Arepa Dominicana (Sweet Cornmeal and Coconut Cake)
Not the Venezuelan flatbread: the Dominican arepa is a dense, moist cornmeal cake cooked with coconut milk, cinnamon and raisins, baked until golden with a crisp crust.
Servings
Ingredients
Nutrition
Per serving
Steps
Prepare
Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Butter a 23 cm (9 in) round or square baking tin.
- a little, for greasing butter
✅ Done when: oven reaches 180°C (350°F) and tin is evenly coated with butter
Heat the milks
In a pot over medium heat, combine the coconut milk, whole milk, sugar, butter, cinnamon stick and salt. Heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts and the mixture steams but does not boil, then remove the cinnamon stick.
- 1 can (400 ml) coconut milk
- 500 ml whole milk
- 200 g sugar
- 60 g butter
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ tsp salt
✅ Done when: steaming, not boiling, butter fully melted
Cook the cornmeal
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Bake
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Cool and serve
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Prepare
Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Butter a 23 cm (9 in) round or square baking tin.
- a little, for greasing butter
✅ Done when: oven reaches 180°C (350°F) and tin is evenly coated with butter
Heat the milks
In a pot over medium heat, combine the coconut milk, whole milk, sugar, butter, cinnamon stick and salt. Heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the butter melts and the mixture steams but does not boil, then remove the cinnamon stick.
- 1 can (400 ml) coconut milk
- 500 ml whole milk
- 200 g sugar
- 60 g butter
- 1 cinnamon stick
- ½ tsp salt
✅ Done when: steaming, not boiling, butter fully melted
Cook the cornmeal
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Bake
This step is part of Foodie Premium. Subscribe to unlock the full method, cooking mode and every recipe in the library.
Cool and serve
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The Story Behind the Dish
Despite the name, the Dominican arepa has nothing in common with the Venezuelan and Colombian corn flatbreads except corn. It's a sweet cornmeal cake, traditionally cooked in a pot over charcoal with more coals on the lid, so it baked from above and below.
Today it's baked in the oven, but it remains a classic of Dominican grandmothers' kitchens, served with afternoon coffee.
⭐ Why It's Famous
Dense, sweet and coconutty with a golden crust, it's simple, cheap and deeply nostalgic.
💡 Fun Fact
The old method of cooking with coals on the lid is called 'fuego arriba y fuego abajo', fire above and fire below.
Dominican Republic
18.49°N, -69.93°W
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