How to make Nigerian cake

An online discussion on X (formerly Twitter) had diasporans talking about how Nigerian cake is typically better than the cakes they eat in other countries. Nigerian cakes focus on core flavours and a smooth texture.

For the Nigerian Cake recipe to work, plain flour is needed and not self-rising flour because self-rising flour lacks the required amount of baking powder, which is a leavening agent. Better outcomes are guaranteed with plain flour since plain flour gives you more control over how much baking powder is applied.

Due to high costs and poor electricity, margarine is typically used in Nigerian cakes because butter requires refrigeration. Use butter and margarine if you want to create a cake that is uniquely Nigerian. If you are using butter, to ensure a smooth consistency, remove the butter from the refrigerator the day before baking to let it melt.

The normal sugar for cakes is caster sugar. It is a finely granulated sugar that’s purely white. However, Nigerians use granulated sugar. Grinding granulated sugar a bit before adding it to butter for creaming reduces the size of sugar grains and shortens the creaming time.

Because cakes contain eggs, brandy is an essential preservative that keeps the cake from going bad. For cakes that will be kept on the counter for a few days, this is quite crucial, but brandy is not needed if the cake is frozen after cooling and will be eaten immediately.

Due to the cost and access to liquid milk, Nigerian bakers typically use powdered milk. However, sometimes milk is even scarcely used since it reduces the shelf life.