🇨🇻 Cape Verdean Cuisine

Bolo de Mel

Honey Cake

Prep Time 20 min

Servings 10

Difficulty Medium

Calories 327 kcal

A dense, aromatic Cape Verdean honey cake spiced with cinnamon, cloves, and citrus zest, traditionally baked for holidays and celebrations.

Ingredients

300g all-purpose flour
200g brown sugar
150g honey
120g butter, softened
3 eggs
100ml milk
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
Zest of 1 orange
Zest of 1 lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1 Preheat oven to 170°C (340°F). Grease and flour a bundt pan.
2 Cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time.
3 Warm honey slightly and add to the batter along with vanilla.
4 Sift flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and cloves. Fold into batter alternating with milk.
5 Stir in orange and lemon zest. Pour batter into prepared pan.
6 Bake 45-50 min until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 min before turning out.

Did You Know?

On the island of Santo Antão, families compete to see who makes the best bolo de mel each Christmas, with recipes guarded as closely as family secrets.