Apple Queen Crown Cake

Neuza Costa

21 November, 2025

This Apple Queen Crown Cake is a rich and irresistible twist on the traditional Portuguese Christmas cake. Filled with apples, dried fruits, and gourd jam (doce de chila), it brings a festive touch to any holiday table. The blend of white Port wine, cinnamon, and lemon zest creates a warm, aromatic flavor that’s truly special. Soft, generously filled, and finished with apple slices on top, it’s the perfect cake to share with family and friends throughout the holiday season.

Ingredients

• 1 and ½ apples, chopped
• 70 g (2.5 oz) dried figs, quartered
• 30 g (1 oz) raisins
• 30 g (1 oz) golden raisins (sultanas)
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 80 ml (⅓ cup) white Port wine
• 150 ml (⅔ cup) warm
• 9.2 g (0.32 oz) instant dry yeast
• 600 g (1 lb 5 oz) all-purpose flour
• 150 g (5.3 oz) sugar
• 125 g (4.4 oz) melted butter
• 3 eggs
• Zest of 1 lemon
• A pinch of salt
• 50 g (1.8 oz) chopped walnuts
• 50 g (1.8 oz) slivered almonds
• 4 tablespoons gourd jam (doce de chila)
• 1 and ½ apples, sliced
• Jam for brushing
• Flour for dusting

Instructions

1. 1
   Mix the yeast with the warm milk.

   Mark as done
2. 2
   In a bowl, combine half of the slivered almonds, half of the chopped walnuts, the figs, raisins, golden raisins, ground cinnamon, the chopped apple, and the white Port wine.
   Mix very well.

   Mark as done
3. 3
   In a large bowl, add the flour and make a well in the center.
   Pour in the yeast mixture, the melted butter, the eggs, the sugar, and a pinch of salt.
   Knead until the dough starts pulling away from the sides of the bowl.
   You may use a stand mixer or food processor if you prefer.
   Once the dough pulls away, shape it into a ball and dust it lightly with flour.

   Mark as done
4. 4
   Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rise in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until doubled in size.

   Mark as done
5. 5
   After the dough has risen, add the lemon zest to the fruit mixture and mix well.

   Mark as done
6. 6
   Dust the countertop with a little flour and place the dough on it.
   Dust again and roll it out into a rectangle using a rolling pin.

   Mark as done
7. 7
   Spread the fruit mixture evenly over the dough.
   Roll the dough up into a log and pinch the ends together to form a crown/ring shape.

   Mark as done
8. 8
   Place it on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
   Cover with a cloth and let it rise again in a warm place for about 40 minutes.

   Mark as done
9. 9
   Once risen, arrange the apple slices over the top of the crown.
   Add spoonfuls of gourd jam (doce de chila) around it, along with the remaining slivered almonds and the remaining chopped walnuts.

   Mark as done
10. 10
    Bake in a preheated oven at 175 ºC (350 ºF) for about 40 minutes.

    Mark as done
11. 11
    When cooked, remove from the oven and brush the cake with warm jam.

    Mark as done

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