Sofitel celebrates the season with free King Cake--and prizes!

Josh Thompson/Flickr

Recognize this ring?

Here's one tradition Minnesotans aren't celebrating nearly enough: "Twelfth Night," which marks the day when the Three Kings arrived in Bethlehem bearing gifts for baby Jesus, and which the French honor by digging into a Galette des Rois, or Cake of the Kings.

The tradition dates back to the Middle Ages and involves hiding a charm in the cake--and crowning the finder "King" or "Queen" for the day and giving them special privileges.

This Thursday, Sofitel Minneapolis's bakery Le Petit Marché in Bloomington will celebrate the occasion by offering a free sample of King's Cake between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. Several "charms" will be hidden in pieces of cake, and those who find them can win everything from free bakery items to the grand prize, which includes one free night in a Sofitel presidential suite along with dinner and breakfast for two at Sofitel's French restaurant Colette Bar & Bistro. Sweet!