Black Cake burst onto the scene in 2022 and captured readers attention across the board. A Jenna’s Book Club pick, a New York Times bestseller and now a limited series on Hulu, Black Cake‘s thoughtful reflection on race, generational trauma, and how we connect with those we have lost is a can’t-miss read and watch.

The story follows the Bennett siblings whose inheritance from their recently passed mother is a strange tape recording and a recipe for black cake, a traditional Jamaican dessert they grew up with. They learn about the mother’s true background, as a fugitive from Jamacia, and her love for the ocean. This revelation brings the siblings down a path to uncover more about their family and changes everything they know about themselves.

The limited series stars Chipo Chung, Mia Isaac, Adrienne Warren, Ashley Thomas and Glynn Turman. Produced by Harpo Productions (Oprah’s production company) this series offers an 8-episode arc that follows the Bennett family history.  This story spans several continents and generations who are all in search of the same thing; family, truth, and connection with their heritage.

Black Cake
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson

Byron and Benny have just been hit with disaster, their mother Eleanor has just passed away. With her passing, she left an unusual inheritance for her children; a Jamaican black cake and a voice recording, telling them about her life before living in California. As her story unfolds, she leaves them with the strange message, only make the black cake when the time is right. Unsure what that means, but determined to find out more about their heritage, they set off to uncover the truth of their mother’s passing to find where they came from.

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