Around the World in Seven Cakes: Meskouta

When deciding which cake to bring to Chef's Corner Store's very own cake picnic, I brainstormed dozens of ideas. This delicious research prompted a new, months-long baking project. With seven continents in the world, my goal is to discover and bake one new cake from each continent over the next several months! I plan to research each of these cakes and bake the most accurate representation I can, even though I have not been to most of these countries. (Yet!) I'm excited to share tasty new-to-me treats from around the world.

Road to Morocco

We begin our culinary journey in Africa. Growing up in Colorado Springs, I had limited exposure to African food. However, there was a great family-owned Moroccan restaurant in nearby Manitou Springs that felt and tasted like a trip to Morocco. This childhood memory inspired me to try my hand at meskouta.

Described as a lightly sweet citrus cake, often served with breakfast, meskouta is made using ingredients that are readily available and economical, similar to desperation pies in the US. Originating from a time when cakes were made almost exclusively using butter, meskouta is made with oil, which was more affordable during French and Spanish colonization. Meskouta is also commonly referred to as a winter cake, as citrus was most plentiful in winter.

Variety, the Spice of Life

Beyond the standard ingredients of oil and citrus, meskouta recipes vary somewhat. Some contain almonds or Greek yogurt. Meskouta can be baked in a tube cake pan, a Bundt pan, or a loaf pan. To really get a feel for meskouta, I tried a couple variations.

I found the recipe for my first meskouta on The Cookbook's YouTube channel. It calls for orange juice, orange zest, four eggs, and yogurt, and it’s baked in a Bundt pan. The finished cake was moist, not too sweet, not too dense, and quickly devoured by our team.

The second recipe was featured on the New York Times' TikTok channel. This one is baked in a loaf pan, and it uses fewer eggs and less orange juice. The first time I try a baking recipe, I always follow it as written and save any experimentation for the second round. While this cake was delicious, it collapsed in the center. Next time, I will make some adjustments for baking at altitude and add more orange flavor.

The Takeaway

Meskouta reminds me of snacking and visiting cakes. The next time I need a delicious cake for brunch, I'm making meskouta. With handy ingredients and easy to follow recipes, meskouta is an unfussy, crowd-pleasing cake for any get-together.

Readers, have you tried baking meskouta? Is there a different cake you feel perfectly represents Africa? I'd love for you to share!