In 1901, the Portuguese royal family embarked on a visit to the island of Madeira and Azores. The event was a great honor for the local populations but presented them with a difficult problem: how do you choose a gift for monarchs who have everything?
The Azores Terceira island offered queen Dona Amélia a new cake made with local ingredients: corn flower, raisins, sugar cane molasses, and cinnamon. The queen enjoyed it so much that the new creation became known as the Dona Amélia cake.
More than a century later, the cake continues to be popular in the Terceira island and for a good reason. We loved the Donas Amélias we tried at O Forno, a great pastry store in downtown Angra do Heroism.
The ability of royalty to inspire the delicious Donas Amélias makes us wonder whether we should restore the monarchy.
O Forno is located on Rua São João in Angra do Heroismo, Terceira, Azores, tel. 295 213 729.
Salt of Portugal 
nunca provei, talvez para a próxima vez nos Açores! 🙂
Vale muito a pena!
That sounds delightful. Thank you.
Reblogged this on The Portugal Years and commented:
A great sweet!
This is the island my Mom is from- I’ve visited a few times and had this delicious treat. Yum!
Bought a packet of these cakes in Lisbon in the Açores shop in Baixa, opened on my return home. Delightful, carries the complex flavour of molasses with a pleasant cinnamon edge and no overpowering sweetness, with a firm but yielding texture.
They are indeed a royal treat!