Toto
A traditional Jamaican coconut spice cake - dense, moist, deeply flavoured with brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg and grated fresh coconut. Often served in thick squares with afternoon tea or wrapped for school lunches. A simple recipe, no icing, just a glossy crust and a sweet, spiced crumb that keeps for days.
Overview
A creamed-butter cake enriched with desiccated coconut (or fresh grated coconut) and warmed with allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg and a little vanilla. Brown sugar gives the deep molasses note. Coconut milk replaces some of the liquid for richness. Baked in a square tin, cooled in the tin, and cut into chunky squares.
Ingredients
Dry
- 250 g plain flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 100 g desiccated coconut (unsweetened)
Wet
- 175 g unsalted butter, softened
- 200 g soft dark brown sugar
- 3 eggs (large), room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 150 ml coconut milk (full-fat tinned)
- 2 tablespoons dark rum (optional)
Method
Stage 1 - Prep
- Heat the oven to 175°C (155°C fan).
- Grease and line a 23 cm square cake tin with baking parchment.
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and desiccated coconut.
Stage 2 - Make the batter
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar with an electric whisk until light and fluffy (4-5 minutes).
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
- Beat in the vanilla and rum (if using).
- Fold in a third of the dry mix with a spatula.
- Fold in half the coconut milk.
- Repeat, ending with the dry mix; mix until just combined (do not overwork).
Stage 3 - Bake
- Scrape the batter into the prepared tin; level the top.
- Bake on the middle shelf 40-45 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out with a few moist crumbs (not raw batter).
- The top should be deep golden and slightly cracked.
- Cool in the tin 20 minutes, then lift out using the parchment and cool fully on a wire rack.
- Cut into 9 or 12 squares.
Notes
- Fresh coconut: If you can get a whole coconut, 120 g freshly grated flesh is exceptional in place of desiccated. Otherwise unsweetened desiccated is the standard.
- Brown sugar choice: Soft dark brown sugar gives the proper molasses depth. Light brown works but the cake will be lighter in flavour.
- Don't overbake: Toto should be moist, not dry. Pull it from the oven when the skewer is just barely clean.
Variations
With raisins: Stir in 75 g raisins or sultanas soaked in rum overnight. Glazed: Brush the warm cake with a thin glaze of rum and brown sugar (2 tablespoons rum dissolved with 3 tablespoons brown sugar over low heat).
Serving
Serve with: A cup of hot tea, Jamaican coffee, or a glass of sorrel drink at Christmas. Excellent with a thin slice of mango on the side.
Storage
- Keeps 5 days in an airtight tin at room temperature - in fact it improves over the first 2 days.
- Freezes 2 months wrapped tightly; defrost at room temperature.
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