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Learn To Make Traditional Mexican Cake – The Roscón De Reyes

ByElizabeth Smith Last updated

The trick to being where things happen is: getting out where things happen. I can’t believe our knack for finding interesting things when we’re out is because we’re lucky and, in fact, there’s a small part of me that cringes as I imagine all the things I’ve missed when I wasn’t out! 

Talk about FOMO! (The Fear of Missing Out)

When we arrive in a new area, we try to make connections with people who have kids. Usually, our source for that is expat families but this time we were pleased to befriend a bi-cultural family. A Minnesotan man and Mexican woman welcomed us into their beautiful home and it just so happened to be El Día de Los Tres Reyes Magos. 

The Day of the Three Wise Magi is on the day of Epiphany and is a celebration of the day the wise men arrived carrying gifts for the young Savior. Children traditionally put their shoes by the Christmas tree or the window in order to see what gifts the Magi will bring them in remembrance of how the Magi brought gifts for Jesus. 

That morning our friends’ kids had received their presents, like a second Santa coming. But while we were visiting, our hostess vanished for a moment and reappeared with a massive wreath of bread. “We’re lucky,” she said a little breathless from her quick errand across the street. “This was the last one they had!” 

Translated as “wreath of kings”, this massive pastry was a Roscón de Reyes, a traditional treat for El Día de Los Tres Reyes Magos. The dish has several plastic baby Jesus figures baked inside and the lucky ones who find the Jesus figure get to provide the tamales for Candlemas Day on February 2nd. 

We sliced the wreath open and it was so delicious that I knew I needed to share the recipe!

The traditional Mexican recipe is not filled, but this particular treat had a frangipane filling. Not to be confused with the tropical flower, frangipane is a French almond filling that is found in many dishes, including the galette des rois, or king’s cake. King’s cake is the traditional French dish for Epiphany! So it’s a multicultural dish that is amazing.  

And without further adieu, here’s how to make the

Roscón de Reyes Cake

For this recipe, we’re going to make a dough, fill it with frangipane, form it into a wreath, and top it with decorative powdered sugar paste and other toppings. 

For The Dough:

Ingredients:

  • 2 ½ c unbleached all-purpose flour
    (+½ c flour held)
  • ⅓ c sugar
  • 1 Tbsp active dry yeast
  • ½ c milk, warmed
  • 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
  • 1 large orange, zested
  • 1 Tbsp orange blossom water
  • 1 Tbsp dark rum (optional)
  • 4 Tbsp butter, softened 
  • ½ tsp salt

Steps:

  1. Gently whisk together the sugar, warmed milk, and dry yeast into a bowl. Set it aside until the yeast starts to bloom. Approximately 5 minutes. 
  2. Meanwhile, combine the dry ingredients (only 2 ½ c of flour) in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another. 
  3. When the yeast is blooming, mix that with the wet ingredients and combine with dry ingredients to form a dough. Add flour as needed but don’t be too generous because more flour makes for a drier bread. 
  4. Knead for 15-20 minutes until the dough is smooth. 
  5. Cover with a damp towel and leave the bread in a warm place to rise until doubled in size. Approximately 2-3 hours.

Meanwhile,

For the Frangipane:

This has raw egg and so needs to be cooked before consuming. It will be cooked with the bread. 

Ingredients:

  • 3 tablespoons butter (softened)
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup ground almond meal or ground almonds
  • 1 egg, room temperature
  • 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour

Steps:

  1. Cream the butter and sugar together until smooth. 
  2. Mix in the almond meal until smooth. 
  3. Add the room temperature egg and vanilla and incorporate. Add the flour and mix well.
  4. Combine the ingredients

Filling the Dough

Steps:

  1. When the bread has finished rising, roll it out to 6 inches wide 2 feet long. 
  2. Spoon the frangipane onto the dough and spread it out evenly. 
  3. Fold over the dough to make it 3 in by 2 feet.  
  4. Pinch together the edges and bring together the ends, with the pinched edges toward the inside, so a wreath is formed. 
  5. Place the wreath onto a greased pan and cover with a damp towel for 1 hour. 

Meanwhile,

Powdered Sugar Paste:

Ingredients:

  • 1 egg yolk
  • ¾ c of all-purpose flour
  • 6 Tbsp butter
  • ½ c of powdered sugar

Steps:

  1. Mix these ingredients together to form a paste. This paste can be decoratively arranged on the surface of the wreath. 

Toppings: 

Ingredients:

  • Candied orange peels and apricots
  • Crush almonds
  • 1 egg beaten for glazing the bread
  • 1 tablespoon milk 
  • White sugar to sprinkle on top of the bread
  • 2 or 3 plastic baby dolls

Bake it!

Steps:

  1. Whisk together the egg and milk and brush the top of the wreath with the egg wash. 
  2. Use the powdered sugar paste, dried fruit, and crushed almonds to decorate the top of the wreath. 
  3. Sprinkle with white sugar. 
  4. Bake for 20 mins until lightly golden brown. 
  5. Let cool on a wire rack. 
  6. From the underside, push the plastic baby dolls into random locations in the wreath. 

Set on a serving plate and enjoy. 

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