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Surinamese bojo
Cassava and coconut cake
Bojo: Paramaribo's baked cassava and coconut cake
At a verjaardag (birthday) party in Paramaribo, there is nearly always a tray of bojo on the side table, cut into squares next to fiadoe and pom. It is a dense, moist cake of grated cassava and coconut, sweetened and scented with cinnamon, vanilla and almond, with plump raisins through it and a golden, chewy crust. Cassava must always be cooked thoroughly, and this cake bakes for a full hour so the centre sets properly. The usual mistake is cutting it warm, when it is still gummy; give it time to cool and firm up. Eggs and coconut are the allergens to note. Chef's tip: frozen grated cassava, thawed and squeezed dry, gives the smoothest result and saves a lot of grating.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 12
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ lb grated cassavafresh or frozen and thawed, squeezed dry in a cloth
- 7 oz grated coconutfresh or frozen
- 7 oz caster sugar
- 4 ½ oz buttermelted
- 4 eggsbeaten
- ¾ cup coconut milk
- 3 ½ oz raisins
- 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- ¼ tsp salt
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What you'll need
Spices & pantry
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (325°F fan). Butter a 23 × 30 cm baking tin and line the base with baking paper.
Step 2: Whisk 7 oz caster sugar, 4 ½ oz butter and 4 eggs until smooth, then whisk in ¾ cup coconut milk, 2 tsp vanilla extract, ½ tsp almond extract, 1 ½ tsp ground cinnamon and ¼ tsp salt.
Step 3: Fold in 1 ⅔ lb grated cassava, 7 oz grated coconut and 3 ½ oz raisins until evenly mixed. The batter should be thick and wet, like porridge.
Step 4: Spread into the tin and level the top. Bake for 60–70 minutes, until deep golden on top, pulling away from the sides, and a skewer in the middle comes out without wet batter.
65 minStep 5: Cool completely in the tin, at least 2 hours, before cutting into squares. It keeps for 4 days in the fridge.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 45 g
- Fat
- 15 g
- Fibre
- 3 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does surinamese bojo take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 65 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 12 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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