Pao de Mel (Honey Spice Cakes)

Name: Pao de Mel (Honey Spice Cakes)
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 60 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: Brazilian
Ingredients: 1/2 cup honey; 4 tbsp unsalted butter; 1/3 cup packed brown sugar; 1/2 cup whole milk; 2 large egg; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tsp baking soda; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1/2 tsp ground cloves; 1/2 tsp ground ginger; 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg; 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder; 14 oz sweetened condensed milk; 4 oz cream cheese, softened; 12 oz dark chocolate (60-70% cacao), chopped, chopped; 2 tbsp coconut oil or vegetable shortening

Soft, deeply spiced Brazilian honey cakes filled with a sweet condensed milk cream and coated in dark chocolate, popular at breakfast or as a snack. Plan ahead: the cakes are best the next day after the chocolate sets.

60 minMediumServes 12290 cal/serving

BrazilianBreakfastOvenVegetarianLow-SodiumNightshade-FreeCorn-Free

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Ingredients

1/2 cup honey
4 tbsp unsalted butter
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup whole milk
2 large egg
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
4 oz cream cheese, softened
12 oz dark chocolate (60-70% cacao), chopped, chopped
2 tbsp coconut oil or vegetable shortening

Instructions

1

Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and lightly grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin.
2

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine 1/2 cup honey, 4 tbsp unsalted butter, 1/3 cup packed brown sugar, and 1/2 cup whole milk. Stir until the butter melts and the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
3

Whisk 2 large egg into the cooled honey mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ground cloves, 1/2 tsp ground ginger, 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg, and 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder.
4

Fold the flour mixture into the honey mixture until a smooth, slightly sticky batter forms. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full.
5

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the tops spring back, 18 to 22 minutes. Cool in the tin 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
6

Meanwhile, make the filling: beat 14 oz sweetened condensed milk and 4 oz softened cream cheese together until smooth and thick. Once the cakes are fully cool, use a paring knife to cut a small cone from the bottom of each cake and hollow out a shallow cavity. Fill each with about a tablespoon of the cream filling, then replace the cut piece to seal.
7

Make the chocolate coating: melt 12 oz chopped dark chocolate (60-70% cacao), chopped and 2 tbsp coconut oil or vegetable shortening together in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of barely simmering water, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat.
8

One at a time, dip each cake in the melted chocolate, letting the excess drip off, and set on a parchment-lined rack. Let the chocolate set at room temperature or refrigerate for 30 minutes. The cakes taste best the next day.

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Questions

What temperature do I cook Pao de Mel (Honey Spice Cakes) at?

For Pao de Mel (Honey Spice Cakes), the oven is set to 350 F (about 175 C) in step 1. The longest stretch at that heat is 22 minutes, in step 5.

Why fold instead of stir in Pao de Mel (Honey Spice Cakes)?

Step 4 reads: "Fold the flour mixture into the honey mixture until a smooth, slightly sticky batter forms." Folding keeps the air you just beat in. Stirring at step 4 would knock it out and the result would come out dense.

Do I need any special equipment for Pao de Mel (Honey Spice Cakes)?

Beyond a knife and a board, the method uses a muffin tin (step 1), a sheet pan (step 1) and parchment paper (step 1).

What can I use instead of sweetened condensed milk in Pao de Mel (Honey Spice Cakes)?

The entry for Pao de Mel (Honey Spice Cakes) calls for 14 oz sweetened condensed milk. In its place: There is no quick swap. Simmer two cups of milk with two thirds of a cup of sugar until reduced by half, about 35 minutes.

Can I make Pao de Mel (Honey Spice Cakes) dairy-free?

Yes. The dairy in Pao de Mel (Honey Spice Cakes) is 4 tbsp unsalted butter, 1/2 cup whole milk, 14 oz sweetened condensed milk, 4 oz cream cheese, softened. Swap the butter for olive oil where it melts, or a plant-based block butter where it is creamed; the milk for unsweetened oat or soy milk; the sweetened condensed milk for a plant-based version of the same product; the cheese for a plant-based melting cheese (expect a milder flavor). The richness shifts slightly, but the method does not change.

Is Pao de Mel (Honey Spice Cakes) vegan?

No, though it is vegetarian. What keeps it from vegan is 4 tbsp unsalted butter, 1/2 cup whole milk, 14 oz sweetened condensed milk and 4 oz cream cheese, softened. For fully plant-based entries, see the vegan breakfast collection.

How many calories are in Pao de Mel (Honey Spice Cakes)?

One serving (the recipe makes 12) is about 290 calories, with 10 g protein, 22 g carbohydrate and 14 g fat, plus 2 g fiber and 135 mg sodium. The figures are estimates computed from the ingredient list.

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