Kings Cake (Roscón de Reyes)
Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2026 9:26 amFirst of all my apologies. I have been away on family business and unable to post these last weeks.
I took the picture of this handmade cake in Madrid, just before Christmas. The Kings cake is normally eaten in the feast of Epiphany (6th January, when Spanish children get their presents). The day celebrates the arrival of Three Wise Kings to adore Baby Jesus, and marks the end of Christmas. The cake itself dates back to the Roman feast of Saturnalia. The cake had a hidden bean inside and the person who found it was proclaimed king for the day. Later, Christians kept the tradition but changed its meaning to represent the crown of one of the Wise Kings, and the hidden treasure to represent the finding of Baby Jesus. You have to eat it carefully; you don’t want to bite the small figurine or the coin in it. It could mean an urgent visit to the dentist.
Regards
I took the picture of this handmade cake in Madrid, just before Christmas. The Kings cake is normally eaten in the feast of Epiphany (6th January, when Spanish children get their presents). The day celebrates the arrival of Three Wise Kings to adore Baby Jesus, and marks the end of Christmas. The cake itself dates back to the Roman feast of Saturnalia. The cake had a hidden bean inside and the person who found it was proclaimed king for the day. Later, Christians kept the tradition but changed its meaning to represent the crown of one of the Wise Kings, and the hidden treasure to represent the finding of Baby Jesus. You have to eat it carefully; you don’t want to bite the small figurine or the coin in it. It could mean an urgent visit to the dentist.
Regards