Roscón de Reyes Recipe (Spanish Kings' Cake) (2024)

This once-a-year dessert is made of an oval-shaped sweet yeasted bread, similar to brioche. It can be served plain, but most often you'll see it sliced in half and sandwiching a layer of sweet whipped cream--perhaps even with chocolate whipped cream!

The bread itself is topped with candied fruits, dried dates, and anything else sweet and colorful. The bread is said to represent the crowns worn by the kings who visited the baby Jesus and gave Him precious gifts.

Roscón de reyes is a round, donut-shaped sweet yeast bread served on Epiphany, or Día de Los Reyes (January 6). The dough is flavored with orange blossom water or orange zest, the top is decorated with candied fruit, and is often filled with whipped cream.

This tradition dates back to the Roman winter solstice celebration of Saturnalia, during which a similar cake would be served. Whoever found the hidden treat inside would be dubbed the king of the festival and treated like royalty. Over time, the cake's popularity spread, and now it's a popular Christmas tradition for families in Spain, France, and Latin America.

A small baby Jesus figurine is hidden in the dough, and whoever finds it in their slice is king for the day! According to tradition, finding the bean gives you wealth or good luck in the new year.

If you bite down on the fava bean, you're the one who will bring the roscón to next year's party!

5 from 9 votes

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Spanish

Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Resting Time: 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 3 hours hours 15 minutes minutes

Author: Lauren Aloise

• ▢ 4 cups all-purpose flour or bread flour
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ 2 ½ teaspoons active dry yeast or instant yeast
• ▢ ⅓ cup milk warmed
• ▢ ⅓ cup water warmed
• ▢ 6 tablespoons butter at room temperature
• ▢ ⅓ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ zest of 1 large orange
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 1 tablespoon brandy or rum
• ▢ 1 egg white
• ▢ 2 cups assorted candied fruit such as citrus peel, glacé cherries, dates, figs, or nuts

Making the Dough

• Sift the flour and salt into a large mixing bowl, then make a well in the middle.

• Warm the milk and water to around 115°F (46°C), then stir the yeast into the liquids until it's dissolved. Pour it into the well in the dry ingredients and mix a little of the flour into the liquid to create a thick batter. Sprinkle a little flour on top, cover, and let it rest until the batter is spongy, about 15 minutes.

• While the dough is resting, cream the butter and sugar together until it's smooth and creamy.

• Once the dough is spongy, add the eggs, brandy, orange rind, and a splash of water to it. Mix until the dough is elastic and a little sticky, then mix in the creamed butter and sugar until the dough is smooth.

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• Shape the dough into a ball, place in a large bowl, and cover with oiled plastic wrap. Set it in a warm, draft-free place to rise until it's doubled in size, about 1-2 hours.

• While the dough rises, grease a large baking sheet for later use.

Shaping the Roscón

• Once the dough has doubled, punch it down and place it on a lightly floured work surface. Knead the dough for 2-3 minutes, then roll it out into a large rectangle measuring roughly 2 feet long by 6 inches wide (60x15 cm).

• Roll up the dough from one of the long sides to create a log shape, pinching the seam to seal. Squeeze the ends together tightly to create a wreath or donut shape, then place it on a greased baking sheet. Hide a bean or ceramic baby Jesus figurine inside the roscón now if desired.

• Cover the bread with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place until nearly doubled in size, about 1 hour.

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Decorating & Baking

• Once the dough has risen, lightly beat the egg white and brush the bread with it. Decorate the roscón with the candied or dried fruits, pushing them gently into the bread so they do not fall off while it is baking.

• Bake the bread until it's golden brown and has a minimum internal temperature of 190°F (88°C). Let it cool completely on a wire rack, about 1 hour.

• Slice the roscón and serve with Spanish hot chocolate. Leftovers can be frozen for up to 1 month.

• For a higher rise and chewier texture, try using bread flour instead of plain, all-purpose flour.
• Knead the dough until it passes the windowpane test to make sure it will rise well and have a good texture.
• Warm the liquids in the dough to around 115°F (46°C) for best results. Having the liquid too hot will kill the yeast.
• Create a warm, humid, and draft-free spot to let the dough rise by placing the dough in a cold oven with a pan of boiling water on a shelf beneath the dough.
• Want to add the traditional whipped cream filling? Let the roscón cool completely (about 1 hour), then slice it in half horizontally and pipe the cream inside.