View source for King cake

{{Short description|Type of cake associated with Epiphany}}
{{Infobox food
| name = King cake
| image = KingCake.jpg
| caption = Two slices of a Manny Randazzo King Cake, with a plastic infant "King" on top, from Metairie, Louisiana, United States.
| alternate_name =
| country =  Latin Europe 
| region =[[France]], [[Portugal]], [[Spain]], [[Latin America]]
| creator =
| course =
| type = [[Cake]]
| served =
| main_ingredient =
| variations =
| calories =
| other =
| similar_dish = {{hlist | ''[[Jésuite]]'' | [[conversation tart]]}}
}}

A '''king cake''', also known as a '''three kings cake''' or a '''baby cake''', is a [[cake]] associated in many countries with [[Epiphany (holiday)|Epiphany]], the celebration of the [[Twelfth Night (holiday)|Twelfth Night]] after Christmas.<ref name="Okholm2020">{{cite book |last1=Okholm |first1=Trevecca |title=The Grandparenting Effect: Bridging Generations One Story at a Time |date=21 July 2020 |publisher=[[Wipf and Stock Publishers]] |isbn=978-1-7252-5484-8 |page=134 |language=en}}</ref> Traditionally made with [[brioche]] dough, in most cases a {{lang|fr|[[fève]]}} ({{literal translation|[[fava bean]]}}) such as a figurine representing the Christ Child, was hidden inside.<ref name="Barclay2012"/> After the cake is cut, whoever finds the fève in their slice wins a prize.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.neworleansshowcase.com/hisofkincak.html#.U2gQXF5bTwK|title = History of King Cakes|publisher = New Orleans Showcase}}</ref><ref name="Barclay2012">[https://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2012/02/17/147039138/is-that-a-plastic-baby-jesus-in-my-cake Eliza Barclay: ''Is That a Plastic Baby Jesus in My Cake''], [[National Public Radio]] from 2012-2-17(englisch)</ref> In a nod to tradition, a plastic baby figurine is often taped to the packaging of commercially produced cakes. Modern fèves can be made of other materials, but always represent the King or Baby Jesus.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Papadopoulos|first1=Madina|title=A Short History of King Cake's Long History |url=https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2016/02/a-short-history-of-king-cakes-long-history.html?p=2 |website=pastemagazine.com|date=3 February 2016|access-date=23 August 2017}}</ref>

==History==
{{see also|Vasilopita#Origins}}

[[File:Greuze-gâteau des rois.JPG|thumb|''Le gâteau des Rois'', by [[Jean-Baptiste Greuze]], 1774 ([[Musée Fabre]])|upright=1]]

The origin of the cake tradition was popularly believed to be related to the Roman [[Saturnalia]].<ref name="@NatGeoFrance">{{Cite web |last=@NatGeoFrance |date=2022-01-05 |title=Épiphanie : d'où vient la tradition de la galette des rois ? |url=https://www.nationalgeographic.fr/histoire/epiphanie-dou-vient-la-tradition-de-la-galette-des-rois |access-date=2023-02-09 |website=National Geographic |language=fr}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Tout savoir sur la galette des rois - Edélices |url=https://www.edelices.com/medias/tout-savoir-galette-rois#:~:text=Les%20origines%20de%20la%20galette%20des%20rois&text=Elle%20%C3%A9tait%20partag%C3%A9e%20entre%20les,innocente%20les%20parts%20du%20g%C3%A2teau. |access-date=2023-02-09 |website=www.edelices.com}}</ref> For this reason, [[Margaret Hasluck]] disputed the Greek tradition commemorating [[St. Basil]]'s feast day with ''[[Vasilopita#Origins|vasilopita]]'', claiming that both customs had a common origin in the [[Saturnalia]] and ''[[Kronia]]''.<ref>[[Margaret Hasluck]], "The Basil-Cake of the Greek New Year", ''Folklore'' '''38''':2:143 (June 30, 1927) {{JSTOR|1256522}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2015-01-06 |title=L'histoire de la galette des rois et de la fève |url=https://www.lexpress.fr/styles/plaisirs/saveurs/histoire-de-la-galette-des-rois-et-de-la-feve_1637819.html |access-date=2023-02-09 |website=L'Express |language=fr}}</ref> In Christian tradition the cake commemorates the witness of the "[[Biblical Magi|Three Kings]]".<ref>{{cite news |title=So Who Were the Magi—AKA the Three Kings—Who Visited Jesus? |work=The Daily Beast |url=https://www.thedailybeast.com/so-who-were-the-magiaka-the-three-kingsthat-visited-jesus}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last1=Fieldhouse |first1=Paul |title=Food, Feasts and Faith: An Encyclopedia of Food Culture in World Religions |date=2017 |publisher=Bloomsbury}}</ref>

