In Portugal, what is the traditional Christmas cake called?

In Portugal, the traditional Christmas cake is called Bolo Rei.

Bolo Rei means “king cake” in Portuguese. It is a crown-shaped, ring-like cake with a large central hole, made from soft enriched dough and decorated with candied and dried fruit. Raisins and nuts are commonly mixed into the dough, giving it a festive, fruitcake-like appearance.

The cake is traditionally eaten during the Christmas season, from early December through Epiphany on January 6. Its symbolism connects it with the Three Kings, which explains both the name and the crown-like shape. Older traditions also placed a dried fava bean inside; the person who found it was expected to pay for the next cake.

Bolo Rei is related to France’s gâteau des rois and Spain’s roscón de reyes, but they are not interchangeable names. In Portugal, the cake became popular in the 19th century through Lisbon’s Confeitaria Nacional. A related Portuguese variation, Bolo Rainha, generally emphasizes nuts and dried fruit without the traditional candied-fruit decoration.