Heavy Cake

Dark, moist, and dense, cassava cake or heavy cake hails from the Cayman Islands, where it's regarded as the unofficial national dish. This intensely sweet dessert is made with a combination of boiled coconut milk, margarine, vanilla, brown sugar, spices, and grated cassava.

While grated cassava is the most popular starch in heavy cake, other grated tubers are used as well, such as sweet potatoes and yams, then there's soaked and grated dry corn, and fruits such as green pawpaw and breadfruit. This cake must be firm enough to stand up, but it should still lightly jiggle when sliced, and the texture is always a bit sticky.

Cayman heavy cake should be served at room temperature, and it remains a favorite at birthdays, weddings, and similar festive occasions.