The King’s Cake, called in Spain Roscón de Reyes Magos, is the typical dessert that marks Epiphany for Spaniards. It is prepared only on this day, which is the most celebrated for children because the Magi bring them Christmas gifts. It is a sweet brioche ring decorated on the surface with candied fruit representing the gems that adorned the Kings’ robes, sugar sprinkles, and sliced almonds. Traditionally, a surprise as a good luck charm and a bean were hidden inside the cake to make the person who found it pay for the cake.
Recipe from 01/01/2017 updated
Other Christmas recipes
- Difficulty: Easy
- Cost: Affordable
- Rest time: 6 Hours
- Preparation time: 30 Minutes
- Portions: 8
- Cooking methods: Electric oven
- Cuisine: Spanish
- Seasonality: Christmas, Epiphany
- Energy 393.00 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 63.48 (g) of which sugars 29.47 (g)
- Proteins 8.60 (g)
- Fat 12.67 (g) of which saturated 6.42 (g)of which unsaturated 3.96 (g)
- Fibers 1.75 (g)
- Sodium 68.29 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 103 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients
- 13 1/2 oz all-purpose flour (sifted)
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 2 tsp fresh yeast
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 6 tbsp butter (softened)
- 1 egg (medium)
- 2 tsp rum
- 1 vial orange essence (or grated orange zest)
- 1/4 tsp fine salt
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tsp whole milk
- 1 1/2 oz candied orange peel
- 1 1/2 oz candied citron
- 1 oz sugar sprinkles
- 1 oz sliced almonds
Tools
- Cake Pan non-stick round springform pan 9.5 inches in diameter
- Stand Mixer
- Cling Film
- Brush
- Bowl
- Kitchen Scale
Steps
Dissolve the yeast in lukewarm milk, let it rest for 10 minutes. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, place the sifted flour, sugar, and milk with yeast.
Continue by adding the rum, orange essence or if preferred, the grated zest of half an untreated orange, salt, softened butter bit by bit, and the egg. Knead for 15 minutes (occasionally stopping the mixer to prevent overheating), switch from the paddle to the dough hook and continue kneading for another 15 minutes until it pulls away from the sides. Grease a bowl with butter, take the dough with greased hands, and shape it into a ball.
Place the dough in the bowl, cover it with cling film, and let it rise for 4 hours in an off oven with the light on. Take the dough, place it in a greased mold shaping it into a ring, brush the surface with a beaten yolk thinned with milk, decorate with candied fruit, sliced almonds, and sugar sprinkles, and let it rest covered for another 2 hours. Preheat the oven to 338°F in static mode and place a small bowl with water in the lower part of the oven to release moisture.
Once the oven reaches temperature, bake it at mid-height for 30 minutes checking the cooking. Remove from oven and let cool the King’s Cake. In the modern recipe, it can be sliced open and filled with whipped cream or custard, but it is delicious even as is, accompanied by a cup of hot chocolate!
Storage
The King’s Cake should be stored under a glass dome and consumed within 4-5 days
