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+ servings
Haitian Cake Recipe

Haitian Cake Recipe

This is perhaps the most famous Haitian cake recipe, the Gateau au Beurre. A moist butter cake flavored with nutmeg, lime, and rum.
5 from 1 vote
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Haitian
Servings 14 servings

Equipment

  • bundt cake pan

Ingredients
 
 

  • 1 1/2 cups sugar
  • 2 sticks butter unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 tsp fresh lime zest
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 tsp almond extract
  • 2 tbsp dark rum ideally Barbancourt, of course!
  • 1 can evaporated milk
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp ground nutmeg

Glaze 1:

  • 1/2 cup guava jelly
  • 2 tbsp water

Glaze 2:

  • 2 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup powdered sugar
  • 1/4 cup sweetened flaked coconut

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 F and spray a 10-12 cup Bundt pan with non-stick cooking spray.
  • In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until smooth and creamy.
  • Add in the eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed until just combined.
  • Add in the rum, vanilla, almond extract, and lime zest. Stir to combine.
  • Add in the evaporated milk and stir to combine.
  • Sift the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt,and nutmeg) into the wet ingredients and stir until just combined.
  • Pour batter into the prepared pan. Place the cake batter in a preheated oven and bake 35 to 45 minutes or until a toothpick or cake tester inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
  • Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 5-10 minutes. Do not let the cake sit and fully cool in the pan or it will get stuck. Place a wire rack over the top of the cake pan and flip the cake onto the wire rack to fully cool.
  • Once the cake is fully cooled, pick a glaze to decorate your delicious cake.
  • For glaze 1, simply melt the jelly in the microwave and brush it on the haitian butter cake.
  • For glaze 2, combine the lemon juice and powdered sugar in a small bowl. Drizzle the glaze over the cake, then sprinkle with coconut. Let the glaze fully set before serving.

Notes

To dress it up, bake this cake in two 8-inch round cake pans and frost and decorate with a cream cheese frosting.
Keyword butter cake, evaporated milk, lime, nutmeg, rum
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