The earliest known reference to a king cake in North America, including a recipe, dates to 1649. An early French settler of [[Port-Royal (Acadia)|Port Royal]], [[Acadia]] (now [[Annapolis Royal]], [[Nova Scotia]]) was required to deliver annually to the [[Lordship of Port-Royal|lord of Port Royal]] and his wife, "on the eve of the Feast of Kings&nbsp;... a round cake made with a quarter bushel of the finest white wheat flour, kneaded with six eggs and half a pound of the freshest butter, with a black bean placed in the cake’s edge&nbsp;... to their château and seigneurial manor at Port Royal."<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Blasi |first=Carol |date=2019 |title=Land Tenure in Acadian Agricultural Settlements, 1604-1755: Cultural Retention and the Emergence of Custom |url=https://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/saint_etienne_de_la_tour_agathe_de_2E.html |journal=ELECTRONIC THESES AND DISSERTATIONS: University of Maine |pages=100}}</ref>

The tradition of the Mardi Gras king cake did not become established until the 20th-century, although the ubiquitous
gold, purple and green sprinkles have been standard decoration since 1872. The cake is usually purchased at a shop. Many holiday foods have rituals and customs connected to the preparation of the food, but the customs of the kings cake mainly revolve around the fève.<ref>{{Cite web| title = The King of Cakes at Mardi Gras| work = Smithsonian Magazine| access-date = 2024-09-10| url = https://www.smithsonianmag.com/arts-culture/the-king-of-cakes-at-mardi-gras-80276085/}}</ref> Sugar was always a big industry in New Orleans, where local bakeries took an active role in turning the cake into a modern cultural icon. Old-fashioned versions of the cake are basically a round braided brioche without filling but these days bakeries try to outdo one another with creative fillings.<ref name=kitchn>{{Cite web| title = I Bake This Delicious King Cake Every Year for Mardi Gras| work = Kitchn| access-date = 2024-09-10| url = https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-a-king-cake-for-mardi-gras-107049}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news| last = Moskin| first = Julia| title = A City Drenched in Sugar| work = The New York Times| date = 29 January 2013| url = https://www.nytimes.com/2013/01/30/dining/king-cakes-abound-in-new-orleans.html}}</ref>

==Regional variants==
===French-speaking countries and regions===
[[File:Galette Frangipane 2021.jpg|thumb|Northern French style ''galette des rois'']]
[[File:Brioche des Rois dsc06781.jpg|thumb|Southern French style ''gâteau des rois'']]

There are two different versions of the French king cake: the ''galette'' and the ''gâteau''. The {{lang|fr|galette des rois}} is a flaky [[puff pastry]] traditionally filled with [[frangipane]]. These days the filling may also be fruit, chocolate or cream-based fillings. It has become a tradition for pastry chefs to create innovative versions of the ''galette'' featuring ingredients like flavored liquors, candied fruits and ganache.<ref>{{Cite web| title = The galette des rois, a very French tradition| work = Consulat général de France à Toronto|url = https://toronto.consulfrance.org/the-galette-des-rois-a-very-french-tradition}}</ref>

