of Mississippi. pp. 48–57. ISBN 1-
57806-529-1.
● ^ "All Hail the King Cake". Epicurious.
● ^ Johnson, Richard (18 February 2017). "What is that terrifying NBA All-Star mascot in
New Orleans this weekend?". SBNation.com. Retrieved 11 January 2021.
● ^ Hasluck, Margaret M. (1927). "The Basil-Cake of the Greek New Year". Folklore. 38 (2):
143–177. doi:10.1080/0015587X.1927.9718380. JSTOR 1256522.
● ^ Gregory S. Aldrete, Alicia Aldrete, The Long Shadow of Antiquity: What Have the
Greeks and Romans Done for Us?, ISBN 144111663X, p. 84

Bibliography[edit]

● 1991. Tradiciones Mexicanas. Pg 22, 31. Mexico, D.F., Ed. Diana S.A. de
C.V., ISBN 968-13-2203-7
● 1998. Fiestas de México. Pg. 76, Mexico, D.F., Panorama Editorial S.A.
de C.V, ISBN 968-38-0048-3
● Christmas Trivia edited by Jennie Miller Helderman, Mary Caulkins.
Gramercy, 2002
● Marix-Evans, Martin. The Twelve Days of Christmas. Peter Pauper
Press, 2002
● Bowler, Gerry. The World Encyclopedia of Christmas. McClelland &
Stewart, 2004
● Collins, Ace. Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas.
Zondervan, 2003

External links[edit]
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Rosca de Reyes.

● "Bean-King's Festival" . New International Encyclopedia. 1905.

● Martindale, Cyril (1908). "Christmas" . Catholic Encyclopedia. Vol. 3. see
LITURGY AND CUSTOM & Popular merry-making.
● Recipes: Portugal’s Bolo Rei
● EuroMaxx A La Carte Bolo Rei from Portugal recipe
● A State Mandated Christmas Bonus, a blog post by the Law Library of
Congress, makes reference to the Rosca de reyes.

hide

● V
● T
● E

Epiphany

Calen
dar
● Epiphany
○ Epiphany season
■ Ordinary Time
● Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
● Presentation of Jesus at the Temple
● Great Blessing of Waters at Theophany (Eastern Orthodox)
● Epiphany feast days (East Syriac Rite)
● Timkat (Ethiopian Orthodox Church)
● Little Christmas (Julian Calendar)
● Feast of the Transfiguration (Certain Protestants)
Topic
s
● Herod the Great
● Flight into Egypt
● Star of Bethlehem
● Biblical Magi
○ Adoration of the Magi
○ Balthazar
■ San Baltasar
○ Caspar
○ Melchior
● Baptism of the Lord
● Marriage at Cana
Traditi
ons
● King cake
● Epiphany Eve
○ Cavalcade of Magi
● Chalking the door
 ● Pilgrimage to Al-Maghtas
● Badalisc
● La Befana
● Moravian star
● Saint Knut's Day
● Star singers
Hymn
s
● As with Gladness Men of Old
and ● Brightest and Best
● Stern über Bethlehem (Star above Bethlehem)
carols
● The Three Kings
● We Three Kings of Orient Are
● Wie schön leuchtet der Morgenstern (How Lovely Shines the Morning Star)
Noted
works
● Church cantatas for the Feast of Epiphany (and following)
● Orgelbüchlein § Epiphany BWV 616–617

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