Best Dominican cake recipe

Volumes can be written about bizcocho dominicano (Dominican cake), and have in fact already been written (check the comments!). This cake seems to be the ultimate test for the expert Dominican cook, and however daunting, and confusing the instructions might look, we have really tried to add as much information as you could possibly need. Please read it.

No other recipe in our site is as popular, or elicits as many questions as our Dominican cake. For those who have not tried it, it is hard to understand the fascination with this cake. What makes Dominican cake so special? Well, you won’t know until you try it, but let me give you a spoiler: it is incredibly delicate in texture and sinfully delicious.

When I started this site it quickly became obvious that I needed to add this recipe, which was not included in the original collection (I got, and still get, dozens of questions about it every week). Having never baked this cake before (it is rarely home-made in the Dominican Republic, we usually order it from a ‘master baker’), I embarked on the quest for a recipe. That was not easy, each baker has their own (minor ‘tweaks’ really) and most guard it fiercely.

When I was able to find a recipe I tried it a first time: it was an unmitigated disaster. The second time however, and after carefully following the instructions, it was a success. As of the moment I am writing this I have baked exactly five cakes (the first disaster included), so I am no an expert by any stretch of the imagination, which in a way allows me to see things from our regular users’ perspective.

The most important features of the Dominican cake are that it is very ‘airy’ and moist. It contains a large amount of fat, about a third of it in fact, and a large volume of air, producing a cake that virtually dissolves in your mouth. Preparing the Dominican cake takes time. Lots of it. It is not something you can put together at the last minute. It takes planning and advance preparations. It also requires that you follow the instructions very carefully. One little misstep could ruin your many hours of work. Below you will find tips and tricks to help you achieve a successful result.