Bolo Brigadeiro Recipe

Prepare and preheat

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper; butter the paper and lightly dust with flour or cocoa powder.

Mix dry ingredients

In a large bowl, sift or whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsweetened cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until homogenous.

Combine wet ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs lightly, then add the milk, oil, and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.

Combine wet and dry

Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir with a spatula until combined — do not overmix. The batter will be thick.

Add hot water/coffee

Slowly fold in the hot water or hot coffee a little at a time until the batter loosens and becomes pourable and glossy. Scrape the sides and ensure a uniform batter.

Bake

Pour batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and bake in the preheated oven for 30–35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs but not raw batter.

Cool

Remove cake from oven and let cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge, invert onto a wire rack, peel off parchment, and cool completely right-side up for 30–45 minutes before assembling.

Combine base ingredients

In a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan, add the sweetened condensed milk, unsweetened cocoa powder, and unsalted butter. Whisk gently to combine into a smooth slurry before applying heat to prevent lumps.

Cook until thickened

Place the pan over medium-low heat and cook, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom and sides. After about 8–12 minutes the mixture will thicken and become glossy. Remove from heat when it coats the spoon and reaches a thick but pourable consistency (remember it will thicken slightly as it cools).

Enrich and finish

Off the heat, stir in the heavy cream, chopped dark chocolate, and salt until the chocolate has melted and the sauce is silky. If the sauce becomes too thick, warm gently and stir in 1–2 teaspoons of additional cream or milk to loosen to a pourable sauce. Keep warm over a very low heat or in a small insulated container; stir occasionally.

Prepare bananas

Peel the bananas and slice them into 1/4-inch diagonal rounds or lengthwise slices, depending on desired presentation. If you prefer them warmed, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium heat and sauté the banana slices 1–2 minutes per side until lightly caramelized. Remove and keep warm.

Warm the cake (optional)

If serving warm, reheat cake slices briefly: cut cake into portions and place on a baking sheet in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5–7 minutes, or microwave each portion 10–15 seconds until just warm.

Plate and assemble

Place one slice of cake on each dessert plate. Spoon a generous ladle (about 1/3 to 1/2 cup) of warm brigadeiro sauce over the top so it avalanches down the sides. Arrange banana slices alongside or on top of the cake. Add 1–2 scoops of vanilla ice cream if using, and a dollop or piping of whipped cream if desired.

Garnish and serve

Dust with cocoa powder or scatter chocolate shavings and optional chopped roasted peanuts or sprinkles. Serve immediately while the sauce is warm and the ice cream is cold. If serving without ice cream/whipped cream, simply omit those items and still pour warm brigadeiro over the cake and bananas.