Fat Cakes Fried Dough Vetkoek Recipe
By Vetkoek—South African fat cakes are delicious bites of crisp, fluffy, and tender fried dough ideal for stuffing with sweet or savory goodies—as if it were a homemade minced meat filling!
Why We Enjoy This Recipe (In Both Methods!)
My daughter spent several months in South Africa last year. Vetkoek, South African Fat Cakes, was one of the recipes she frequently mentioned. We decided to make them ourselves, and the whole family fell in love!
Fat cakes are a type of fried dough recipe popular in South Africa, Botswana, and other southern African countries as a snack. They are known as Magwinya in Botswana and Vetoek in South Africa. Both terms, however, refer to the same soft, tender, and crisp spheres.
Yeast or baking powder can be used to make African fry bread. Baking powder donuts are typically flattened and fried over low heat, similar to glaze-less donuts. They look like hamburger buns and can be filled with curried minced meat and other ingredients. One of Ava’s favorite ways to eat them was with sharp cheddar cheese and jam.
However, yeast can also be used to make cakes. This variety is typically scooped into smaller portions for mini pieces of fry bread dipped in sauce, but it can also be filled with fillings. (The larger hamburger bun style is unquestionably easier to fill.)
We’re focusing on yeast fat cakes here, but there’s also a recipe for the larger flatter baking powder recipe, as well as minced meat filling!
You’ll Need 6 Ingredients
- Bread flour can be substituted for all-purpose flour in a pinch, but the texture will be slightly different.
- Active dry yeast – Active yeast produces the best fluffy texture, so don’t try to substitute instant yeast.
- Granulated sugar – aids in the moistening and flavoring of the dough.
- Just a pinch of salt
- Water is used to make the dough.
- Fry oil is a high-temperature oil such as sunflower, peanut, safflower, or canola oil.
Making South African Fried Dough
In a large stand mixer bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of sugar and the dry active yeast. Allow the mixture to foam for 10 minutes after adding lukewarm water to activate the yeast.
Water that is too hot will kill the yeast, causing it not to rise. Make sure the water is just slightly warmer than your skin’s temperature.
To the yeast mixture, add the remaining sugar and salt. Then, with the mixer on low, attach a bread hook. Slowly incorporate the 4 cups of bread flour into the mixture. Allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes after it has come together. That dough will be sticky and wet. If it appears to be dry, add some water.
Set a large pot over medium to medium-low heat once the dough has risen. Attach a cooking thermometer to the pot’s side and add the oil. Allow the oil to heat up to 350°F. Place a paper towel-lined plate on the stove’s side.
Once the oil has reached the proper temperature, portion out pieces of the wet dough with a 1-12 to 2-tablespoon scoop.
Get the Complete (Printable) Fat Cake Recipe Below. Enjoy!
If necessary, coat the scoop in fryer oil to prevent the dough from sticking to it. Place the balls in the frying oil and immediately rotate.
Continue to portion out the dough balls and gently place them in the fryer oil. Throughout the cooking process, use a skimmer to rotate the balls so that they are evenly golden on all sides.
Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until a fork inserted into one of the large cakes comes out clean.
Move the fried fat cakes to the plate with the skimmer. Repeat with the remaining scoopers, dipping them into the frying oil as needed.
Serve it as is, with spreads, or make tiny stuffed sandwiches as my daughter does!
Her favorite combination is cheddar cheese with a smidgeon of sweet jam. Fill your fat cakes with whatever you want!
How to Make a Big Fat Cake (Vetkoek Without Yeast)
These larger cakes are ideal for stuffing with a filling. They’re about the size of hamburger buns, but with a crisper exterior and a soft, fluffy interior.
This fried dough recipe uses no yeast and requires no proofing time! You will need the following items to make this version of Vetkoek:
- Flour for bread
- Sugar granules
- Baking soda
- Salt \sWater
- Combine the bread flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer fitted with a bread hook. Combine thoroughly.
Add 34 cups of water. Mix until the dough comes together in a ball. Hand or with a bread hook, do this.
Knead the dough for another 5 minutes, or until it is firm and smooth but still soft. If the dough appears to be dry, add another 14 cups of water. The dough should be slightly tacky but not wet and sticky, like good bread dough or pizza dough.
Divide the dough into 12 equal parts. Form each piece into a ball with your hands, then flatten it into a disc.
To make the fry oil, follow the steps outlined above.
Place 3-4 discs into the frying oil at a time, allowing the temperature to drop to around 320°F. Fry for 3 to 5 minutes, or until golden. In the center, a fork should come out clean.
Cut and fill with curried minced meat (recipe below), cheese and jam, or your favorite fillings.
Recipe for South African Minced Meat
INGREDIENTS
Oil with high heat and a neutral flavor, such as vegetable or sunflower oil
- Ground beef, turkey, chicken, or even your favorite vegan plant-based ground meat substitute
- Peeled and diced onion
- Diced potato
- minced garlic
- grated fresh ginger
- Curry powder, garam masala, chili powder, ground cumin, and salt are the spices used.
