Bolo Rei (Portuguese Christmas Kings Cake)
A lightly spiced, fluffy Christmas cake filled with fruit and nuts. A speciality in Portugal, Bolo Rei or Portuguese Kings Cake, is super easy to bake at home, so get ready to make your Kings Cake "crown" this holiday season!
Servings 1 Cake
Calories 3544kcal
Cost $10
Ingredients
- 3 cups plain flour / all purpose flour
- 2 tbsp dried yeast (around 14g dried yeast)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 75 g butter softened
- 2 eggs
- 1 egg whisked - for basting
- Pinch salt
- lemon zest from 1 lemon
- 100 ml warm milk
- 100 ml port wine or brandy or sweet sherry
- 80 g candied or dried fruit chopped for filling, sultanas okay
- 50 g mixed nuts unsalted and chopped (walnuts, almonds, pine nuts)
Garnish
- 50 g dried fruit slices
- 30 g mixed nuts unsalted and halved (walnuts, almonds, pine nuts)
- Sprinkle icing sugar / powdered sugar
- 1 tsp strawberry jam (jelly)
- 2 tsp hot water
Instructions
- Place the chopped candied fruit and raisins in a bowl with the port to infuse.100 ml port wine, 80 g candied or dried fruit
- Mix the yeast with warm milk and let rest in a warm place for 5-10 minutes until slightly frothy on top.2 tbsp dried yeast, 100 ml warm milk
- In a large bowl, mix the flour, sugar, lemon zest, butter, whole eggs and salt. Then pour in the yeast milk and knead together.3 cups plain flour / all purpose flour, 75 g butter, 2 eggs, Pinch salt, lemon zest, 1/2 cup sugar
- Once mixed, add in the port and fruits mixture and the chopped nuts. Knead together until well combined.50 g mixed nuts
- Mould the dough to be rounded or in a ball shape within the bowl, scraping down the edges and slightly sprinkle with flour before covering it over with cling wrap and a cloth. Allow to rise to double the size. This should take around 1.5 hours, depending on your climate.
- Line a baking tray with paper and a light sprinkling of flour. Place the dough onto the tray, forming a ring or "crown", without handling the dough too much. Place a cup or dish in the centre to keep the ring from closing up. Allow to rise for another 30min - 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 180°c.
- Baste with whisked egg and garnish with remaining nuts, dried fruit slices and icing sugar.1 egg, 50 g dried fruit slices, Sprinkle icing sugar / powdered sugar, 30 g mixed nuts
- Pop in the oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes.
- Optional: Brush the top with the jam and hot water mix to add a finishing shine before serving.1 tsp strawberry jam, 2 tsp hot water
Notes
Tips to get this recipe just right:
- The Wreath Shape: Place a bowl or cup in the middle ring to prevent the hole from closing while baking.
- Presentation: Sprinkle extra icing sugar over a slice when serving to make it look extra special and add just a little extra sweetness with every bite.
- Making in Advance: You can make this one or two days in advance (especially if you wanted to have it on Christmas Day). The best way to store the cake is in a sealed container to keep the cake from drying out. If it does feel a little dry, pop it in the microwave for 10 seconds a slice or 30-45 seconds for the whole cake.
- Freezing: Once it's cooked and cooled, if you won't eat it in the next 3-4 days, pop it in the freezer and store for 2-3 months. When you're ready to thaw it out, just pop it in the oven for 10 minutes on 180°C (350°F).
- Variation 1: Leave off the fruit on top of the cake and you've just made Bolo Rainha or Portuguese Queens Cake.
- Variation 2: Customise the flavour by using different fruit and nuts to suit your taste.
- Substitute Port: Any other spiced liquor such as brandy, sherry, frangelico or cointreau.
Nutrition
Calories: 3544kcal | Carbohydrates: 517g | Protein: 81g | Fat: 123g | Saturated Fat: 51g | Cholesterol: 662mg | Sodium: 813mg | Potassium: 2245mg | Fiber: 32g | Sugar: 180g | Vitamin A: 2749IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 528mg | Iron: 26mg