By Mary O’KEEFE

Betty Porto and her team at Porto’s Bakery are known for their baked goods, sandwiches, salads and, of course, those amazing potato balls, but a few weeks ago they did something they had never done before – created the largest ever rosca de reyes.

“We wanted to do this,” said Porto. “It’s something that no one had done before.”

She spoke to her staff and they all were on board with the idea.

“They thought it would be cool to do something like this,” she added.

The rosca de reyes is a ring-shaped sweet bread with dried and candied fruits that is traditionally enjoyed on Three Kings Day. The day celebrates the Three Wise Men visiting baby Jesus to share their gifts. Bakers commemorate this occasion by baking a toy baby Jesus into the cake.

Traditionally, whoever finds the baby in their piece of cake is to host the next party, Porto said.

“It’s all about family,” she said.

The celebration is one of the most cherished holiday traditions in the Latino community and is a time for family and children to receive gifts.

“Santa Claus is not the one who brings toys,” Porto said of her culture’s traditions. “It’s the Three Wise Men.”

Porto’s Bakery was contacted by representatives from the California Milk Processor Board, creators of the iconic “got milk?” and the Toma Leche campaigns, to take on the challenge of baking the large cake. When completed, the cake measured about 24 feet by 2.5 feet. It took 60 pounds of flour, 70 eggs, 12 pounds of sugar, a gallon and a quarter of whole milk and 18 pounds of butter to create 125 pounds of dough.

“It took 14 hours to put it together,” Porto said. “It was baked in pieces.”

The initial meeting between a representative with the California Milk Processor Board and Tony Salazar, Porto’s top chef, went well. Salazar and the staff were excited about the challenge. He took on the baking and Porto reached out to the community.

“We decided to divide and conquer,” she said.

The cake was shared with patrons and guests at Porto’s Bakery in Downey.

“Tony thought it was going to be fun, something that had never been done before,” Porto added.

It turned out to be fun for everyone involved, including all the employees who were able to share in the celebration.

In addition to the baby Jesus in the cake, Salazar baked in gold coins. Everyone who found a coin was given a gift and, for the celebration, the person who found the baby received a grand prize.

“The California Milk Processor Board knows the value and importance that we as Californians place on our roots and traditional values,” said Steve James, executive director of the Board. “We’re pleased that milk continues to have a featured place at the table during these special occasions and year-round. After all, the holidays are better when celebrated with a sweet treat and a glass of milk.”

  Mary Okeefe