Antiguan Sugar Cake (Coconut Ginger Candy)
Local name: Sugar cake
In short: Antiguan sugar cake: chewy coconut and ginger sweets simmered in sugar syrup and dropped by the spoonful to set, a market and festival treat. It takes about 35 min in total and makes 9 servings.
- Prep
- 10 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Resting
- 30 min
- Total
- 35 min
- Servings
- 9
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 230 kcal
Sugar cake is a chewy coconut sweet found at Antiguan markets and festivals, usually sold in small piles wrapped in paper. Grated coconut is simmered in ginger-scented sugar syrup until thick and sticky, then dropped by spoonfuls to set. Some are tinted pink with food coloring. They are very sweet, so a small piece goes a long way, and they keep for a week in a tin.
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and keep two spoons ready.
- Combine the sugar, water and ginger in a wide, heavy pan. Bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves, then simmer for 5 minutes.
- Stir in the coconut, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt, and the food coloring if using. If you use desiccated coconut, add 2 tablespoons more water.
- Cook over medium-low heat for 12 to 15 minutes, stirring constantly, until the mixture is thick, sticky and starts to pull away from the sides.
- Working quickly, drop heaped tablespoons of the mixture onto the parchment and flatten slightly with the back of a spoon.
- Leave to set for 30 minutes until firm. Store in an airtight tin, with parchment between layers.
Tips
- Stir all the way to the corners of the pan. The sugar syrup scorches fast, and a brown, burnt taste ruins the batch.
- If the mixture hardens before you finish shaping, return it to low heat with 1 tablespoon of water for 30 seconds, then continue.
Questions and answers
How long does sugar cake last?
In an airtight tin at room temperature it keeps for about 1 week. Separate layers with parchment, because the pieces are sticky.
Why did my sugar cake not set?
The mixture was probably not cooked long enough. It should be very thick and pull from the sides of the pan before you spoon it out.
Can I use sweetened shredded coconut?
It is better to use unsweetened coconut. If you use sweetened, reduce the sugar to 200 g (1 cup) to avoid an overly sweet candy.
How long does it take to make Antiguan Sugar Cake (Coconut Ginger Candy)?
About 35 min in total: 10 min of preparation and 25 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Antiguan Sugar Cake (Coconut Ginger Candy)?
About 230 kcal per serving, with 1 g of protein, 37 g of carbohydrates and 9 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 230 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 1 g |
| Carbohydrates | 37 g |
| Fat | 9 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 33 g |
| Sodium | 20 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
