What Portuguese honey cake is
Portuguese honey cake is known as bolo de mel. It is a dark, spiced, dense cake sweetened with honey or a honey-like syrup, often with nuts and warm spices. It is not a light sponge: it is closer to gingerbread or a Christmas fruitcake in character, and it generally keeps well. Because the name covers several regional cakes, there is no single standard recipe.
Regional versions
- Madeira. The island’s bolo de mel is traditionally made with mel de cana, which is sugar cane molasses rather than bee honey, together with spices, nuts and sometimes citrus. It is tied to the Christmas season, and tradition says it is broken or torn by hand rather than cut with a knife.
- Alentejo. Bolo de mel alentejano is another regional cake, often baked in a loaf or ring shape with honey and spices. Recipes vary by family.
- Home versions. Outside Portugal, bakers often use ordinary honey, sometimes with a little molasses for depth, because cane syrup is hard to find.
Details differ from source to source, so if you need a specific regional recipe, look for one from that region and compare.
What does honey cake taste like?
Expect a deep, sweet, caramel-like flavour with floral notes from the honey, plus warm spice from cinnamon, cloves or fennel depending on the recipe. The crumb is moist and fairly dense rather than airy. The flavour usually improves after a day or two. If you prefer a lighter cake, a Greek sponge cake or a Taiwanese sponge cake will be closer to your taste.
A simple home recipe
This is an adaptable spiced honey loaf inspired by the Portuguese style, not an authentic regional recipe. Adjust spices to taste.
Ingredients
- 250 g plain flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 150 g honey
- 100 g molasses or dark treacle (or use more honey)
- 100 g brown sugar
- 100 ml olive oil or another mild oil
- 2 eggs
- 120 ml warm strong tea, coffee or milk
- 80 g chopped walnuts or almonds (optional)
Method
- Heat the oven to 170°C (340°F). Grease and line a loaf tin of about 900 g size.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, spices and salt together.
- In a second bowl, whisk the honey, molasses, sugar, oil and eggs, then stir in the warm liquid.
- Combine the wet and dry mixtures just until smooth, then fold in the nuts.
- Pour into the tin and bake for about 45 to 55 minutes, until a skewer comes out clean. Tent with foil if the top darkens too fast.
- Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn out. For the best flavour, wrap and rest for a day before slicing.
Because molasses and honey brown quickly, keep an eye on the top. If you want a similar cake with plain honey and a molasses-forward flavour, see our easy molasses cake.
What does adding honey to a cake do?
Honey is a liquid sweetener that attracts and holds moisture, so honey cakes tend to stay soft for longer. It also browns more quickly than white sugar and adds its own flavour. Because it is a liquid and slightly acidic, recipes that rely heavily on honey often include baking soda or reduce other liquids. When swapping honey for sugar in another recipe, results can change, so adjust cautiously and expect some trial and error.
Note that honey should not be given to babies under one year old.
Storage
Wrap the cooled cake well and keep it at room temperature for several days. Dense honey cakes are usually fine for a few days, and many people prefer them after a day of resting. For longer storage, freeze slices wrapped individually.
FAQ
What are the top Portuguese desserts? Commonly mentioned favourites include pastel de nata, arroz doce, pão de ló, leite creme, queijadas and bolo de bolacha.
What makes Madeira cake different? For another dense, spiced cake with fruit and a long keeping time, see our spiced fig cake. English Madeira cake is a plain, firm-crumbed butter cake, often lemon-flavoured, and it is not the same as Madeira island honey cake. The name is believed to come from the Madeira wine it was served with.