Mexicans end holiday festivities with 10-tonne cake

Thousands of people in the Mexican capital had a piece of a nearly 10-tonne cake that authorities shared with the public to close out the holiday festivities for 2011.

On Wednesday, the huge ring-shaped cake was placed on the Zocalo, the capital's central square, where pieces were passed out free to anyone who came to the spot.u00a0The project required 5,405 kg of flour, 3,000 kg of butter, 240 kg of yeast, 2,600 kg of sugar, 659 kg of powdered sugar, 33 kg of baking flour and 70 kg of salt.

In addition, 1,200 kg of candied fruit coloured green, white and red -- the colours of the Mexican flag -- were used. More than 2,000 people worked to prepare the cake.u00a0Mayor Marcelo Ebrard was in charge of cutting the cake, which was 720 metres long and cost more than one million pesos (around $71,400) to make.

"This traditional cutting of the cake is aimed at fostering healthy family coexistence but, above all, it allows us to strengthen the city's economy and promote the preservation of more than 35,000 jobs in the baking industry," said Ebrard.u00a0Children, women and the elderly were the first to receive a piece of the cake, along with a glass of milk.

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