Bolo de Fubá Mineiro

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Blender
• •22 cm round cake pan or medium loaf pan
• •Measuring cups and spoons
• •Small mixing bowl
• •Rubber spatula
• •Toothpick or cake tester

Instructions

1. 1

   Prepare the pan

   Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Butter a 22 cm round pan or a medium loaf pan, then dust it with cornmeal or flour and tap out the excess. You want a thin, even coat, because this cake is tender and needs help releasing cleanly instead of leaving half its golden crust glued to the pan.

2. 2

   Mix the dry base

   In a bowl, stir together the fubá, flour, salt, and fennel seeds if using. Break up any little lumps with your fingers. This small step spreads the salt and cornmeal evenly, so one bite doesn't taste flat while another tastes like the bottom of the measuring cup.

   Use fine fubá mimoso, not coarse cornmeal. Coarse meal stays gritty here, and you'll think you failed. You didn't. You bought the wrong texture.
3. 3

   Blend the liquids

   Put the milk, eggs, oil, and sugar in the blender. Blend for 30 seconds, until the mixture looks pale, smooth, and a little foamy. This dissolves the sugar and breaks up the eggs properly, which gives you an even crumb without making you stand there pretending whisking is a personality.

4. 4

   Hydrate the fubá

   Add the dry mixture to the blender in two additions, pulsing just until the batter is smooth. Scrape the sides if you need to. Stop once you don't see dry streaks. The blender helps the fubá drink in the milk, which is why the cake bakes soft instead of sandy, but over-blending after the flour goes in can make the crumb tough.

5. 5

   Add the lift

   Add the baking powder and pulse 2 or 3 times, only until mixed. That's enough. Baking powder starts working as soon as it meets the wet batter, so don't beat it to death and don't let the batter wait around while you look for the pan you should have prepared first. I say this with love and personal shame.

6. 6

   Bake until golden

   Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, depending on the pan. Look for a golden top, edges pulling slightly from the sides, and a toothpick that comes out with a few moist crumbs. If it comes out wet, keep baking. If it comes out dusty and dry, it went too far. The cake keeps cooking a little as it cools.

7. 7

   Cool and serve

   Let the cake rest in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn it out or slice it right there if it's a weekday and nobody is inspecting your manners. Serve warm or room temperature with coffee. The crumb should be yellow, tender, lightly sweet, and sturdy enough to hold in your hand without falling apart.

Chef Tips

• •Fubá mimoso is the one you want: fine, yellow, and soft between your fingers. Coarse cornmeal belongs somewhere else. A gente buys the right ingredient so the cook doesn't get blamed for the bag's mistake.
• •Fennel is optional, and in many homes it's the smell that makes the cake. Use it if you like that sweet herbal perfume. Leave it out if you don't. Tradition has room for taste, imagine that.
• •The honest Tuesday shortcut is the blender. Use it. The shortcut I won't hand you is boxed cake mix pretending to be home cake. This is already ten minutes of work, so don't let a factory sell you your own kitchen back.
• •For a more Mineira table, add 1/2 cup grated cured Minas cheese or a firm mild cheese to the batter with the dry ingredients. It gives a salty edge and a slightly denser crumb. Good, but not required.
• •Store covered at room temperature for 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Warm a slice in a low oven or skillet if you want the crumb to wake back up. Microwave works, but it softens the crust. That's the cost.

Advance Preparation

• •The cake can be baked 1 day ahead. Once completely cool, cover it tightly and keep it at room temperature.
• •Slices freeze well for up to 2 months. Wrap individually, then thaw at room temperature or warm gently before serving.
• •Grease and dust the pan before blending the batter, because once the baking powder goes in, the cake should go straight to the oven.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 90g)