• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Tara's Multicultural Table

  • Index
  • International Recipes
  • Travel
  • About Me
  • Contact
  • Policies

Chikenduza (Zimbabwe Candy Cake)

10 August, 2016 by Tara 12 Comments

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email
Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe

A recipe for Chikenduza (Zimbabwe Candy Cake)! These thick, yeast-based cakes are topped with a bright pink icing for a fun and delicious treat.

Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links. If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.

Four Chikenduza (Zimbabwe Candy Cake) on a wooden platter and topped with pink icing.

Chikenduza (Zimbabwe Candy Cake)

Chikenduza, also known as Candy Cakes, are sweetened bread-like cakes from Zimbabwe. They have a texture similar to the sweet yeast bread popular here around the holidays and are traditionally the size of large muffins. The Candy Cake name comes from the coating of a powdered sugar pink glaze over the tops. 

Drizzling pink icing on top of the Chikenduza (Zimbabwe Candy Cake).

The dough should be wet, between a cake batter and bread dough. If it too solid, mix in a little more milk. If it is too watery, add a little more flour. 

These cakes are traditionally the size of jumbo muffins, so I used these large muffin cups. If you don’t have this size available, you can also use regular muffin tins or 1 (six inch) cake pan- cooking times may vary.

I originally planned to use natural food coloring from beets to dye the icing pink. Unfortunately, I had an off batch that turned the water more brownish/yellow instead of red. If you are using natural food coloring, you may not need to add any water to the powdered sugar or only up to 1/2 a tablespoon.

For artificial food coloring, you will only need a drop or two and up to a tablespoon of water to create a smooth glaze. If the glaze is too watery, add a little more powdered sugar. If it is too thick to drizzle, add a little more water.

Close up of four Chikenduza (Zimbabwe Candy Cake) on a wooden board and covered with pink icing.

Chikenduza (Zimbabwe Candy Cake) Recipe

Adapted from Global Table Adventure and Fiso’s Kitchen

Four Chikenduza (Zimbabwe Candy Cake) on a wooden board.
Print Pin

Chikenduza (Zimbabwe Candy Cake)

A recipe for Chikenduza (Zimbabwe Candy Cake)! These thick, yeast-based cakes are topped with a bright pink icing for a fun and delicious treat.
Course Dessert
Cuisine Zimbabwe
Keyword bread, cake, dessert, Zimbabwe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Resting Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings 5 -6 Muffin-sized cakes

Ingredients

Cake:

  • 2 teaspoons active dry yeast
  • 1/2 cup (120 milliliters) lukewarm milk 105-115˚F
  • 2 1/2 cups (300 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 4 1/2 tablespoons (65 grams) unsalted butter softened at room temperature
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Glaze:

  • 3/4 cup (85 grams) powdered sugar
  • 1/2-1 tablespoon water
  • Red or pink food coloring

Instructions

To make the cake:

  • In a small bowl, sprinkle yeast over the warm milk. Stir to combine. Allow to sit until frothy, about 10 minutes.
  • In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook or a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. Mix in the softened butter, egg, vanilla extract, and yeast with water to for a wet dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and allow to rest until doubled, about 1 hour.
  • Grease 6 large muffin tins and preheat oven to 340˚F (170 C). Use a spoon to transfer the dough into the prepared muffin tins, about 3/4 full. Use the back of a wet spoon to smooth out the tops. Cover and allow to rise until puffed, about 30 minutes.
  • Bake in preheated oven until lightly golden and toothpick inserted in center comes out dry, 25-30 minutes.
  • Allow to cool on wire rack to room temperature.

To make the pink glaze:

  • In a medium bowl, add the powdered sugar. If using natural red food coloring, mix in a little and enough water to form a smooth pink glaze. More water may be needed if using artificial coloring- 1 to 2 drops. If too thin, add more powdered sugar. If too thick, add more water. Drizzle over cooled cakes.
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Email

Filed Under: Desserts, Middle Eastern/African Tagged With: africa, african, cake, dessert, zimbabwe

Previous Post: « Galey iyo Qumbo (Somali Corn in Coconut Sauce)
Next Post: Arroz Carreteiro (Brazilian Wagoners’ Rice) and Churrasco Cookbook Review »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. peter @Feed Your Soul Too

    10 August, 2016 at 9:40 am

    These looks so good. What an eye popping color you created for the glaze.

    Reply
  2. Lisa | Garlic + Zest

    10 August, 2016 at 9:58 am

    These look so good! My nephews are in town and I know they would love this! Going to try it for them!

    Reply
  3. Sarah

    10 August, 2016 at 10:47 am

    These look adorable and remind me of the cupcakes pictured in my favourite childhood story books. Love that colour of the glaze!

    Reply
  4. Tina Dawson | Love is in my Tummy

    10 August, 2016 at 11:14 am

    What a lovely find! I am saving this for later! So pretty and easy too!

    Reply
  5. sue | theviewfromgreatisland

    10 August, 2016 at 11:15 am

    I can’t take my eyes off these!

    Reply
  6. Lauren @ Sew You Think You Can Cook

    12 August, 2016 at 7:07 am

    These are insane!

    Reply
  7. Glenny Deka

    4 January, 2019 at 1:52 am

    wow. this brings me the memories of our high school break times. i used to eat these at Marlborough High School in those days. Thanks for the recipe. amazing!

    Reply
    • Tara

      4 January, 2019 at 10:44 am

      Thanks Glenny! So happy to hear!

      Reply
  8. Jean B

    2 April, 2019 at 4:42 pm

    I would like to make these but on the minuture size for a school project. Any way someone can help us out with adjusting the recipe?
    We would like to make alot to share with the class.

    Reply
    • Tara

      2 April, 2019 at 10:30 pm

      Hi Jean! You can make these in smaller tins, but will just have to start checking the cakes earlier since they will bake faster. The recipe can be doubled to feed a crowd.

      Reply
  9. Judith

    13 July, 2020 at 10:28 pm

    Thanks, will definitely bake them when I get home. Reminds me of my school days at Morgan High in the 90s used to buy them at the tuckshop during break time.

    Reply
    • Tara

      14 July, 2020 at 12:06 am

      Hi Judith! So happy to hear!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

About Me

tarasmctable (1 of 1)

Hello and welcome to Tara's Multicultural Table! Check out the index to find recipes from around the world and learn more about me here.

Subscribe to Tara's Multicultural Table via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 1,097 other subscribers

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Categories

Amazon

I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program and earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com

Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Subscribe to Tara's Multicultural Table via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 1,097 other subscribers

Featured Recipes:

Cardamom Latte in two stone glasses with cardamom pods in the background.
Lavender Lemonade in two glasses garnished with lemon slices and rosemary.
Pastel de Queijo (Brazilian Cheese Pastry) pile on a white plate.

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2022 Tara's Multicultural Table on the Foodie Pro Theme