Moncorvo Dark Cinnamon Cake

Also known as: Moncorvo Cinnamon Cake

A dark home-baked cinnamon and aguardente cake for weddings and christenings.

Origin: Torre de Moncorvo and Freixo de Espada à Cinta · Trás-os-Montes
Region: Torre de Moncorvo
Season: Weddings, christenings and local festivals

Sweetness

Richness

Difficulty

Pão Moreno is a 20- to 30-centimetre circular cake with a central hole and no topping. Flour, eggs, butter, sugar, cinnamon, bicarbonate, raising agent and a glass of aguardente make a dark, only gently sweet and aromatic batter.

Traditionally the ingredients are beaten by hand, the mould is greased with olive oil and floured, and the cake bakes in a very hot oven. Its brown crumb is close but soft and is cut into thick slices, often accompanied by goat's or sheep's cheese.

Ingredients

wheat flour
eggs
butter
sugar
cinnamon
aguardente
baking soda
raising agent
olive oil for the mould

Taste & texture

Gently sweet, warm with cinnamon and aguardente, with a dark slightly dense crumb.

Variations

It is also called Bolo Moreno or Bolo Pardo; broader variants replace aguardente with yoghurt but do not reproduce the Moncorvo recipe.

Where to try it

Mostly in homes, festivals and fairs in Torre de Moncorvo and Freixo de Espada à Cinta; it rarely appears in pastry shops.

Pairs well with

Goat's or sheep's cheese and Douro fortified wine.

History

It is a family tradition in the villages of Torre de Moncorvo, especially the municipality's eastern area, and also Freixo de Espada à Cinta. It was served at weddings, christenings and local festivals and was popularly credited with aphrodisiac qualities. Because it is not very sweet, it could also take the place of bread at table.

Sources: tradicional.dgadr.gov.pt · cm-moncorvo.pt

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