Bojo (Surinamese Cassava and Coconut Cake)
In short: A dense, moist cake of grated cassava and coconut with butter, eggs, raisins and warm spices, baked golden and naturally free of wheat flour. It takes about 1 h 30 min in total and makes 12 servings.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 1 h
- Resting
- 1 h 30 min
- Total
- 1 h 30 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 300 kcal
Bojo is a Surinamese cake made without wheat flour, built instead on grated fresh cassava and coconut. Butter, eggs and coconut milk enrich it, raisins soaked in rum add sweetness, and nutmeg and cinnamon give it a warm smell. It bakes into a dense, moist, slightly chewy cake with a crusty top, cut into squares and served at gatherings and with coffee. Letting it cool completely before slicing helps it hold together.
Instructions
- Soak the raisins in the rum for at least 30 minutes. Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F), then grease a 20 cm (8 in) square pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Peel the cassava thickly, cut it into chunks and cut out the woody core from each piece. Grate it finely on the small holes of a box grater or in a food processor. Weigh out 600 g.
- In a large bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar for 2 minutes until pale. Whisk in the melted butter, coconut milk, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
- Stir in the grated cassava, the coconut and the raisins with their rum until thoroughly mixed. The batter will be thick and wet, like loose porridge.
- Scrape into the pan and level the top. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, until deep golden, firm to the touch and pulling away from the edges, with a skewer coming out clean.
- Cool in the pan for at least 1 hour, preferably 2. Cut into 12 squares and serve at room temperature.
Tips
- Use sweet cassava, the common market kind, and peel it thickly. Always bake bojo until fully set, because cooked cassava is safe to eat and raw cassava is not.
- Frozen grated cassava works too. Thaw it, press it lightly in a sieve to drain excess liquid without squeezing it dry, and use 600 g.
Questions and answers
Is bojo gluten-free?
Yes. It has no wheat flour, because the cassava and coconut give it structure. Check the labels on your coconut and vanilla for added ingredients.
How long does bojo keep?
Covered at room temperature it keeps for 2 days, or up to 5 days in the fridge. Bring it to room temperature before serving, because it firms up when cold.
Can I freeze bojo?
Yes. Wrap squares tightly and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
How long does it take to make Bojo (Surinamese Cassava and Coconut Cake)?
About 1 h 30 min in total: 30 min of preparation and 1 h of cooking.
How many calories are in Bojo (Surinamese Cassava and Coconut Cake)?
About 300 kcal per serving, with 3 g of protein, 40 g of carbohydrates and 14 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 300 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 3 g |
| Carbohydrates | 40 g |
| Fat | 14 g |
| Fiber | 3 g |
| Sugar | 18 g |
| Sodium | 80 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
