Bolo do Convento - Convent Cake

I have been really good lately and have stayed away from sweets, cakes and all junk food. So has my husband, but he had his PT test today and passed, so to celebrate, I decided to make a dessert for after dinner.

I don't do this very often, actually, when I do make any kind of desserts it is during the weekend.

But, I am in the mood for cake, and not a boxed cake or just any kind of cake. I was in the mood for a good old Portuguese cake with a nice egg cream in the center. Creme de Ovos (egg cream/custard) is one of my favorite things on earth, but I never make it, it's been many years.

Today seemed like the perfect time, so here it is....a nice simple cake with a layer of egg custard in the middle and poured over the top, sprinkled with some powdered sugar and you have a divine dessert that your family will love.

Bolo do Convento - Convent Cake

For the cake:

2 1/2 cups of flour
1 1/2 cups of sugar
2/3 cups of butter
5 eggs
Little bit more than 3/4 cups of milk
1 teaspoon of baking powder


For the egg cream

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of sugar
5 egg yolks
Little less than half a cup of water


First make the egg cream. Add the water and sugar to a saucepan and boil for 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the egg yolks to a bowl and stir well. Pour the sugar water mixture into the bowl, a little at a time and mixing constantly. Pour the whole mixture back into the saucepan and cook over medium heat until thickened. Transfer to a bowl and let cool.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a cake pan. In a medium bowl, beat the sugar with the butter, next add in the eggs one at a time beating well after each. Add in the milk, alternating with the flour, lastly, add the baking powder and mix everything well. Pour into the cake pan and bake for 40 minutes.

Use a toothpick to see if the cake is done. Remove from the oven and invert the cake onto a plate. Let cool completely.

Cut the cake in half, spread about 1/4 of the egg cream on one of the halves, top with the other half, then smear the rest of the egg cream over the top. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and cinnamon, if you wish.