The beginning of January was a pretty depressing period for me for a while. It’s the time when we say goodbye to the Christmas tree, the festive decorations, the never-ending lunches, and dinners. The tickling feeling that something wonderful is coming is gone, and we are left with nothing but emptiness. That’s why I was happy when I discovered the “Three Kings cake ” in Switzerland. Thanks to this custom, I can extend the festive season just a tiny bit longer. Although the Three Kings’ Cake or King Cake is not strictly Swiss. It’s known all over Europe but I first tried it here. And since I love to bake, I tested lots of recipes and I think I found the most delicious variation. If you’re not interested in the history of the cake and would like to start baking right away, click here for the Three kings cake recipe.
What is the Three Kings Cake or King Cake?
The Three Kings Cake is eaten on 6 January, the day of the Epiphany. It is one of the oldest Christian celebrations. According to legend, this is the day the wise men arrived in Bethlehem, the day Jesus was baptised, and also the day of the miracle at the Wedding at Cana.
The Three Kings Cake is a popular tradition in many European countries, so it’s not just a Swiss tradition. The local version resembles a flower, topped with a crown made of cardboard or paper. Its pastry is similar to sweet bread and you can find it on the shelves of every Swiss grocery store, bakery, and confectionery at the beginning of January. In Switzerland, they call the King cake “Dreikönigskuchen” in German, “Gâteau des Rois” in French and “la torta dei Re Magi” in Italian.
Why is this cake so special?
The King cake has a bigger round ball of dough in the middle, which is surrounded by 6, 8, or 12 smaller balls of dough. According to tradition, a plastic king figure, or a piece of bean, almond, or even a coin is baked into one of the smaller buns. Whoever finds the hidden little thing can put on a crown and be king or queen for a day. Furthermore, your family members or colleagues have to grant your wishes for one day. The interesting thing about this Swiss custom is that it is thought to have existed already in the Middle Ages. The servant who found the hidden object was free for a day.
Nowadays it’s more like the person who found the hidden lucky charm doesn’t have to do any housework or can have a special wish. The popularity of the cake is reflected in the fact that 1.5 million cakes are sold in Switzerland every year, which is roughly one Three kings cake per household. But let’s see how to prepare the Swiss version of the King cake.
Three kings cake recipe
Ingredients
- 500 g flour
- 1,5 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp sugar
- half a cube of yeast (approx. 20 g, crumbled)
- 80 g butter
- 3 dl milk
Decorations
- 1 bean, almond, or anything else you’s like to hide in the cake (I chose a marble)
- 1 beaten egg
- 2 tablespoons of ground almonds
Instructions
- Mix the flour, salt, sugar, and yeast in a large bowl.
- Add the butter and milk and work into a soft dough.
- Cover and let rise at room temperature for about 1.5 hours until doubled in size.
- Divide the dough into eight portions, and form balls, each weighing about 70 g. At this point, you can hide your lucky charm in one of them (it’s especially important that whatever small items you choose, clean them well before hiding them in the cake).
- Form the remaining dough into a large ball, place on a baking sheet lined with baking paper, press the 8 small balls into a circle, and let rise for another 30 minutes (see gallery above)
- Drizzle with egg, almond slivers, and a little sugar (in Switzerland they have a special big-eyed sugar for this, but I didn’t feel like going to the store just for that, it works well with normal sugar).
- Bake at 180 degrees for 30 minutes (use ‘bottom heat’). And once it has cooled down, you can taste it. Enjoy 🙂
Hungry for more? Check out the undoubtedly best Swiss fondue recipe! And if you have any questions or remarks, don’t hesitate to drop me a line via email, Instagram, or in the comments field.
Sources:
https://www.zora.uzh.ch/id/eprint/49432/1/kuhn_archiv_volkskunde_2009_V.pdf
https://www.badische-zeitung.de/woher-die-tradition-der-dreikoenigskuchen-kommt–132123276.html?mode=in
https://www.watson.ch/schweiz/religion/493174700-warum-wir-den-dreikoenigstag-feiern-und-dreikoenigskuchen-essen
