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Curaçao is one of my favorite islands in the Caribbean (and also the only one I visited. Haha) so when I got the chance to witness the making of a traditional bolo di kashupete (or bolo di cashupete) I could not resist. We were invited to go to Mama Gada of Tempting Curaçao. Bolo means cake and kashupete means cashew nuts, so this is a cashew nut cake. Quite a famous Antillean cake and one of those things that gets made for many festive occasions.
Bolo di kashupete
Our first challenge was actually finding the location. There seemed to be absolutely no logic in the house numbering of the street we were meant to go to. But thankfully we had a phone number so we eventually arrived at our destination. But let me tell you; it was a bit of a struggle to find.
Lutgarda, the baking queen of Tempting Curaçao, makes the most wonderful things. She showed us some photos on her cell phone. She is often hired to make the most beautiful cakes and creative things for weddings and parties. But ours was a traditional cashew nut cake or bolo di kashupete.
The bolo is a popular cake in Curaçao and is often eaten at weddings. The day before we arrived, Lutgarde had made some for a wedding. Now a bolo di kashupete is a pretty rich cake. So make sure to serve it in thin slices!
The making of the bolo is in two stages. You first need to bake the cake and while you let the cake cool you make your cashew cream. As I said it is a heavy filling, since there is loads of nuts inside. You need a little more than a pound of cashew nuts. Once the baked cake is cooled you slice it in three layers. Each layer is drizzled with some form of alcohol.
It works great with amaretto, bacardi or another similar licor. Lutgarda used White curacao, which is something we don’t really sell here. You can also leave the alcohol out and just use a little bit of lemon juice. A little fresher taste wouldn’t hurt. Another option would be to add a bit of almond extract.
Assembling the cake
Next, spread the cashew cream all around the bolo di kashupete. You can garnish it however you like, but the traditional way is with candied cherries, as you can see in the photos. It is a good idea to spread the cashew cream on the cake while it is still warm. As soon as it cools, it starts to harden and becomes less easy to handle.
Eat it!
Of course, at the end of the day, there’s only one thing to do. And that is eating that delicious bolo di kashupete. After decorating, cut the cake and enjoy a (small) slice. Be careful not to cut thick slices, as it is really quite heavy. A small slice is more than enough. It was also funny to see how the neighbors, friends and sisters started to arrive when the bolo was almost ready. We also got quite a good chunk of the cake to take with us to our appartment, so we could enjoy the cake for a few days. It does keep rather well due to the moist contents.
Love the food of Curaçao?
Also try these delicious recipes as well or check out my favorite restaurants on the island.
Bolo di kashupete (cashew nut cake)
Ingredients
- 250 gr unsalted butter
- 250 gr sugar
- 250 g all purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 5 eggs at room temperature
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond flavoring
- 1/2 tsp salt
Filling/Frosting
- 500 g cashew nuts unsalted
- 1/2 tbsp margarine
- 200 ml condensed milk
- 250 ml water
- 1/2 tbsp almond extract
- 250 ml alcohol to taste Amaretto, Bacardi, Liqueur
- 1 package candied cherries red and green cherries for decoration
Equipment
- 22cm baking tin 9 inch
How to make the bolo di kashupete
- Grease a baking tin, line with baking paper and grease again. Preheat the oven to 180˚C (350˚F).
- Cream the butter with the sugar. Add the eggs one at a time. Sift in the flour and mix again. Add the salt, baking powder, vanilla and almond flavoring. When everything is mixed well, pour the batter into the pan and bake in the oven for about 50 minutes.
- The cake is done when a skewer comes out clean.
Filling
- Toast the cashews in the oven until light brown. Grind the nuts as finely as possible. In a saucepan, add the margarine, condensed milk, water and cashews. Stir well with a wooden spoon until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove from heat, add vanilla and stir well.
- When the cake is baked and cooled, cut it in three. Drizzle the bottom layer with the liqueur of your choice and top with a layer of cashew filling. Place the other slice of cake on top and repeat the process.
- Once the cake is filled, spread the cashew nut paste all over the outside of the cake. Do not allow the cashew filling to cool as it will set and you will have to reheat it.
Nutrition Information per portion:
Disclaimer:
The nutritional values above are calculated per portion. The details are based on standard nutritional tables and do not constitute a professional nutritional advice.
