Coconuts grow abundantly on St. Vincent and everywhere you turn, coconut products abound, from fresh coconuts to bottled coconut water, coconut oil to coconut treats.

You’ll find coconut sugar cakes, packaged in little plastic baggies like you’d find at a neighborhood bake sale, at every shop, from the roadside shack to the bigger supermarkets. I am certain this shop on the way to the Vermont Nature Trail sold coconut sugar cakes.

If they’re not pressed into a tablet, they’re dropped by the spoonful onto a pan in more of a cookie shape, but almost always, you’ll find both pink and white packaged together. But the best part? They are simple and quick to make, require only a few ingredients, and taste yummy! My kids wanted to eat the entire pan.

Coconut Sugar Cakes

1/2 c sugar

1/2 c water

2 c grated unsweetened coconut

1/4 tsp cream of tartar

tiny pinch of fresh grated nutmeg

tiny pinch of cinnamon

drop of  food coloring

Boil sugar and water until sugar has dissolved and a light syrup starts to form. Add coconut and cream of tartar and stir constantly over medium heat while the mixture thickens. When the mixture starts to pull away from the sides of the pot, remove from heat. Add nutmeg and cinnamon and mix well. Place half of mixture in a bowl and mix in a drop or two of red food coloring. Grease a 9 x 5 loaf pan and press white mixture evenly across bottom of pan. Then press pink mixture onto top of white layer. Allow to cool and harden. Cut into small squares. Makes 15 squares.

Interested in more recipes from abroad? Check out wanderfood wednesday!

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