Bolo de azeite — olive oil cake — is a traditional sweet of the Beira region. It is worth being clear that it is not a Belmonte speciality: the bolo de azeite belongs to the neighbouring concelho of Fundão, around 20 kilometres away, where it is one of the most notable sweets of the local pastry tradition.
As the name says, the cake is made with olive oil rather than butter — a natural choice in the Beira, itself an important producer of olive oil — along with eggs, flour, aniseed and a measure of aguardente. Curiously, despite being called a 'bolo', a cake, it carries little or no sugar; its name is thought to come from the need to set it apart from ordinary bread, as it was richer, made with precious eggs and olive oil. It is traditionally a sweet of Lent and Easter, though today it is found through the year.
Given the Fundão's closeness to Belmonte, in the same Beira country, the bolo de azeite is a natural part of a tour of the sweets of the region. For the visitor, a slice of this cake, with a coffee, is a simple and characteristic taste of the Beira.
⭐ Must-try:
Bolo de azeite
Highlights
- A traditional olive oil cake of the Beira
- From the concelho of Fundão, near Belmonte — not Belmonte itself
- Made with olive oil, eggs, aniseed and aguardente
- Despite the name, it carries little or no sugar
- Traditionally a sweet of Lent and Easter
Frequently asked questions
Is bolo de azeite from Belmonte?
No. It belongs to the concelho of Fundão, around 20 km from Belmonte, but in the same Beira country it is part of the region's sweets.
What is bolo de azeite made of?
It is made with olive oil rather than butter, along with eggs, flour, aniseed and aguardente; it carries little or no sugar.
Why is it called a 'bolo' if it has no sugar?
Its name is thought to come from the need to set it apart from ordinary bread, as it was richer, made with precious eggs and olive oil.