The ''gâteau des rois'' associated mainly with the region of [[Provence]] in the south of France is a brioche dough decorated with [[candied fruit]] and coarse sugar.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Mould |first1=Michael |title=The Routledge Dictionary of Cultural References in Modern French |date=2011 |publisher=Routledge |page=17}}</ref>

The Guianan galette (more commonly known as the Creole galette) is a traditional pastry of [[French Guianan cuisine]].  This is a Creole variant of the galette des rois which is eaten as a dessert during [[Epiphany (holiday)|Epiphany]].<ref name="famille">[http://redris.pagesperso-orange.fr/HTML/Le_carnaval_en_Guyane4.htm Le carnaval des familles]</ref> It can be garnished with [[pastry cream | cream]], [[coconut]], [[guava]], etc.  It is consumed throughout the [[Carnival]] period (from the Epiphany until Lent, ending [[Ash Wednesday]]) and preferably accompanied by champagne.{{citation needed|date = November 2021}}

A paper crown is included with purchased cakes to crown the "king" or "queen" who finds the "{{lang|fr|fève}}" or bean, or coin 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.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Philippe |first1=Didier |title=Petit lexique des fêtes religieuses et laïques |date=2003 |publisher=Albin Michel |location=Paris |isbn=978-2-22613-631-2 |page=42}}</ref> When store-bought, the {{lang|fr|fève}} can be a tiny porcelain figurine of a religious character or, nowadays, a figurine referencing pop-culture or popular cartoons.{{Cn|date=January 2024}}

===German-speaking countries===
The German and Swiss ''Dreikönigskuchen'' 'three kings cakes' are shaped like wreathes or rounds, and use an almond as the fève.<ref name="ocf"/>

===Portugal===
Bolo-rei ({{literal translation|king cake}}) is a traditional [[Portugal|Portuguese]] cake eaten from the beginning of December until Epiphany.<ref>[https://www.bbc.co.uk/norfolk/content/articles/2004/12/09/portuguese_christmas_feature.shtml A Portuguese Christmas] Retrieved 12 August 2013</ref> The recipe is derived from the Southern French {{lang|fr|gâteau des rois}}, which found its way to Portugal during the 1800s when ''{{lang|pt|Confeitaria Nacional}}''<ref>[http://www.portugaldailyview.com/whats-new/bolo-rei-the-king-of-portuguese-christmas-cakes Bolo-Rei: The King of Portuguese Christmas Cakes] Retrieved 12 August 2013</ref> opened as the Portuguese monarchy's official bakery in 1829.<ref>[http://www.bbc.com/travel/feature/20120110-the-battle-for-lisbons-best-pastry The Battle for Lisbon’s best pastry] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141114004856/http://www.bbc.com/travel/feature/20120110-the-battle-for-lisbons-best-pastry |date=2014-11-14 }} Retrieved 12 August 2013</ref>

The cake is round with a large hole in the centre,<ref>[http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/andrew-matthews/a-foodies-guide-to-christ_b_2358349.html A Foodie’s Guide to Christmas in Europe] Retrieved 12 August 2013</ref> resembling a crown covered with crystallized and dried fruit.{{Cn|date=January 2024}} It is baked from a soft, white dough, with raisins, various nuts and [[candied fruit|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.<ref>[http://www.portugalproperty.com/news-blog/bolo-rei-portuguese-kings-cake-a-treat-for-your-christmas-table/ Bolo Rei Portuguese Kings Cake – A treat for your Christmas table recipe ] Retrieved 12 August 2013</ref>

===''Roscón de reyes''===
[[File:Roscon_de_Reyes.jpg|thumb|Traditional plain ''roscón de reyes'']]
[[File:Roscón.jpg|thumb|A ''roscón de reyes'' from Castellón with whipped cream]]

