West Africa · Dessert
Rice Bread (Spiced Fermented Rice and Banana Cake)
A dense, naturally gluten-free Sierra Leonean spiced banana cake baked with finely ground rice flour and warming ginger.
The story
Originating from the Krio heritage of the Freetown peninsula, Rice Bread is an indispensable confectionery baked for Christmas breakfasts, Easter celebrations, and traditional afternoon teas. The cake draws inspiration from both West African fermented rice traditions and British colonial baking techniques. Authentic Sierra Leonean cooks know that using deeply speckled, near-black overripe Cavendish or Gros Michel bananas provides the essential natural moisture and enzymatic sweetness required to tenderize the dense rice flour crumb without needing wheat gluten.
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