Mona de Pascua in Barcelona 2025

Around Easter, "Mona de Pascua" chocolate cakes grace the windows of bakeries and confectionery shops, captivating both children and adults alike. A Catalan tradition, these cakes are beautifully decorated with Easter-themed designs and have the delightful texture of a classic brioche. Made with flour, eggs, sugar, yeast, vanilla sugar, and a pinch of salt, the dough is carefully kneaded and allowed to rest before being baked to perfection in a hot oven for about 20 minutes.

Types of Mona de Pascua

Traditionally, Mona de Pascua was shaped like a doughnut and topped with boiled, colored Easter eggs. Today, however, it is more commonly decorated with chocolate eggs filled with jam. It's also not unusual to see feathers, chickens, and colorful cartoon characters adorn the cake. While the classic mona was usually round, resembling a rosca, modern versions come in various shapes and sizes. Mona Catalane can be filled with chocolate, custard, or jam and often topped with crema catalana.

Locations

In Barcelona, bakeries sell hundreds of thousands of Mona de Pascua during the Easter holidays. One of the best-known pastry shops in the city is L'Escribà, renowned for its Easter window filled with beautifully decorated Monas, located just a stone's throw from La Boqueria market. Another must-visit is Mauri, a pastry shop along the famous Ramblas, where you can enjoy traditional Easter treats.

For a delightful experience in the west of the Gracia district, Bocí offers irresistible preparations that will make your mouth water. If you're a chocolate lover, Oriol Balaguer's boutiques are a must, offering Mona de Pascua creations that are to die for. Lastly, Forn Elias, a historic bakery located about 15 minutes north of the Sagrada Familia, also celebrates Easter by baking delicious brioches, making it a perfect stop for sweet enthusiasts.

Easter Traditions

In Catalonia and Valencia, it is tradition for godparents to give a Mona de Pascua to their godchildren on Easter Sunday, with families enjoying the cake together on Easter Monday, often in the countryside. Traditionally, the number of eggs on the Mona reflected the child’s age, but today, godparents continue the tradition throughout their lives.

Origins

The Mona de Pascua has been mentioned since the 15th century, though the word "mona" originally referred to a female monkey in the 1696 dictionary by Joan Lacavalleria. By 1783, the Royal Spanish Academy described it as a cake baked with eggs, typically eaten at Easter in Catalonia, Valencia, and Murcia. There are different theories about the origin of the name. Some suggest it comes from the Latin word "munda," referring to banners offered to Ceres, or "muna," an Arabic term for a tax in the form of cakes and eggs. Others trace the tradition to ancient Roman or Celtic feasts, where cakes with eggs were shared.