Jamaican Toto Cake

Traveling around the world right now is questionable. Thank you ‘Rona! In an attempt to escape from the current quarantine reality, we schemed up a crazy idea to trick our tastebuds into another reality! Monthly international-themed dinners! Alternating between our house and friends’ (socially distancing of course!), we decide on a country to feast from and wha-la! Tastable travels!

As you’ve probably already guessed, the first country to “visit” is Jamaica. Personally, I’ve never been and would love to when the world rights itself. (My in-laws have wonderful things to say about this island nation!) In the mean time, we savored Jamaican Jerk Chicken Thighs, a citrusy lime rice, roasted sweet potatoes, and tender coconut-spiced Toto Cake.

Anyone doing a Google search on Caribbean desserts will find mouth-watering recipes using any and every tropical fruit (papaya, mango, coconut…), with or without rum, in pudding, tart, or cake form. After refining my search to be Jamaican specific, I clicked across the Toto Cake (pronounced toe-to).

Toto Cake is snack cake, traditionally served at family gatherings in Jamaica. Each family passes on their favored Toto recipe, but it’s beautifully simple: flour, coconut, spices, vanilla/rum, butter, eggs and milk.

Ultimately I chose the Jamaican Toto Coconut Cake recipe shared by Fay at Cook Like a Jamaican.com. The following recipe is essentially Fay’s, but I tweaked a few things–adding cinnamon, using sweetened shredded coconut, and leaving out the raisins and rum. Cracking open a bag of coconut was MUCH easier than cracking open fresh coconuts to shred. My broken cutting board can testify!

If you’re in the mood to travel somewhere tropical, and looking for a quick treat to whip up, definitely make the Toto Cake! We’ll be making it again!

Jamaican Toto Cake

Print Recipe

Jamaican Toto Cake is a traditional island coconut spice cake.  Easy to prepare and delicious!

Adapted from Cook Like a Jamaican‘s Jamaican Toto Coconut Cake Recipe. 

• Author: Erin Thomas

Ingredients

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3 cups all-purpose flour

1–1/2 cups brown sugar, packed

1–1/2 cups sweetened shredded coconut

3 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. ground allspice

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. salt (kosher or table)

2 large eggs, lightly beaten

2 cups milk (whole or 2%)

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 tsp. vanilla

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degree F.  Grease a 13- X 9-inch cake pan.  Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all-purpose flour, brown sugar, coconut, baking powder and soda, spices, and salt.   In a second bowl, beat eggs, milk and butter together.  Stir in vanilla.  Add egg mixture into dry spice mixture; stir until just combined.  Pour batter into greased cake pan.   Bake for 50-60 minutes; or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Notes

If desired, 1/2 cup raisins and 1 tsp. rum can be added.