The roscón de reyes is eaten in Spain and Latin America. 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, [[common fig|figs]], [[quince]]s, [[cherry|cherries]], or dried and [[candied fruit]]s are often, but not exclusively, used.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|url=https://www.mylatinatable.com/rosca-de-reyes-recipe-kings-day-bread/|title=Rosca de Reyes Recipe (Kings Day Bread)|date=2019-01-04|website=My Latina Table|language=en-US|access-date=2020-01-09}}</ref><ref>Virginia Nylander Ebinger ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=nJsmPnF60W4C&dq=rosca+dough&pg=PA234 Aguinaldos: Christmas customs, music, and foods of the Spanish-speaking countries of the Americas] Sunstone Press, 2008 {{ISBN|978-0-86534-689-5}}, page 234.</ref><ref name="baker"/>

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.<ref>{{Cite book |last= |first= |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eggAAAAAMBAJ&q=rosca+dough.&pg=PA32 |title=Vegetarian Times |date= November 1990|publisher=Active Interest Media, Inc. |language=en}}</ref><ref name="baker">Beth Hensperger  ''[https://books.google.com/books?id=lAIAQpiEKcoC&dq=rosca+dough&pg=PA84 Beth Hensperger's bread made easy: a baker's first bread book]'' Ten Speed Press, 2000 {{ISBN|978-1-58008-112-2}}, page 84</ref>

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 [[Presentation of Jesus at the Temple|Candlemas Day]]<ref>. The name Candlemas is derived from the use of [[candle]]s on liturgical observances, representing the light of Christ presented to the world ({{bibleverse||John|1:9|KJV}}).</ref> or host a party that day.<ref>{{cite web|title=Happy Candlemas! ¡Feliz Día de la Candelaria!|url=http://www.cancunissafe.com/cancun-events/candlemas-cancun-2010-dia-de-la-candelaria-cancun/|work=CancunSafe|publisher=NeuMedia|access-date=2 March 2011|archive-date=8 January 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230108062109/http://www.cancunissafe.com/cancun-events/candlemas-cancun-2010-dia-de-la-candelaria-cancun/|url-status=dead}}</ref>

===United Kingdom===
The Twelfth cake, Twelfth-night cake, or Twelfth-tide cake<ref>[[Oxford English Dictionary]], 1st edition, 1916, ''s.v.''</ref><ref name="ocf">Alan Davidson, ed., ''The Oxford Companion to Food'', 1st ed., {{isbn|0192115790}}, ''s.v.'' 'Twelfth Night cake', p. 814</ref> 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<ref name="Macclain2013">{{cite web|url=https://blog.library.si.edu/2013/01/twelfth-night-traditions-a-cake-a-bean-and-a-king/#.WG2ZgvkrJPY|title=Twelfth Night Traditions: A Cake, a Bean, and a King -|last=Macclain|first=Alexia|date=4 January 2013|publisher=[[Smithsonian Libraries]]|access-date=10 January 2018|quote=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.}}</ref> – also known as the Lord or Lady of Misrule.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://unireadinghistory.com/2016/12/09/christmas-2016-2/|title=Christmas 2016: Twelfth Cake|last=Lawrence|first=Anne|date=9 December 2016|publisher=Reading History|access-date=10 January 2018}}</ref> Earlier, in the time of [[William Shakespeare|Shakespeare]], there was only a [[Lord of Misrule]], chosen by the hidden bean, reflected in Shakespeare's play ''[[Twelfth Night]]''.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bl.uk/shakespeare/articles/festivity-dressing-up-and-misrule-in-twelfth-night/|title=Festivity, dressing up and misrule in ''Twelfth Night''|last=Dobson|first=Michael|date=15 March 2016|publisher=[[British Library]]|access-date=10 January 2018|archive-date=20 December 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221220233634/https://www.bl.uk/shakespeare/articles/festivity-dressing-up-and-misrule-in-twelfth-night|url-status=dead}}</ref>

