Coconut Sugar Cake

About This Recipe

Coconut sugar cake is one of the oldest confections in St. Kitts, made by boiling freshly grated coconut with sugar and spices until the mixture crystallises into dense, sweet squares. They are sold at local markets, made for Christmas, and given as gifts during festivals.

Ingredients

Serves 16

• 2 cupsfreshly grated coconut
• 1½ cupsgranulated sugar
• ½ cupwater
• 1 tspvanilla extract
• ½ tspcinnamon
• 1 dropred food colouring (optional, traditional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Cook sugar syrup

   Combine sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir until sugar dissolves, then stop stirring and cook to soft-ball stage (115°C).

2. 2

   Add coconut

   Stir in grated coconut, vanilla, cinnamon, and food colouring if using. Stir constantly over medium heat for 10 minutes until mixture thickens and pulls away from the pan sides.

3. 3

   Set

   Quickly drop spoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet or pour into a greased 20 cm tin and smooth flat.

4. 4

   Cool and cut

   Allow to cool completely (30 minutes) before cutting into squares.

Variations

• •

  Add grated lime zest for a citrus twist.

• •

  Make pink and white batches for a festive look.

• •

  Vegetarian: swap the protein for roasted king oyster mushrooms, smoked tofu or cooked chickpeas — adjust seasoning slightly upward to compensate.

• •

  Spicier: add a finely chopped fresh chile or a teaspoon of crushed Aleppo/Urfa pepper to the aromatics for warm, layered heat instead of a single sharp hit.

Storage

Store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week.

Frequently Asked Questions