Sweets and desserts

Bolo preto da Madeira

Dark, dense and spiced cake with cane honey, nuts and candied fruit.

RegionMadeira
DifficultyMedium
Total time1 hour 50 minutes
Yield14 slices
Photo of Bolo preto da Madeira - traditional Portuguese sweet
Photo of the traditional Portuguese recipe.

Editorial content from Empório Portugal. Traditional recipes may vary by region, family and cook.

About the recipe

Bolo preto da Madeira is a dense and aromatic sweet, close to the universe of honey cake, but with its own personality.

Nuts, candied fruit, spices and cane honey create a dark, moist and festive cake.

Ingredients

  • 400 g of flour
  • 250 ml cane honey or molasses
  • 180 g brown sugar
  • 150 g of butter
  • 200 g nuts
  • 150 g candied fruit
  • Cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

Method

  1. Heat cane honey, sugar and butter.
  2. Mix flour, baking soda and spices.
  3. Add the warm syrup to the dry ingredients.
  4. Fold in the nuts and candied fruit.
  5. Transfer to a greased cake tin.
  6. Bake in a medium-low oven until set.

Tips from Empório Portugal

  • The cake improves after resting.
  • A low oven temperature helps prevent it from drying out.
  • Brazilian molasses gives a flavour closer to the original.

Possible substitutions in Brazil

  • Molasses replaces cane honey.
  • Brazil nuts can be included with walnuts.

Pairing

Coffee, black tea or Madeira wine. Content intended for people over 18 years of age. Drink in moderation.

Editorial note from Empório Portugal

This recipe is part of the editorial curation of Empório Portugal, developed from Portuguese culinary tradition. Like every traditional recipe, it may vary by region, family and cook.

Do you have a Portuguese family recipe?

Send it to the Empório Portugal community. Submitted recipes are reviewed before any publication.

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Quick facts

Prep
40 min
Cooking
1 h 10 min
Total time
1 hour 50 minutes
Yield
14 slices
Difficulty
Medium
Occasion
Christmas, Madeiran parties

Pairing

Coffee, black tea or Madeira wine. Content intended for people over 18 years of age. Drink in moderation.

Empório tip

The cake improves after resting.

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