Toto (dessert)
Toto (also referred to as tuoto and toe-toe bulla)[1] is a small coconut cake in Jamaican cuisine.[2][3][4] served as a snack or dessert.[5] The cake is typically prepared with shredded coconut, brown sugar, flour, baking soda and powder and coconut milk.[1]
 Toto cake being baked | |
| Type | Cake |
|---|---|
| Place of origin | Jamaica |
| Main ingredients | Coconut, sugar, flour |
Toto is a Jamaican delicacy that is served at most family gatherings.
Toto got its origin from slavery. Whenever they were hungry from being underfed, they would combine coconut, molasses and flour, bake it with fire coals laced on top of a metal sheet covering the cake pan and fire beneath the cake pan. [6]
History
It was stated in the book Jamaican food: history, biology, culture, published in 2008, that the food appears to have been invented in the twentieth century,[1] and that by the end of the twentieth century they were difficult to find.[1] That claim might be erroneous as the food is typically made in homes and not sold widely in stores. Toto recipes are passed down within families, some claiming to have recipes from the 19th Century. Toto is not related to and should not be confused with Coco Bread.
References
- Jamaican food: history, biology, culture - B. W. Higman - Google Books p. 245.
- Food, Cuisine, and Cultural Competency for Culinary, Hospitality, and Nutrition Professionals. p. 455.
- Jamaican food: history, biology, culture - B. W. Higman - Google Books p. 167, 245.
- Mama Was a Princess - Ivet Graham-morgan - Google Books
- Caribbean - Bruce Geddes - Google Books. p. 238.
- Murphy, Brittany. "Home". Jamaicans.com. Retrieved 2019-06-06.