[[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."<ref>[[s:Diary of Samuel Pepys/1660/January#6th|Diary of Samuel Pepys]]</ref>

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]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://metro.co.uk/2016/12/26/sea-swimming-wassailing-and-minced-lamb-11-fun-things-you-can-do-between-boxing-day-and-twelfth-night-6279152//|title=Sea swimming, wassailing and minced lamb – 11 fun things you can do between Boxing Day and Twelfth Night|last=Baldock|first=James|date=26 Dec 2016|publisher=Metro|access-date=10 January 2018}}</ref> the cake declined in popularity to be replaced by the [[Christmas cake]]. 18th century actor [[Robert Baddeley (actor)|Robert Baddeley]]'s will bequeathed £3 per annum to serve wine, [[punch (drink)|punch]] and a Twelfth Night cake to the performers of the [[Theatre Royal, Drury Lane|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.<ref name="GO">{{cite web |last1=Ewbank |first1=Anne |title=How £100 Bought an Obscure British Actor 224 Years of Cake and Fame |url=https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/baddeley-cake |website=Gastro Obscura |publisher=Atlas Obscura |access-date=5 January 2019 |date=5 January 2019}}</ref>

===United States===
[[File:King Cake Baby.jpg|thumb|Baby figure popularly used in Louisiana (U.S.) king cake|upright=.75]]
In [[Louisiana]] and parts of the [[Gulf Coast of the United States|Gulf Coast]] region historically settled by the French, king cake is associated with [[Mardi Gras]] and is traditionally served from Epiphany until [[Carnival]]<ref name="laylaeplett">{{cite web|url = http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/food-matters/2021/01/07/three-men-and-a-baby-a-brief-history-of-king-cakes/|title = Three Men and a Baby: A Brief History of King Cakes|author = Layla Eplett|work = Scientific American, Blog Network|date = 2014-03-04}}</ref> and recently year-round.<ref>{{cite web|title=How to Celebrate Twelfth Night in New Orleans|date=2 January 2017|url=http://gonola.com/2014/12/26/how-to-celebrate-twelfth-night-in-new-orleans.html|access-date=2017-01-07|language=en-us}}</ref> It may have been introduced by [[Basques|Basque]] settlers in 1718,<ref>{{Cite book|last=Byrn, Anne|title=American Cake: From colonial gingerbread to classic layer, the stories and recipes behind more than 125 of our best-loved cakes|year=2016|isbn=9781623365431|pages=18|oclc=934884678|author-link=Anne Byrn |publisher=Rodale }}</ref> or by the French in 1870.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.kingcakes.com/lagniappe.php|title=Randazzo's Camellia City Bakery|access-date=27 February 2017|archive-date=7 May 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140507002531/https://www.kingcakes.com/lagniappe.php|url-status=dead}}</ref>

It comes in a number of styles. The simplest, 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.<ref name="laylaeplett" /> Cakes may also be filled with [[cream cheese]], [[Praline (nut confection)|praline]], cinnamon, or an assortment of fruit fillings.<ref name="stanonis">{{cite journal |last1=Stanonis |first1=Anthony J. |last2=Wallace |first2=Rachel |title=Tasting New Orleans: How the Mardi Gras King Cake Came to Represent the Crescent City |journal=[[Southern Cultures]] |date=2018 |volume=24 |issue=4 |pages=6–23 |doi=10.1353/scu.2018.0043|s2cid=150226732 }}</ref>

