10 Best Caribbean Cakes That You Have To Try
I feel like eating a Caribbean cake is its own kind of rite of passage. But whipping up a black cake takes a lot of trial and error. My first time making black cake, I added too much browning, so it tasted bitter.
However, it’s not just about baking. It’s about showing people you can make and good Caribbean-inspired cake. Our cake just doesn’t taste like chocolate or vanilla, but cinnamon and nutmeg.
Just to name a few of the spices. It takes time and patience, and a lot of practice to get the right flavor.
And if that sounds like you, then these Caribbean cake recipes are going to make everyone at your next lime just a little bit jealous.
What Makes Caribbean Cakes Stand Out?
Our cakes are spiced, sticky, dense, and sometimes soaked in rum. Plus, we don’t need any icing for our cake to taste good.
Spices are the main ingredient in most Caribbean cakes. There is always some nutmeg or cinnamon.
These recipes aren’t new. They’ve been passed down from generation to generation. Your granny made it one way, your aunt added her twist, and now you’re making it with your own flair.
I would always smile when I saw my granny making her cakes without using measurements. I would ask her, “How do you know you need that much?” She would reply, “I just know!”
However, the best part of making Caribbean cake is licking the mixing bowl afterward.
1. Sponge Cake
Caribbean sponge cake is exactly what it sounds like: moist cake with a hint of nutmeg and spices. It is a favorite to eat around Christmas time or to buy at the bakery.
It’s that kind of cake. The kind that makes people pause mid-bite and ask, “Wait, you made this?” The kind that looks simple but tastes like you’ve been baking since childhood with your granny’s recipe.
And indeed, my granny’s sponge cake is the best around.
2. Christmas Black Cake
I mean, black cake was always going to make the list. It’s the kind of dessert that you either love or hate.
It is popular in Trinidad around Christmas time, but I make it whenever I feel like it. Again, it is somewhat difficult to make, and I had my fair share of bad batches.
You can add a few cherries to the top to make it fancy.
3. Pineapple Upside Cake
It’s a pineapple upside-down cake, and it’s giving tropical glam. Pineapple says Caribbean, and there is nothing like having that recipe to share with friends.
Also, it looks like the kind of cake where people are thinking, “Oh, she definitely picked that up from a bakery.” I have never tried making this cake; it looks hard.
4. Marble Cake
Marble is a classic—most people love it, I love it, you probably do too.
So why not lock in an easy win with your crew while casually stealing the spotlight with how stunning it tastes? Plus, Caribbean people love marble cake
5. Cassava Pone
If you have not had cassava pone, then you are missing out. Like the black cake, it is an acquired taste.
And if you’re worried, it might not turn out the way you want it. That’s ok. Cassava pone always gives me the most trouble to make.
Because while it doesn’t need frosting, it does need balance. The texture, the sweetness, the coconut, the spices.
6. Caribbean Rum Cake
Rum cake is tasty.
It’s one of those desserts that feels grown-up and indulgent, but still reminds me of family gatherings and loud laughter.
In Trinidad, it shows up at weddings, birthdays, and any lime where someone’s aunt insists, “You must taste this.”
7. Sugar Cake
Technically, sugar cake is not a cake, but to me, it is.
It’s sweet, coconutty, and comes together faster than most desserts I make. You can find it year-round, especially at school bazaars and roadside stalls.
But I make it whenever I feel like it. You can add a splash of food coloring to make it pink or leave it plain. Either way, you will enjoy every bite.
8. Bulla Cake
Bulla cake was never fancy, but it was always there. Thick, chewy, and full of molasses.
I enjoy this cake every time I visit Jamaica. If I am in the mood for some, I just whip up a few batches, and it will disappear in minutes.
That’s how much my family loves Bulla Cake. Its main ingredients are flour, molasses, baking powder, ginger, and nutmeg.
9. Toto Cake
I have never tried Jamaican Toto cake, but I have heard that it tastes amazing.
This cake has flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, shredded coconut, and evaporation milk. I am planning on making it soon, and I hope you are too.
10. Hummingbird Cake
Everyone loves a good pineapple upside-down, yet I love a good hummingbird cake.
It’s a cake that has pineapple, banana, and spices. The texture is soft and rich with a cream cheese frosting. My favorite is my granny’s recipe, but I have found a few people who make it similar to the way she makes hers.
Honestly, hummingbird cake has a little bit of everything.
Here is a list of my favorite Caribbean cakes. These cakes are always sweet and best served fresh out of the oven.
