Vavó’s Bolo Simples
Bolo Simples·(BOH-loo SEEM-ples)
Doces: Sweet Endings and Coffee Hour
A plain cake cools in a nine-inch pan. Supermarket butter softens. The afternoon slows. In Portugal, cake isn't an extravagant, buttercream-slathered affair reserved for birthdays. It is a daily requirement, served unadorned alongside a cup of strong coffee during the afternoon lanche. This is the everyday 'cake of nothing' baked by home bakers across the diaspora. It relies on a simple, brilliant trick: cutting standard American flour with cornstarch to mimic the soft, low-protein wheat of the homeland. Brew the coffee while the crust cools, then cut a thick wedge.
Before you start
Preheat the oven and prep the pan.
Preheat your oven to 350°F and generously grease a 9-inch or 10-inch tube pan with butter, dusting it lightly with flour and tapping out the excess.
Sift the dry ingredients.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt to aerate and distribute the leavening evenly.
Ingredients
- all-purpose flour1 1/2 cup
- cornstarch1/2 cup
- baking powder1 tbsp
- kosher salt1/4 tsp
- granulated sugar1 1/2 cup
- large lemon1 large
- large eggs4 large
- neutral vegetable oil1/2 cup
- unsalted butter4 tbsp
- pure vanilla extract1 tsp
- whole milk1 cup
Method
- 01
Aromatize the sugar.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the granulated sugar and the fresh lemon zest. Using your fingertips, rub the zest firmly into the sugar until it is fragrant, moist, and slightly yellow, extracting the volatile lemon oils directly into the sugar crystals.
- 02
Whip the eggs to the ribbon stage.
Add the eggs to the lemon-sugar mixture and beat on medium-high speed for 3 to 5 minutes until the mixture transforms into a thick, pale, voluminous cream.
- 03
Emulsify the fats and liquids.
Lower the mixer speed, then slowly drizzle in the oil, melted butter, and vanilla extract, mixing just until incorporated. Add the whole milk and mix briefly on low speed until the batter is smooth.
- 04
Fold in the dry ingredients.
Put the electric mixer away and add the sifted dry ingredients in two additions, using a silicone spatula to gently fold the batter just until no streaks of dry flour remain.
- 05
Bake the cake.
Pour the batter into the prepared tube pan, tapping it gently on the counter once to release any large air bubbles, and bake on the center rack for 35 to 45 minutes until golden brown.
- 06
Cool and serve.
Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes before inverting it onto a serving plate, serving it unadorned alongside a strong cup of coffee.
Notes
The Flour Hack.
American all-purpose flour has a higher protein content than European cake flours. Cutting it with pure cornstarch inhibits gluten formation, guaranteeing the tender, authentically Portuguese 'fofinho' crumb without needing specialty imports.
The Proper Mold.
Resist the urge to use a standard 9x13 pan. A traditional ring pan conducts heat to the center of the batter, ensuring this moist cake bakes quickly and evenly while providing the nostalgic visual essential to the dish.
Pantry Flexibility.
If you are out of butter, substitute it entirely with an equal measure of oil, which is a common practice in rural Portugal. The combination of both in this recipe simply provides the best of both worlds: superior flavor from the butter and lasting moisture from the oil.