ARCHIVED - Winning 10,000 euros is a piece of cake at this patisserie in León!

The traditional Roscón de Reyes cake will provide a special Three Kings Day for one lucky customer

In recent years the tradition of concealing gifts or money in the Roscón de Reyes cake which is eaten by Spaniards every year on Three Kings Day has been elevated to a higher level by a patisserie in the town of La Bañeza, in the province of León, and this festive season, as has been the case for the last two years, one of the Roscones they produce will contain a voucher for 10,000 euros.

Manuel González of Confitería Conrado explains that only the person who inserts the voucher into the winning box is aware of whether it corresponds to a standard or cream-filled roscón, and that the winning cake could be any of those which first went on sale this Christmas on 26^th December. Should the prize not be claimed, he adds, the money will be distributed to charity organizations.

The tradition at this patisserie began during the economic crisis of the first decade of the millennium, when a 500-euro voucher was the first significant prize on offer, and the amounts have increased steadily over the last decade. So great is the interest generated by the scheme that online sales have soared, and cakes are now delivered as far afield as northern Europe and China!

As well as placing La Bañeza on the map, the initiative has also been good for business, and this year it is expected that Confitería Conrado will sell at least 12,000 roscones to customers hoping to emulate last year’s winners, María del Carmen Pérez and Eduardo Nuñez.

All images: Confitería Conrado (Facebook)