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Bolo de alfarroba
Carob and orange cake
Bolo de alfarroba: the Algarve hills' moist carob and orange cake
Carob trees grow all through the dry Barrocal hills behind the Algarve coast, and the toasted pods are ground into a sweet, cocoa-coloured flour that local bakers have used for generations. This cake, sold by the slice in cafés around Loulé and São Brás de Alportel, is made with olive oil and orange, so it stays moist for days. It has a gentle caramel, almost malty taste rather than a chocolate one. A common mistake is using too much carob; it is sweet and earthy and turns bitter when overdone, so stick to the amount given. Chef's tip: sieve the carob flour with the wheat flour, because it lumps easily and leaves dry pockets in the crumb.
- Total time
- 65 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 10
Ingredients
- 4 eggsat room temperature
- 7 oz light brown sugar
- ¾ cup mild olive oilplus a little for the tin
- ½ cup orange juice
- 1 tbsp orange zestfrom about 1 orange
- 3 ½ oz carob flour
- 5 ½ oz plain flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tbsp icing sugar (optional)for dusting
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Method
0/6 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Brush a 22 cm ring tin or springform tin with a little of 1 tbsp mild olive oil and dust it with flour.
Step 2: Whisk 4 eggs and 7 oz light brown sugar with an electric whisk for 5 minutes, until pale, thick and doubled in volume: a ribbon of batter should sit on the surface for a few seconds.
5 minStep 3: With the whisk on low, pour in the rest of ½ cup mild olive oil in a thin stream, then ½ cup orange juice and 1 tbsp orange zest.
Step 4: Sieve 3 ½ oz carob flour, 5 ½ oz plain flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp ground cinnamon and 1 pinch salt together over the bowl and fold them in with a spatula until no dry streaks are left. Don't beat it at this point, or the cake turns heavy.
Step 5: Pour into the tin and bake for 40–45 minutes, until the top springs back when pressed and a skewer pushed into the middle comes out clean. Carob browns quickly, so cover loosely with foil if the top darkens before the centre is done.
45 minStep 6: Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack. Dust with 1 tbsp icing sugar when cold. Wrapped, it keeps for 4 days.
10 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 6 g
- Carbs
- 41 g
- Fat
- 16 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does bolo de alfarroba take?
- About 65 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 45 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 10 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of light brown sugar?
- White sugar + 1 tsp honey or golden syrup per 100g.
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