Portugal at Easter - Sponge cake (Pão de ló)
Well, we are in lockdown and a “Sate of Emergency” here in Portugal, the government reacted fast and seem to be coping well in terms of health care and not overwhelming the wonderful hospital care workers here. Of course, time will tell, but the citizens of Portugal all seem to be taking this in their stride, adhering to the regulations and acting calmly, its amazing and very humbling to see!
The Easter Weekend is here and our weather is not quite as lovely as in the UK, its very warm, yesterday was 24 degrees but its damp and a bit rainy at times, although today has been fine. My Birthday is always sometime over the Easter Break and this year just happens to fall on Easter Sunday - tomorrow, so I decided to make myself a Birthday cake using a traditional Easter cake recipe from Portugal and my Mums gorgeous ceramic bowls. I have always wanted to try this fatless cake recipe, its simple and quick. When shopping over the last few years I have always been a bit put off by the look of the commercial Pão de ló cakes available, they always look a bit collapsed, damp and brown - very unappetising. So I took the plunge, found an authentic recipe in my ancient Portuguese recipe book and made one!
The ingredients are so simple, fine sugar, very little flour, our own eggs, 6 of them!, I included 2 small duck eggs, flaked almonds and our own lemon rind.
It came together really fast using my lovely Kitchen Aid mixer, I wish I had timed it for you! The ESSE was at temperature and did not get too hot, all went well and when the cake came out the smell was amazing! The recipe I used said to try a warm slice so, greedy me (well it was my Birthday cake), I cut it right away! Lovely, light and lemony - so yellow inside from the egg yolks - with a slightly caramelised, soft skin. Absolutely gorgeous! Im going to put the recipe up on the website right now, its easy to make, its so light you could almost kid yourself that it’s a healthy cake!!
Let me know what you think - Especially if you try the recipe.
HAPPY EASTER to you all, Love to all our family members, Stay home, stay healthy and happy. With much love from Ish and Rik at Quinta do Cobral.
Leave a comment below to let me know what you think? have you tried the recipe? and, did you like it? I would LOVE to know XXX