Let them eat cake: Torre del Mar says thanks to its holidaymakers with lighthouse-themed giant treat

While some Spanish hotspots grumble about visitor numbers, Torre del Mar on the eastern Costa del Sol takes a different approach. Locals here roll out a proper thank-you each summer, and this year’s edition of Tourist Day delivers one of the biggest free desserts around.

. Chef Roberto Soler from Escuela de Cocina Sabores is once again behind the creation, a rectangular beauty measuring nearly six square metres. This eighth outing of the event draws its inspiration straight from the town’s seafaring past and the story of its lighthouses.

Cake details that will have queues forming

Soler has gone big on quantities to keep everyone happy. Expect 100 sheets of white sponge cake that would stretch 60 metres if laid end to end, around 350 litres of plant-based cream, 50 litres of spiced syrup for moisture, 60 kilos of speculoos (biscuit) cream and another 15 kilos of crushed speculoos biscuits in the filling. Decoration calls for roughly 80 kilos of fondant, with oversized figures, edible earth and a creamy “sea” taking centre stage as the design returns to the style of the earliest maritime cakes.

Why lighthouses?

Torre del Mar is unusual in having three surviving lighthouses from a history that once included five. The current blue-and-white striped one still guides vessels, while older structures remain as reminders of how the coastline and the town itself have changed. Tying the cake to that heritage gives the evening a distinctly local flavour other than just the free pudding.

A well-established summer tradition

This annual gathering has become one of the dates people look forward to most in Torre del Mar’s summer programme. It is the town’s straightforward way of thanking the visitors who keep the place buzzing and help turn it into the successful destination it is today. Free cake, sea air and a bit of history make for an easy evening out for families, couples and solo travellers alike.

Bring an appetite and arrive a little early if you want a good spot near the lighthouse. Torre del Mar is once again proving that saying thank you can taste pretty sweet.