Pão de Mel

• Prep time: 20 minutes

• Cook time: 25 minutes

• Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

• Servings: 12 individual cakes

• Country of Origin: Brazil

Description

Pão de Mel is a spiced Brazilian honey cake filled with creamy doce de leite and coated in dark chocolate. Influenced by European gingerbread traditions, it remains a beloved bakery favorite.

Presentation

Serve individual chocolate-coated squares on a dessert tray or wrap them individually in foil as edible gifts.

Ingredients

Cake:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup cocoa powder

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1/4 tsp ground cloves

• 1/2 cup honey

• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar

• 1 cup whole milk

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1 tsp baking powder

Filling & Coating:

• 1 1/2 cups dulce de leche (doce de leite)

• 12 oz (350 g) dark or semi-sweet chocolate, chopped

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.

• Sift flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, cloves, baking soda, and baking powder together in a large bowl.

• Whisk honey, brown sugar, and milk in a separate bowl until sugar dissolves.

• Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and whisk until smooth.

• Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 22 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.

• Cool cake completely, then cut into 12 equal squares or round discs.

• Slice each square horizontally in half, spread a generous layer of dulce de leche inside, and sandwich back together.

• Melt chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over simmering water (double boiler).

• Dip each filled cake into melted chocolate using a fork, tap off excess, and place on wax paper to set.

Optional Variations

• Brigadeiro Filling: Fill cakes with rich chocolate brigadeiro instead of dulce de leche.

• White Chocolate Coating: Coat finished cakes in melted white chocolate for contrast.

Cooking Tips

• Use dark brown sugar and pure honey for authentic deep spice complexity.

• Let filled cakes chill in the fridge for 15 minutes before dipping into melted chocolate so they do not crumble.

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

• Calories: 340 kcal

• Carbohydrates: 56 g

• Protein: 5 g

• Fat: 12 g

• Saturated Fat: 7 g

• Sodium: 140 mg