Bolo de Mel (Madeira Honey and Treacle Cake)
A dark, spiced Madeiran cake of treacle, honey and walnuts that gets better after a few days. Dairy free and egg free.
- Time1 hr 20
- LevelEasy
- Costabout £0.35 a head
- Oven160°C (140°C fan)
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oven to 160°C (140°C fan). Grease and line a 900 g loaf tin.
- 2
Stir the treacle, honey, sugar, oil and warm tea together in a large bowl until the sugar and treacle dissolve.
- 3
Sift in the flour, bicarbonate of soda, baking powder and all the spices. Mix until smooth. The batter will be quite loose.
- 4
Fold in the walnuts and candied peel.
- 5
Pour into the tin and bake for 55 to 60 minutes until risen, and a skewer comes out clean. Cover with foil for the last 15 minutes if it darkens quickly.
55 min - 6
Cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then turn out. Wrap in baking paper and leave for a day if you can for a stickier, deeper flavour.
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.