Epiphany is celebrated on January 6, and commemorates the Magi’s visit to the Christ Child. Growing up, our church would celebrate with Epiphany Cakes, which were filled with trinkets signifying different things. A fun way to celebrate the twelve day of Christmas with your kids! (Note: Be careful with small objects; make sure kids know they’re in the cake.)
*Cake recipe adapted from Better Homes and Gardens
*Icing recipe adapted from SavorySweetLife.com
(Note: You can use absolutely any cake you want, just as long as trinkets are added!)
CAKE
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Thoroughly grease/flour a 9 x 13 baking pan (or spray with baking spray.)
In a mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat butter until it’s soft and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Add the sugar in batches, about a fourth at a time. Scrape the sides of the bowl, then mix again until totally combined and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating for 20 seconds on medium after each addition. Add vanilla and mix until combined.
In a separate bowl, stir together flour, baking powder, and salt. Alternate adding the flour mixture with the milk with the mixer on medium-low until all the ingredients have been incorporated. Scrape the sides of the bowl and turn the mixer on high for ten seconds.
Remove bowl from mixer stand and fold in trinkets so that they’re evenly distributed. (Note that you can also tightly wrap trinkets in small pieces of aluminum foil if you prefer.) Use an offset spatula to even out the surface, then bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until cake is just set and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow cake to cool completely before icing.
ICING
In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, whip the butter until totally soft and smooth. Sift together the powdered sugar, cocoa, and salt, then add gradually to the mixer, scraping the sides as you go. (When combined, mixture will be very thick/crumbly.) Drizzle in cream and whip on high until smooth, scraping the sides as you go.
Ice the cooled cake in the pan.
Cut 12 to 16 slices of cake with a serrated knife, being careful not to tear out any trinkets along the way (most of them settle close to the bottom.)
***Be sure to tell everyone that there are trinkets in the cake beforehand so they can watch for them!
Each trinket means different things. Here’s the tradition from my church:
Dime: Wealth
Ring: Church’s blessings
Thimble: Increased industry
Button: Increased spiritual knowledge
Baby: Will know Jesus better
Shoe: Will walk in the ways of the Lord
Bean: King of Epiphany! (And the baker of next year’s cake! Ha.)
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Serves: 10 Level: Easy
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shirlsaw on 1.4.2013
I never knew about all the other trinkets and meanings. My church just would put a foil wrapped quarter in – whoever found that became king.