Toucinho do Céu
Toucinho do Céu, or 'Bacon from Heaven,' is a rich Portuguese almond cake traditionally made with lard, but this version uses butter. It features a dense, moist texture with a pronounced almond flavor, often enriched with a touch of pumpkin. This dessert is perfect for special occasions.
An original recipe by Forkin
- Total time
- 2 hr 15 min
- Serves
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Per serving
- 515 kcal
Allergen information: may contain eggs, milk, nuts, and tree nuts. Always check ingredient packaging if you have an allergy.
Mise en place
Ingredients
Converted for display; the recipe amounts stay equivalent.
Ingredients
- 300 ggranulated sugar
- 120 mlwater
- 12 pcsegg yolk
- 250 galmond flour
- 100 gunsalted butter, softened
- 100 gpumpkin puree
- 1 tsplemon zest, from 1 lemon
- 0.5 tspcinnamon, ground
for dusting
- 1 tbspgranulated sugar
- 1 tbsppowdered sugar
Equipment
skewer · 20cm round cake pan · large bowl · wire rack · medium saucepan · whisk · oven
The method
Step by step
- 1
Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease and flour a 20cm (8-inch) round cake pan.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Ensure the pan is thoroughly greased and floured to prevent sticking.
- 2
In a medium saucepan, combine the granulated sugar and water. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Continue to boil for 5 minutes without stirring, creating a thin syrup.
About 10 min
Cook’s note: Do not stir once the syrup is boiling to prevent crystallization.
- 3
Remove the syrup from the heat and let it cool slightly for about 5 minutes.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: The syrup should still be warm but not scalding hot when adding the yolks.
- 4
In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth.
About 2 min
- 5
Slowly pour the warm syrup into the whisked egg yolks in a thin stream, whisking continuously to prevent the yolks from scrambling.
About 3 min
Cook’s note: Pouring slowly and whisking constantly is crucial for a smooth batter.
- 6
Add the almond flour, softened butter, pumpkin puree, lemon zest, and ground cinnamon to the egg yolk mixture. Mix until just combined and smooth.
About 5 min
Cook’s note: Do not overmix the batter; mix until ingredients are just incorporated.
- 7
Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan.
About 1 min
- 8
Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. The cake should be golden brown on top.
About 45 min
Cook’s note: Baking times can vary, so check for doneness around the 40-minute mark.
- 9
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for 15 minutes before inverting it onto a wire rack to cool completely.
About 15 min
Cook’s note: Letting it cool slightly in the pan helps prevent it from breaking when unmolding.
- 10
Once completely cool, dust the top with a mixture of the dusting granulated sugar and powdered sugar before serving.
About 1 hr
Cook’s note: A small sieve works well for an even dusting of sugar.
Per serving
Nutrition
- Calories
- 514.8kcal
- Protein
- 11g
- Carbs
- 48.9g
- Fat
- 33g
- Fibre
- 3.4g
- Sugar
- 43.3g
Estimated from the recipe’s ingredient quantities. Values can vary with brands and substitutions.
Keep it good
Store Toucinho do Céu in an airtight container at room temperature.
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