Recipe Cassava pone

[Caribbean girl]

This is the month of November and our Independence day is quickly approaching. During this time of year, we usually concentrate on everything local, and food is one of these things. Cassava pone is a local delicacy here that is well liked by most people.

Making Cassava:

Ingredients:
3 cups dry cassava flour
1/4 pound shortening
1-1/2 cups sugar
3 cups milk and water
Rind of 1/2 orange
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups grated coconut
1 or 2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
1-1/2 teaspoons mixed spice

Method:
Mix dry ingredients together
Add melted shortening, milk, beaten egg and essence
Blend well
Pour mixture into greased shallow tin and bake in a moderate oven for about 1-1/2 hours
Glaze with sugar and water before baking.

It can also be made by adding cornmeal flour, giving the appearance of the image on the left.

 

[L_B]

This looks and sounds quite good. What is the texture like? From the pictures it looks like it might be similar to a sponge cake?

 

[winterybella]

This looks and sounds quite good. What is the texture like? From the pictures it looks like it might be similar to a sponge cake?

Far from a sponge cake L_B. Not nice and light at all. It's quite the opposite. It's quite heavy and not a favourite of mine but something I'll have a piece of if my mom bakes it.

 

[Corzhens]

Truly food have different colors, different shapes and different names. So that square thing is called a pone, the first time I've read this. We have that cassava cake although with a different set of ingredients. But the finished product almost looks the same although I cannot say about the taste. We have our own recipe that we used to bake for last year's Christmas giveaways. Maybe this year I can try that pone recipe of yours.

 

[Caribbean girl]

This looks and sounds quite good. What is the texture like? From the pictures it looks like it might be similar to a sponge cake?

Cassava pone has a kind of a firm, yet pulley texture. It is quite unique actually. It comes nowhere near sponge cake, as winterybella so rightfully stated. I prefer to eat it with a fork rather than with my hand. It is one of my favourite local desserts.

 

[winterybella]

It's because it is not the texture I like that does not draw me to it. It's too stiff and not everyone gets it right. I like it if it's not very stiff but a little or more a lot pulley like Caribbean said. For me it's a tricky cake to make so I happy not trying it.

 

[L_B]

Oh ok. Thank you. Sounds different. Not sure I would ever make it but I would definitely try it and see what it was like if I was ever anywhere that someone made it.

 

[winterybella]

Caribbean girl have you ever had bread pudding? I am thinking it's closer to that texture but I only had that bread a few times so I am not 100% sure. This picture tells the story to some extent of the texture I prefer just a little browner at the top which I like to eat most.

 

[Caribbean girl]

Caribbean girl have you ever had bread pudding?

I have made and eaten bread pudding several times, and this too is one of my favourite desserts. However, bread pudding has a much softer texture than pone does. I would have to say that I prefer bread pudding over pone, but pone is nice as long as it is made properly. I have tasted some with a very dry texture which I did not like, but if it is made the right way with the pully texture, then that is the one I like. Raisins can also be added to the recipe, but that is optional.