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A Royal Holiday Recipe
In my Crown & Heart universe, the island kingdom of Lytua is a modern monarchy—think Wakanda meets Bridgerton—where Wintertide doesn’t arrive with snow.
Instead, the season comes with softer breezes, bright skies, and the kind of golden light that makes everything feel a little bit magical.
Wintertide in Lytua is marked by lanterns strung along the waterfront, steel pan music drifting through open windows, and kitchens perfumed with ginger, citrus, and coconut. It’s a season of gathering, generosity, and food meant to be shared.
One of the most beloved Wintertide treats is a small, richly spiced cake locals call Sunshine Cakes. Soft and fragrant, they balance warm spices with bright citrus and a hint of coconut. Families bake them for celebrations, wrap them to share with neighbors, and send them across the city as quiet offerings of care.
In the Crown & Heart stories, these cakes show up in small but meaningful ways—left behind after an argument, pressed into someone’s hands when words fall short, or delivered as a way of saying I’m thinking of you without quite confessing everything else.
This is my real-world version: a warm-weather holiday bake that still feels cozy and festive—even if the only white stuff outside is beach sand.
Sunshine Cakes for Wintertide
Caribbean-inspired warm-weather holiday cakes
Why I love them: They taste like hope. And butter. Mostly butter.
Makes: About 12 mini cakes or muffins
A quick note
This is a cheater version of a beloved Wintertide bake—adapted for real life, busy schedules, and holidays that sometimes come at you fast. Shortcut doesn’t mean bland. No one in Lytua believes in under-seasoning.
These cakes are bright, citrusy, and unapologetically flavorful—just like the tables they come from.
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix (or your favorite from-scratch recipe)
- 3 large eggs
- ½ cup vegetable oil or melted butter
- 1 cup orange juice (for extra brightness)
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- Pinch of allspice (⅛ tsp max)
- Zest of 1 orange or lemon
Optional Glaze
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2–3 tbsp fresh citrus juice
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven according to cake mix instructions (usually 350°F / 175°C).
- Prepare cake batter as directed, substituting orange juice for the water.
- Stir in spices and citrus zest until evenly combined.
- Pour batter into greased pans or lined cupcake tins.
- Bake according to package directions, until golden and fragrant.
- Cool completely before glazing.
For the glaze:
Whisk powdered sugar, citrus juice, and salt until smooth. Drizzle generously over cooled cakes.
Serving Notes
Sunshine Cakes are best enjoyed:
- With coffee or tea
- Shared with someone you love
- Or eaten quietly in the kitchen while pretending you’re “just tidying up”
They’re perfect for Christmas in warm climates—or for anyone who wants their holidays to taste like sunshine, spice, and a little bit of trouble.
A Taste of Wintertide in Lytua
In Lytua, Wintertide is less about fireplaces and more about open windows, night breezes, and crowded tables. Sunshine Cakes are often served alongside chilled hibiscus-ginger tea or strong coffee, while soca music drifts in from the street and someone starts dancing before the plates are cleared.
Food in the Crown & Heart universe isn’t just setting—it’s a love language. Comfort. Connection. Courage.
And sometimes, it’s the first step toward a much messier, much more beautiful kind of truth.
About Nikki Davenport
Nikki Davenport writes steamy contemporary romance and romantic suspense set in the Crown & Heart universe—where modern royalty, fierce loyalty, and hard-won love collide. A D.C.-area author and competitive dragon boater, she’s a breast cancer survivor who believes in second chances, found family, and Black joy on the page.
When she’s not writing, she’s probably wrangling teenagers, plotting fictional royal drama, or testing another recipe she absolutely did not intend to share—and then does anyway.
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A Little Extra for Romance Readers 👑
If you enjoy stories with warmth, emotional depth, and a spark of danger beneath the surface, you might enjoy my free prequel novella:
Worth the Risk
A Crown & Heart prequel about love, courage, and choosing what matters.
She’s a stoic soldier. He’s a brilliant doctor. A bond they can’t ignore.
Cenn Driscoll, a by-the-book lieutenant of the Queen’s Elite Guard, and Marcus Robishaw, a brilliant ER doctor, are both struggling to put their lives back together after devastating loss.
When an online dating app links their alter egos, the casual connection they expected turns into something neither of them saw coming. The pact? No real names, no real meetings.
But rules tend to break when hearts get involved—and fate isn’t finished with these two yet.