Last Updated on January 13, 2020 by Chef Mireille
Caribbean Spice Cake – This basic cake full of spices is perfect for tea time. America has Pound cake and the Caribbean has Spice Cake.
This is my Mom’s recipe and I tell you it was no easy task to get it!
For years, people have been asking my Mom for a recipe for her cake and her answer always is, “I don’t know. Just watch me when I bake it.” As if you can duplicate what she does when she says things like, “You know you have added enough milk when it looks right.” FINALLY, I cornered her down and forced her to measure as she went along and now have her recipe for eternity. It wasn’t easy and took a lot of arguing back and forth with me stopping her before every ingredient she added so I could measure it.
This is why for most family recipes I just ask her what’s in it and then I develop the recipe myself because this is a stressful endeavor for us both. She gets frustrated with me stopping her and I get annoyed as she knew the plan at the beginning so why is she screaming at me!!!
It is an all purpose Caribbean spice cake. We usually only frost or ice cakes for big events like weddings, so it is meant to be eaten as is, straight out of the oven. This cake is a slightly dense cake but super soft and fluffy, that is perfect with tea or a glass of milk. It’s not one of those fall apart in your hand cakes – it has body. Haitians, like my dad, like to eat it, dunking it in a glass of liqueur, along the lines of Grand Marnier. Besides, adding frosting both adds additional unnecessary sugar and the sugar will overpower the amazing flavor of the spices and rum.I guarantee you, once you make this cake, it will be often requested.
This is perfect to serve for Mother’s Day. Bake it in a square pan and cut in small squares and it will be the star of your Mother’s Day Brunch.
This recipe makes 2 cakes, as my Dad and I shared the same birthday so there were always two birthday cakes at our house.
 |
| blowing out candles on my 6th birthday |
Before we get to today’s recipe, let’s check out some other Caribbean treats!
Caribbean Recipes
- Coconut Drops (Coconut Lime Cookies)
- Sweet Bread
- Coconut Roll
- Coconut Bread Pudding
- Bojo (Cassava Cake)
- Cornmeal Pudding
- Jamaican Easter Bun
- Pain Patate (Sweet Potato Pudding)
IN THE MAKING
Soft and fluffy cake and my favorite part is the crusty edges!
Caribbean Spice Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 cups whole wheat flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mace
- 1/4 teaspoon ground clove
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup raisins
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup evaporated milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond essence
- 3 tablespoons rum
- 1 cup softened butter
- 1 1/2 cups white sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 6 eggs
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray 2 cake pans with non stick spray.
- Sift flours and baking powder with spices and salt. Add raisins and mix thoroughly. Tossing the raisins with the dry ingredients ensures that the fruit does not sink to the bottom.
- Combine milks, vanilla, almond essence and rum and whisk to combine in a bowl.
- Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and regular sugar until very creamy. Add brown sugar and mix until thoroughly combined.
- Add eggs one at a time, beating well and making sure each egg is incorporated before adding the next one.
- Add half the flour combination and mix until combined. Add half the milk combination and mix until combined.
- Add the remaining flour and mix and then the remaining milk. Mix until all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.
- Divide the batter between the two cake pans.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes, until a tester comes out clean.
- Cool for 15 minutes before removing from cake pans.
- Cool completely before slicing.
Yum, this sounds like a tasty cake! I don’t think I’ve ever tried one like this. I’ll have to make it sometime!
I am sure you would love this version
Yum, I’ve never heard of Carribean spice cake before! Would this recipe be possible without the raisins?
sure simply omit the raisins
Looks really good. I love spice cake and have made it before. I would like to try this recipe.
I am sure you would love this version also
this looks incredibly amazing. i am totally craving this cake now. the flavors of the spices are calling me. do you think i can make it dairy free and gluten free?
the milk can easily be substituted with coconut milk but I’ve never used egg replacer so I’m not sure it is going to give you the same volume as eggs you might want to add a flax egg for extra volume. It all depends what you are using to replace the eggs.
This sounds so delicious and flavorful! I can’t wait to taste it
I am sure you will love it
That’s so wonderful…will surely try out the eggless version sometime..your picture looks good..:)
The cake looks so yummy! I would definitely give the recipe a try.
I am sure you would love this cake!
I have to try it. I has a lot of ingredients we don’t usually use but I think I can get them. We love spicy food, so I think this is a cake for us.
you dont have to go crazy – its really the cinnamon and nutmeg that are the most essential. In fact sometimes we sub other spices like ginger or cardamom if we dont have the others about.
Thank you for sharing the recipe and the story behind it! Do you bring all of the cake ingredients to room temperature before you start making the cake?
pretty much – the milk when mixed with the canned evaporated milk balances out so I don’t really worry about the milk being at temperature but everything else is
I must admit that I am not a fan of spice cakes, however my grandmother is a huge fan! I bet she would love this!
Great – then make it for her 🙂
Oh wow. This is a special recipe then, I would love to make it but I’m not a good baker. It looks so delicious!
Baking is not something you can do ad hoc. It’s very scientific. Once you have a reliable recipe and measure everything exactly I think you would be able to get this cake done easily!
First time I am hearing about a spice cake. Looks so delicious. I have not baked in ages but i’d love to start again!
well I think this spice cake is the perfect way to get you start baking again
Yum! This sounds delicious! Looks very similar to a snack cake we had when visiting Punta Cana.
yes well these spice cakes are ubiquitous throughout the caribbean albeit with slight changes – so I’m sure it was along the same vein
This sounds amazing. I would love to try it!!
It’s delicious – I think you will love it
The cake looks delicious. I love how moist it looks as well.
thanks yes its perfect with a cup of tea
Wow! I thought I was the only one that had to struggle with mom for her “secret recipe”. You know I kinda of do the same thing when I cook. I just “eye ball it” lol. That’s when you know you are a good cook/baker. That’s great you were able to get the measurements. 🙂
I eyeball cook with savories but baking is such an exact science that I do measure for that and it also ensures consistency
I think I bake like your mum, I just do it and I know if it is right
i wish I could bake like that 🙂
Looks delicious. It always happens with my mom & I too. Someone ends up shouting at the other haha.
at least I’m not the only one 😉
My mum is definitely like your mum and thats how I learnt to bake, most measuring with my eyes
I can cook without measurements but I find baking harder
I like your recipe, it seems vegetarian but also delicious. I won’t mind eating a lot as long as there’s coffee.
yes its perfect with a cup of coffee