Bake

These classic Caribbean bakes are golden and crisp on the outside, yet soft, tender, and slightly chewy inside. Lightly salty and buttery, they puff beautifully when fried and are perfect for splitting open and filling with savoury or sweet accompaniments.

Nutrition · per serving

656kcal

10.4gProtein

63.5gCarbs

38.9gFat

2.4gFiber

2 servings

Ingredients

8 items

Dough

plain flour250 g

baking powder10 g

fine salt4 g

unsalted butter, cold30 g

whole milk120 ml

water60 ml

For shaping and cooking

plain flour, for dusting10 g

neutral oil, for frying500 ml

Tips

•For a softer bake, keep the dough slightly tacky rather than dry; add liquid cautiously.
•If you prefer baked rather than fried bake, place the shaped rounds on a tray and bake at 220°C for 12 to 15 minutes until golden, though the texture will be less rich and puffy than fried.
•Used frying oil is not fully absorbed; nutrition is estimated assuming about 20 g oil total is absorbed by the two bakes.
•These are best eaten warm, the day they are made.

Steps

1
Measure all ingredients first. In a medium bowl, whisk together the plain flour, baking powder, and fine salt so the leavening is evenly distributed. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized bits remaining; those little pieces help create a tender, slightly layered bake.
250 g plain flour10 g baking powder4 g fine salt30 g unsalted butter, cold
2
Mix the milk and water together. Pour most of the liquid into the flour mixture and stir just until a shaggy dough forms, adding the last splash only if needed. Knead very briefly, about 30 to 45 seconds, just until smooth; do not overwork it or the bakes will be tough.
120 ml whole milk60 ml water
3
Cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes. This short rest relaxes the gluten and makes shaping easier.
4
Lightly dust the work surface with flour. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces and shape each into a ball, then flatten into rounds about 10 to 12 cm wide and 1 cm thick. Keep the thickness even so they puff uniformly.
10 g plain flour, for dusting
5
Pour the oil into a small deep pan and heat to about 170 to 175°C. Fry the dough rounds one at a time for 2 to 3 minutes per side, spooning a little hot oil over the top at first to encourage puffing. Turn when the underside is deep golden brown. The bake is done when both sides are richly golden and it sounds slightly hollow when tapped.
500 ml neutral oil, for frying
6
Lift out the bakes and drain briefly on a rack or paper. Let them sit for 2 minutes before serving so the crumb sets while staying soft and warm. Split and serve as is, or fill with cheese, eggs, saltfish, or jam.

Origin & History

Bake is a beloved Caribbean bread found in Trinidad and Tobago and across the region, where it is commonly fried and served for breakfast or as street food. Despite the name, many versions are fried rather than baked, producing the characteristic puffed, golden exterior and soft interior. It is especially famous as the bread component of bake and saltfish.

caribbean bread vegetarian fried breakfast beginner

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Steps

Measure all ingredients first. In a medium bowl, whisk together the plain flour, baking powder, and fine salt so the leavening is evenly distributed. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized bits remaining; those little pieces help create a tender, slightly layered bake.

250 g plain flour10 g baking powder4 g fine salt30 g unsalted butter, cold

Mix the milk and water together. Pour most of the liquid into the flour mixture and stir just until a shaggy dough forms, adding the last splash only if needed. Knead very briefly, about 30 to 45 seconds, just until smooth; do not overwork it or the bakes will be tough.

120 ml whole milk60 ml water

Cover the dough and let it rest for 10 minutes. This short rest relaxes the gluten and makes shaping easier.

Lightly dust the work surface with flour. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces and shape each into a ball, then flatten into rounds about 10 to 12 cm wide and 1 cm thick. Keep the thickness even so they puff uniformly.

10 g plain flour, for dusting

Pour the oil into a small deep pan and heat to about 170 to 175°C. Fry the dough rounds one at a time for 2 to 3 minutes per side, spooning a little hot oil over the top at first to encourage puffing. Turn when the underside is deep golden brown. The bake is done when both sides are richly golden and it sounds slightly hollow when tapped.

500 ml neutral oil, for frying

Lift out the bakes and drain briefly on a rack or paper. Let them sit for 2 minutes before serving so the crumb sets while staying soft and warm. Split and serve as is, or fill with cheese, eggs, saltfish, or jam.

Origin & History