For Epiphany, This Cake Lets You Be King for a Day

Thursday is Epiphany, also known as the Twelfth Night. It marks the visit of the wise men (or three kings) and traditionally ends the Christmas season.

In some countries and cultures, this is the day for exchanging gifts. It's also a day when people bless their homes.

Here in Rochester, it's a day for indulging in a Kings' Cake (Galettes des Rois) from  on Main Street.

Give Thanks' version of a Kings' Cake is a puff pastry filled with frangiapane, a creamy almond filling. Hidden inside is a collectible ceramic figure, called a feve, meaning favor in French. If you are lucky enough to find the figure in your piece of cake, all must hail you as king for a day!

Give Thanks Bakery has been offering the Kings' Cake every January since its opening in 1999. One of its original pastry chefs was French and introduced the bakery, and Rochester, to the tradition. The bakery sells 20-30 Kings' Cakes each year. They're also a popular item with French clubs at local high schools.

"It offers another reason to gather family and friends," Theresa Dalton of Give Thanks Bakery said. 

Dalton also shares another part of the tradition: "To keep things honest, the youngest person at the gathering sits under the table and shouts out the name of who each piece of cake should go to," she said.

The cake is available in the store all week in two sizes. An 8-inch cake serves eight-10 people and is $21. A 10-inch cake serves 12-14 people and costs $26.  A 12-inch cake is also available as a special order. You can reserve a cake by calling 248-601-1542.

After this week, Kings' Cakes can be special ordered throughout the rest of January.