Sugar Cake – Scrumptious, Sugary Goodness Made With Coconuts! (+ Video Recipe)

Almost everyone in Guyana knows about it. Its flaky, sugary goodness makes it irresistible with a hint of coconut. What is it? Sugar cake. Yes, the love of every school child’s life and even adults. Sugar cake is a confection made with coconut, sugar and flavorings, moulded and left to harden. It is a popular sweet among school children in Caribbean countries including Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana. As you continue reading, you will discover more about this delicious treat called sugar cake.

What Is Sugar Cake?

Sugar cake is a delightful confection made with sugar and coconut, reduced to an almost sticky consistency, that is quickly spooned into mounds and allowed to cool and hardened. Sugar cake is tricky to make but with persistence and practice you can master it. If you use brown sugar then you’ll get brown sugar cakes without adding food coloring. However, if you use white sugar then you have to use food coloring whether it is pink, red or green to give it some color. Also, white sugar makes the sugar cake lighter and you will have to be careful with the amount of cream of tartar that you put in the mixture.

Tip: Some people do not use cream of tartar in their sugar cake. They allow the coconut mixture to cook until it gets firm and almost sticks to the pot spoon when you turn it. However, the cream of tartar is handy, because it discourages overcooking and prevents the mixture from burning while you wait for it to get stickier.

How To Use Cream Of Tartar? Put the cream of tartar in when the mixture leaves the sides of the pot. Remove the pot from the fire and put the cream in. Beat for a little while and immediately place spoonfuls of the mixture to cool. Some people use a banana leaf to put the mixture on. The banana leaf is considered as the best option to allow the spoonfuls of the mixture to cool. It is easy to lift from the leaf. If you do not have banana leaf then you can use some other non-stick surface.

Sugar Cake With Cream Of Tartar Recipe

Ingredients:

• 2 ½ cups brown sugar
• 2 cups water (for making syrup)
• 2 whole coconuts, husked and grated
• 1 cup water (for coconuts)
• 2 bay leaves, dried
• 1 tsp. almond essence
• ¼ tsp. cream of tartar

Method:

1. Grate the coconut in the blender with a little water (about 1 cup of water).
2. Strain the coconut, but do not squeeze the juices out of it.
3. Shake the strainer a little just to release the excess liquids.
4. Set aside the grated, stain coconut for the sugar cakes.
5. Crumble dry bay leaves in the palm of your hands.
6. Pour the two cups of water in a deep heavy pot.
7. Allow it to boil for 5 minutes.
8. Then pour the sugar into the water to form light syrup.
9. Stir occasionally to test the thickness of the syrup.
10. When the mixture gets like a syrup consistency pour in the grated coconut and almond essence.
11. Mix well. Leave to cook. Stir occasionally. Until the coconut mixture comes away from the sides of the pot easily.
12. Remove from heat.
13. Sprinkle cream of tartar to the mixture and beat with a spoon for two minutes.
14. Immediately drop spoonfuls onto a banana leaf or non-stick surface.
15. Allow to harden completely. Turn over to allow the bottom to dry.
16. Store in an air tight container.

Sugar Cake Without Cream Of Tartar Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 medium sized coconut grated
• 1 cup of brown sugar (Demerara preferred)
• 2 tbsp finely grated ginger
• 1 tsp vanilla essence
• ½ cup of water

Method:

1. In a sauce pot, add sugar and water, bring to a medium boil until it becomes a thick syrup and caramel in color.
2. Add ginger, vanilla essence and grated coconut, stir well cooking on low heat.
3. Continue to cook until it bubbles and thickens.
4. Line a flat baking sheet with wax paper, drop spoonfuls of hot mixture to form a mound.
5. Cool for 15 minutes on one side, flip over and cool for another 15 minutes.

Sugar Cake In Guyana

Whether you use the cream of tartar or not, sugar cake is delicious as ever. This is widely sold at school canteens, in Stabroek and in Bourda Market. Some persons who have mastered making this delicious sweet would sell them at the side of the road or in front of their home. Children especially love this treat, they look forward to when their mother or grandmother gets into the kitchen to whip up some of these scrumptious, sugary goodness. Yes, sugar cake in Guyana is something you definitely have to try.

Watch This: Sugar Cake step by step Video Recipe II Real Nice Guyana [HD]

Article References:

• http://www.guyanadining.com/sugar-cake-recipe/
• https://www.simplytrinicooking.com/coconut-sugar-cake/
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sugar_cake