The origin of the honey cake remounts to Madeira‘s “white gold” era. This period began in the 15^th century when Henry the Navigator brought sugar cane from Sicily to plant in Madeira. The island became Europe’s main sugar supplier until the first half of the 16^th century when Brazil took over this role. 

The honey cake recipe has been refined over the years. Despite its name, the cake does not contain honey. It combines flour, yeast, nuts, dried fruit, spices, and Madeira wine with sugar cane molasses, known in Madeira as sugar cane honey. 

The molasses imparts a rich flavor and contributes to a long shelf life–the cake lasts about a year. Historically, these cakes provided sailors with a sweet reminder of home during lengthy sea voyages.

Ringing in the New Year with a slice of Madeira honey cake is a delightful experience.

Below, we share a version of the recipe created by the great Maria de Lurdes Modesto. It takes more than a week to make a Madeira cake. But there’s an easier way to taste this wonderful dessert: visit Madeira in 2024!

We wish you a happy New Year that is as sweet as a Madeira honey cake.

Madeira’s honey cake (recipe by Maria de Lurdes Modesto)

Ingredients

• Wheat Flour: 160g
• Baker’s Yeast: 5g
• Lukewarm Water: 0.25dl
• Lard: 200g
• Butter: 125g
• Cane Honey: 450ml
• Flour: 465g
• Sugar: 250g
• Orange Zest and Juice: From one large orange
• Walnuts (Chopped): 250g
• Almonds (Chopped): 75g
• Fennel Seeds: 10g
• Cinnamon: 20g
• Cloves: 5g
• Sweet Madeira Wine (Bual or Malmsey): 1 tablespoon
• Additional Decorations: Walnuts, citron (optional), almonds
• Grease: For the baking pans

Preparation

Start a day before baking. Prepare the yeast mixture with 160g of wheat flour, 5g of baker’s yeast, and 0.25dl of lukewarm water. Mix well, cover, and leave in a warm, draft-free area.

On the day of baking

Gently melt 200g of lard and 125g of butter in a saucepan. Once melted, add 450ml of cane honey.

Sift 465g of flour with 250g of sugar into a large bowl (traditionally an “alguidar”). Make a well in the center. Pour the prepared yeast mixture into the well. Add the melted fats and honey (which should now be warm) to the well. Start mixing the ingredients. Add the zest and juice of one large orange. Knead well until the dough is smooth and lump-free.

Mix in 250g of chopped walnuts, 75g of almonds, and 12g of citron (called cidrão in Portuguese, it is a citrus fruit often candied and used in cakes like Bolo Rei). Add the spices: 10g of fennel seeds, 20g of cinnamon, and 5g of cloves. Stir in a generous tablespoon of sweet Madeira wine. Knead the mixture thoroughly by hand. Cover the bowl and place it in a warm, draft-free spot.

Let it rest for 2 to 4 days. After the resting period, portion the dough into 250g or 500g amounts, depending on the desired size of the cakes. Use round, shallow, well-greased baking pans without a hole in the center. Decorate the cakes with walnuts, citron (if available), and/or almonds.

Preheat the oven to 190°C (approximately 374°F). Bake for about 30 minutes or until done. Place the baked cakes on wire racks to cool. Once cooled, cover them with a cloth and let them rest for 2 to 3 days. Finally, wrap the cakes in parchment paper and store them in airtight containers.