Cayman Islands

CAYMAN ISLANDS: Heavy Cake

This gorgeous recipe was given to me by dearest Aubrey. It has been quite an undertaking as cassava is not easy to find in Albuquerque and this baby sure takes some cooking. The smell, while cooking, was simply heavenly and the outcome sublime. Aubrey gave all sorts of notes which I’ll include in the comments.

INGREDIENTS:

4lbs cassava grated
2¼lbs brown sugar, half dark/half light brown
2 dry coconuts blended to make fresh coconut milk
1 tbsp corn starch mix with ¼ cup water added to grated cassava
1½ tbsp vanilla flavour
1 rounded tsp cinnamon
½ tsp all spice
½ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp cloves
½ tsp salt
1 stick of sweet cream butter
1 tbsp sweet cream butter
(Keep grated cassava in a large mixing bowl)
13×9 inch baking pan

DIRECTIONS:

Pre-heat oven to 400F.

Bring the coconut milk, vanilla, brown sugar, butter, salt and spices to the boil for around 20mins.

Spices should be sifted into the coconut milk.
Reserve 1 cup of the boiled liquid and then add the remaining liquid to the grated cassava in the large bowl.

Add 1 tbsp butter to reserved liquid and bring to a quick boil before turning off heat. Grease baking pan and pour in cassava mixture.

Bake for about 45 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350F and bake for 2½ hours.
After the first 45 minutes, baste the top of the cassava cake with the reserved boiled liquid and every ½ hour thereafter with a large spoon all over the cake, until finished.

Cake should be nicely browned on top when complete, fairly firm and slightly gooey on top.
Let cake cool completely before slicing.