- canned diced or crushed tomatoes
- No need to thaw frozen peas
- STEPS TO A SIMPLE RECIPE
Melt the butter in a large sauté pan over medium heat. Pour the oil into the pan. Stir in the diced onions, garlic, and ginger once the mixture is hot. Cook for 2–3 minutes.
When the onions are softened, add all of the spices: curry powder, garam masala, chilli powder, ground cumin, and salt. Cook for another minute.
Mix in the ground beef and potatoes. Stir and brown the meat, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon as it cooks to form small pieces. Brown the meat for 5 to 8 minutes on each side.
Remove the mixture from the heat and spoon it into the cooled and sliced fat cakes. You can also use this simple minced meat recipe to top hot dogs, hamburger buns, baked potatoes, and other dishes.
What Should You Serve With Vetkoek?
The tasty, savory fried bread makes an excellent snack or appetizer. Serve with your favorite dips and spreads!
For breakfast or lunch, stuff them with your favorite meats, cheeses, and other goodies. There’s no limit to how you can enjoy homemade fat cakes, from scrambled eggs to chicken salad and the (awesome!) minced meat recipe we’ve shared here.
Storage Suggestions
Keep the vetkoek in an airtight container on the counter for a day or two.
I recommend freezing them for longer storage. Wrap each large cake in plastic wrap and place it all in an airtight zipper bag. You can keep it in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Are you looking for more simple bread recipes? Make certain to also try
- Easy Fresh Plum Cake
- Korean Chicken Skewers Recipe
- How To Prepare Pupusas
- techinblog.com
- Mozzarella Sticks From The Air Fryer (Or Frozen)
Fat Cakes Fried Dough Vetkoek Recipe
Description
South African fat cakes are delicious bites of crisp, fluffy, and tender fried dough that can be stuffed with a variety of sweet or savory fillings… As if it were a homemade minced meat filling!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Place 2 tablespoons of sugar and the active dry yeast in a large stand mixer bowl. Add lukewarm water to the bowl, and allow the mixture to foam for 10 minutes, to activate the yeast. *Water that is too warm will kill the yeast, causing it to not rise. Make sure the water is just barely warmer than the temperature of your skin.
- Add the remaining sugar and salt to the yeast mixture. Then place a bread hook on the mixer and turn it on low. Slowly add the 4 cups of bread flour to the mix. Once the dough comes together allow it to need for 5 minutes. That dough will be wet and tacky. If it looks dry, add a little more water to the dough.
- Remove the bread hook and cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Then allow it to rise for 1 to 2 hours until doubles in size.
- Once the dough has risen, set a large pot over medium to medium-low heat. Attach a cooking thermometer to the side of the pot and pour in the oil. Allow the oil to rise to 350°F. Place a plate lined with paper towels on the side of the stove.
- Once the oil is at the right temperature, use a 1 ½ to 2 tablespoon scoop to portion out pieces of the wet dough. Dunk the scoop in the fryer oil, if needed, to coat it so that the dough does not stick to the scoop. Place the balls into the frying oil and rotate immediately. Continued a portion out balls of dough, gently placing them in the fryer oil. Use a skimmer to rotate the balls throughout the cooking process so that they are evenly golden on all sides. Cook for 4-5 minutes until a fork inserted into the center of one ball comes out clean. *The temperature will drop once the dough balls are in the oil. This is a good thing! Adjust the temperature to keep the oil around 320°F if possible. Use the skimmer to move the fried fat cakes to the plate. Repeat with the remaining though, dunking the scooper into the frying oil as needed.
Video
Notes
- Follow these steps to make larger donut-style fat cakes with baking powder:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour (or all-purpose)
- granulated sugar (7 tbsp)
- 6 tbsp. baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
- 1 cup of water
- Combine the bread flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl or stand mixer fitted with a bread hook. Combine thoroughly.
- Add 34 cups of water. Mix until the dough comes together in a ball. (You can do this by hand or with a bread hook.) Knead the dough for another 5 minutes, or until it is firm and smooth but still soft. If the dough appears to be dry, add another 14 cups of water. The dough should be slightly tacky but not wet and sticky, like good bread dough or pizza dough.
- Follow the instructions above to prepare the fry oil. Place 3-4 disks into the fry oil at a time, making sure the temperature drops down to about 320°F. Fry for 3 to 5 minutes, until lightly golden. A fork inserted into the center should come out clean. Cut and fill with curried minced meat, cheese, and jam, or your favorite fillings.
- Set a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add the oil to the pan. Once hot, stir in the diced onions, garlic, and ginger. Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Once the onions have softened, stir in all spices: curry powder, Gara masala, chili powder, ground cumin, and salt. Sauté another minute.
- Stir in the ground beef and diced potatoes. Stir and brown the meat breaking it apart with a wooden spoon to form small pieces as it cooks. Brown the meat for 5 to 8 minutes.
- Stir in the tomatoes and frozen peas. Fill the tomato can with 15 ounces of water, then add to the pan. Simmer the minced meat mixture until the sauce has reduced and the potatoes are cooked through. (It should be a Sloppy Joe consistency.) Then remove from heat and serve warm.
