It is a sweet bread dough with candied fruits, which represent gold, myrrh and frankincense.

Traditionally, it contained a dried broad bean and a small ornament, or a gift hidden inside. Just as the Three Kings brought gifts to baby Jesus, their cake also contained a little gift, which is where the symbolism comes from. The traditional Bolo Rei has changed a lot over the past 30 years. Older generations still remember that when the cake was cut, the person who found the little gift was believed to have good luck for the year ahead, while the person who found the broad bean was expected to buy a new cake the following year. To avoid the risk of a broken tooth, this tradition changed, but Bolo Rei remains a popular festive cake.

This year in Loulé, the Three Kings Day was celebrated with a 150-metre-long Bolo Rei, shared with the public. Made with hundreds of kilos of flour, sugar, eggs and fruit, it marked the final of Christmas festivities.