Bolo de Fuba

Ingredients

Instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180°C. Lightly oil a small 14-16 cm round cake pan or loaf tin, then dust it with the cornmeal, tapping out any excess. This helps prevent sticking and gives the crust a traditional texture.

2. 2

   In a medium bowl, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, fennel seeds, and desiccated coconut. Mixing the dry ingredients thoroughly now prevents pockets of baking powder and distributes the fennel evenly.

3. 3

   In a second bowl, whisk the egg with the coconut milk and oil until smooth and slightly emulsified. If your coconut milk has separated, stir it well before measuring so the batter has an even richness.

4. 4

   Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk just until no dry streaks remain. The batter should be pourable but slightly thick. Do not overmix, or the cake can become heavy.

5. 5

   Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 28-32 minutes, until the cake is golden, lightly domed, and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs.

6. 6

   Let the cake rest in the pan for 10 minutes so the crumb sets, then unmold and cool briefly on a rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. It is especially good with coffee or tea.

Nutrition per serving

Notes

• •If you only have coarse cornmeal, pulse it briefly in a blender for a finer crumb; traditional bolo de fuba is more tender with fine fuba.
• •For a stronger fennel aroma, lightly crush the seeds before adding them to the batter.
• •Do not underbake: cornmeal cakes need the center fully set or they can seem gummy.
• •This small cake is sized for 2 generous servings, but can also be cut into 4 smaller breakfast slices.

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