Traditionally, a small plastic baby,<ref>{{cite book|title=Pop Culture Places: An Encyclopedia of Places in American Popular Culture|page=568|author=Gladys L. Knight|isbn=978-0313398827|year=2014|publisher=Bloomsbury Academic }}</ref> symbolizing Jesus, is hidden in the king cake and is a way for residents of Louisiana to celebrate their Christian faith.<ref>{{cite web|title=History|url=http://www.kingcake.com/t-history.aspx|website=King Cake}}</ref> The baby symbolizes luck and prosperity to whoever finds it. That person is also responsible for purchasing next week's cake<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.neworleansshowcase.com/hisofkincak.html#.U2gO915bTwJ|title = History of King Cakes|publisher = New Orleans Showcase}}</ref> or hosting the next Mardi Gras party.<ref name="stanonis" /><ref>{{cite book|last1=Gaudet|first1=Marcia|title=Mardi Gras, Gumbo, and Zydeco: Readings in Louisiana Culture|date=2003|publisher=University Press of Mississippi|isbn=1-57806-529-1|editor1-last=Gaudet|editor1-first=Marcia|location=Jackson, MS|pages=48–57|chapter=The New Orleans King Cake in Southwest Louisiana|editor2-last=McDonald|editor2-first=James C.}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/king-cake-history|title=How King Cake Became Carnival Royalty in New Orleans|work=Epicurious |date=19 December 2022 }}</ref>

In 2009, the [[New Orleans Pelicans]] [[NBA|basketball]] team introduced the King Cake Baby as a seasonal [[mascot]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Johnson |first1=Richard |title=What is that terrifying NBA All-Star mascot in New Orleans this weekend? |url=https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2017/2/18/14655070/king-cake-baby-new-orleans-pelicans-all-star-game-2017 |website=SBNation.com |access-date=11 January 2021 |language=en |date=18 February 2017}}</ref> The [[New Orleans Baby Cakes]] (formerly the Zephyrs) were a [[Triple A (baseball)|AAA]] baseball team that played their final three seasons (2017–2019) with that name before relocating and becoming the [[Wichita Wind Surge]].{{Cn|date=January 2024}}

==Gallery==
<gallery class="center" widths="160px" heights="120px">
File:Bolo Rei.jpg|Portuguese Bolo Rei
File:Roscón de Reyes - Mallorquina.jpg|''{{lang|es|[[Roscón]]}}''
File:Rosca de reyes.jpg|Mexican Rosca de reyes
File:Grosser Dreikönigskuchen.JPG|Dreikönigskuchen in Switzerland
</gallery>

==See also==
{{portal|Food}}
* [[Barmbrack]] – a bread 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 [[List of sweet breads|sweet bread]] served during the Christmas period.

==References==
{{Reflist|30em}}

==Bibliography==
* 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==
{{Commons category|King cake|Rosca de Reyes|Tortell de Reis}}
* {{Cite NIE|wstitle=Bean-King's Festival|short=x}}
* {{CathEncy|wstitle= Christmas |volume= 3 |last= Martindale |first= Cyril |author-link= C. C. Martindale |quote= see LITURGY AND CUSTOM & Popular merry-making.|short=1}}
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20140413012411/http://www.startribune.com/lifestyle/taste/11445691.html Recipes: Portugal’s ''Bolo Rei'']
* [http://www.dw.de/bolo-rei-from-portugal/a-16478915 EuroMaxx A La Carte ''Bolo Rei'' from Portugal recipe]
* [http://blogs.loc.gov/law/2011/12/a-state-mandated-christmas-bonus/ A State Mandated Christmas Bonus], a blog post by the [[Law Library of Congress]], makes reference to the ''{{lang|es|Rosca de reyes}}''.

{{Epiphany|state=expanded}}
{{Cakes}}
{{pastries}}
{{Mexican cuisine}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:King Cake}}
[[Category:Christmas food]]
[[Category:Culture of New Orleans]]
[[Category:Epiphany (holiday)]]
[[Category:Sweet breads]]
[[Category:Yeast breads]]
[[Category:Carnival foods]]
[[Category:Cuisine of New Orleans]]
[[Category:Christmas in Spain]]
[[Category:Christmas in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:French cakes]]
[[Category:Catholic cuisine]]
[[Category:Christmas cakes]]
[[Category:American desserts]]
[[Category:Food for children]]