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Golden square of Jamaican toto on a white plate, coconut-flecked crumb visible, more squares on a wooden board

Jamaican Toto Coconut Cake with Nutmeg and Brown Sugar

Jamaican toto is a dense, spiced coconut cake baked in a 23 cm square pan and cut into 12 squares. It takes 15 minutes of prep and 35 minutes in the oven.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Servings: 12 squares
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Caribbean
Calories: 292
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 250 g all-purpose flour (2 cups)
  • 150 g unsweetened desiccated coconut (about 1 3/4 cups)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp nutmeg freshly grated if possible
  • 1/2 tsp ground ginger
  • 1/2 tsp fine salt
  • 60 g raisins (1/3 cup); optional
Wet ingredients
  • 115 g unsalted butter (1/2 cup); melted and slightly cooled
  • 150 g brown sugar (3/4 cup); packed
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • 240 ml full-fat coconut milk (1 cup); stirred well
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 180 C / 350 F. Grease a 23 cm / 9-inch square baking pan and line it with parchment, leaving a 3 cm overhang on two sides.
  2. Whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and salt in a 3-quart / 2.8 L mixing bowl. Stir in the coconut and raisins until every piece is coated in flour.
  3. In a 2-quart / 1.9 L mixing bowl, whisk the melted butter and brown sugar until smooth. Whisk in the egg, coconut milk and vanilla. Pour this over the dry mixture and fold with a spatula until no dry flour is visible. The batter will be thick and spoonable, not pourable.
  4. Scrape the batter into the pan and press it level with the back of a damp spoon. Bake for 35 minutes, checking from 32 minutes, until the top is golden, the edges just pull from the sides and a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
  5. Cool the cake in the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes. Lift it out by the parchment, then cut into 12 squares, 3 across and 4 down. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

  • Use unsweetened desiccated coconut, since sweetened flakes make the cake too sweet.
  • Fold the batter only until no dry flour is visible.
  • Start checking at 32 minutes and pull the cake at 35 when a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Wait 20 minutes before cutting so the squares hold together.