Dona Amélia — A Cupcake for a Queen
In 1901, the archipelagos of Madeira and the Azores were visited by the Portuguese kings, D. Carlos and D. Amélia. In the Azores, on the island of Terceira, the population marked the event with pomp and circumstance, and a cupcake was created, in honor of the queen. They gave it the name “Dona Amélia” and today it is an Azorean product of great renown, traditional on the island of Terceira.
In late June and early July 1901, the kings of Portugal, D. Carlos I and D. Amélia from Orléans, visited the archipelagos of Madeira and the Azores. Visiting Madeira first, where they arrived on the 22nd of June, in Funchal, they went to the Azores just two days later, departing on the 24th of June.
In the Azores, the royal visit began on the island of Santa Maria, on 27th of June; followed by Faial and Pico, from 28 June to 1 July; then Graciosa Island, on July 2nd; the Terceira Island, from the 2nd to the 4th of July and, finally, the island of São Miguel, where the kings were from the 4th to the 11th of July, leaving for the Portuguese continent.
In 500 years of existence, this was the first time that the Kings of Portugal visited the “adjacent islands” (as both archipelagos were then known) and it was the first major Portuguese state visit of the 20th century.
It was undoubtedly a moment of great importance for the divulgation of the islands and for the strengthening of national unity, which made the populations of the islands receive the Portuguese royalty with great pomp and circumstance.
On the island of Terceira, the peak moment of the royal visit was the participation of the Kings in a bullfight, organized in their honor. The area of São João de Deus was dressed up for bullfighting, the streets were filled with people, dressed up in their Sunday clothes, trying to show the popularity of the rope bullfights on the Island.
In Angra do Heroísmo, D. Carlos recalled that the city had been the capital of the Regency in the time of his Grandparents, thanking the role the Island had in the defense of Liberalism and extolling the warm way he had been received in the island.
To mark such an illustrious visit, the women of Angra do Heroísmo offered Queen Amelia some cupcakes adapted from the famous “Bolo das Índias”.
“Bolo das Índias” was a famous cake at the time of the Discoveries, made with spices from the maritime routes of the East, such as cinnamon and nutmeg, among others.
Thanks to the preservative properties of the spices used in its making, the “Bolo das Índias” was very popular because it was kept edible for a long time, thus allowing sailors to taste it during long voyages at sea.
The cupcakes offered to the queen were baptized with her name, being known until today as “Queijadas Dona Amélia”. Based on the “Bolo das Índias”, they maintain its characteristic spices, being widely appreciated for their exotic flavor. They are a traditional delicacy from Terceira island, having recently been awarded the 5 Stars — Regions prize.
Recipe for Donas Amélias Cupcakes
Ingredients:
- 500g of sugar;
- 9 egg yolks;
- 4 whipped egg whites;
- 200g of butter (melted and cold);
- 200g of corn flour;
- 1 tablespoon of cinnamon powder;
- 6 tablespoons of cane honey;
- 100g of raisins (part of the traditional recipe, but its use may be optional);
- 50g of citron (very fine);
- zest of 1 small lemon;
- 1 pinch of salt;
- 1 tablespoon of nutmeg.
Preparation
At first, beat the sugar with the egg yolks to create a stuck dough, then add the cinnamon, raisins, citron, nutmeg, lemon zest and salt. Then, continue to beat a little more and when it is well connected, add the melted and cold butter, the whipped egg whites and, finally, the flour and honey.
Now, the dough is beaten again until it gives full ligament. When you finish beating, place the dough in small forms (greased and sprinkled) and take it to the oven not too hot, in trays. After baking, you must remove the trays and the cheeses carefully from the molds. At the end, sprinkle with refined sugar.
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