One of the most popular traditions in January is celebrating Epiphany with a delicious cake. Epiphany is also known as the Feast of Epiphany or Epiphany. An intriguing part of this celebration is the custom of baking special cakes, often with a surprise hidden inside. Let’s take a closer look at the origins of this tradition of baking Epiphany cakes.
The Christian tradition
Epiphany, on 6 January, according to Christian tradition, marks the day when the three wise men from the east, also known as the Three Kings or the Magi, arrived at the stable in Bethlehem to worship Jesus Christ. This event is known as Epiphany, which means ‘revelation’ and refers to the moment when Jesus was shown to the world as the Son of God.
No Epiphany without cake
One of the most striking features of typical cakes is the presence of a surprise inside, often in the form of a small figure, bean, or other symbol. This object represents the baby Jesus or the wise men and symbolises their search and finding the divine child. Did you know that in some cultures, finding the surprise inside the cake is seen as a sign of good luck and prosperity?
In different countries, people make Epiphany cakes in different ways. In France, for example, it is the ‘Galette des Rois’. It is a buttery puff pastry cake filled with frangipane (an almond filling). In Spain, the ‘Roscon de Reyes’ takes centre stage, a ring-shaped cake decorated with candied fruit and sugar. In Belgium and the Netherlands, the Epiphany cake is sometimes a soft bread-like cake with sultanas.
Go for a playful and cheerful atmosphere
The tradition of sharing these cakes is also a social event. Family and friends do not just gather on Epiphany to eat the cake. They also do so to enjoy each other’s company. Cutting the cake is often done in a special way: the youngest person in the party crawls under the table and points to who gets each piece of cake. This creates a playful and happy atmosphere during the party.