Fat cake and mince also known as vetkoek and mince are simply deep fried dough balls filled with minced meat sauce. They are savory, juicy, flavorful and so easy to make.
These fat cakes and mince are very popular in Namibia and its neighboring countries and consumed year-round at any time of the day.
The crispy on the outside and moist and fluffy on the inside fat cakes combined with thick and well-seasoned mince sauce and cheese is match made in heaven. Definitely hard to resist!
These fat cakes are made with a yeast dough that is deep fried after the first rise. Since the dough contains no sugar (except a little bit that was used to activate the yeast); the warm, crispy and fluffy fat cakes are filled with a perfectly seasoned mince sauce and cheese. So good!!
Feel free to use this vegan fat cake dough recipe to make any sweet or savory fat cakes of your choice.
Ingredients used to make African style savory filled doughnuts
What you’ll need to make vetkoek with yeast
- 250 g (0.55 lbs/ 2 cups) plain flour / all-purpose flour plus extra for dusting
- 1/2 tablespoon dry yeast
- 170 ml (5.7 fl.oz/ about ¾ cup) lukewarm water
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- A pinch of nutmeg (OPTIONAL)
What you’ll need for vetkoek mince filling
- 250 g (about ½ lbs) ground beef/ lamb
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 medium onion
- 1 medium red bell pepper
- Chili flakes and ground black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 100 ml (3.4 fl.oz/ about ½ cup) hot water
You’ll also need:
- 5 slices cheddar cheese or any
- 1 liter (34 fl.oz) sunflower oil for greasing and frying the fat cakes
How to make savory fat cakes with mince sauce
How to make vetkoek dough
Begin by activating dry yeast: Add 2 tablespoons flour (from 250 g (0.55 lbs/ 2 cups), yeast and sugar to lukewarm water. Using a spoon stir well and let the mixture stand for 10 minutes.
In the meantime add the remaining flour, nutmeg, and salt to a large bowl and combine well.
After 10 minutes pour the yeast mixture to the flour – salt mixture. Using a wooden spoon or your hands combine well, until you have a smooth dough.
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured working surface. Lightly dust the dough with flour as well. Then grease your hands with oil and knead for about 5 minutes.
Put the dough in the greased bowl. Pour few drops of oil on the dough, so that the dough will not dry out. Using your hands, apply the oil evenly and cover with a kitchen cloth.
Let the dough rise for about 60 minutes at room temperature until the dough has doubled in size. In the meantime, make the minced meat sauce.
- The fat cake dough is sticky, in comparison to doughnut or pizza dough, but please don’t add extra flour. That’s exactly how it should be.
How to make mince for fat cakes
Peel and mince garlic and onion and dice bell peppers. In a large pan, heat about 2 tablespoons sunflower oil (or whatever you prefer) over medium heat.
Add onion, garlic and bell peppers and cook for about 5 minutes. Then add ground beef and let cook until brown.
Add tomato paste, followed by thyme, paprika, sugar, salt, ground black pepper and chili flakes and mix well. Stir in water and bring to a boil.
Cover and let cook for about 15 minutes or until the sauce is nicely thick. Remove from the heat and set aside
- Keep stirring and adding a little bit of water in between if necessary.
How to cook vetkoek
About 10 minutes before the end of rising time, put oil in the pot and heat at medium heat. After 1 hour place the dough on a lightly oiled working surface.
Roughly divide the dough into 5 equal pieces. Grease your hands with oil and gently shape into dough balls.
Now insert the wooden spoon handle in oil to see if the oil is ready. If bubbles start forming around the spoon, then the oil is ready. Carefully drop the dough balls into the oil
and fry for about 10 minutes, turn halfway. Put the fat cakes on a cooling rack/ cutting board lined with paper towels to remove the excess fat.
Once you’re able to touch the fat cakes with your hands, cut them with a sharp serrated knife. Don’t cut all the way through.
From bottom fill with cheese followed by mince sauce.
Spear with a toothpick to hold the fat cakes together if you want and enjoy!
Vetkoek and Mince Recipe
Ingredients
For the fat cake yeast dough
- 250 g (0.55 lbs/ 2 cups) plain flour (all purpose flour) plus extra for dusting
- ½ tablespoon dry yeast
- 170 ml (5.7 fl.oz/ about ¾ cup) lukewarm water
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- a pinch of nutmeg
For the mince for fat cakes
- 250 g (about ½ lbs) ground beef/ lamb
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 medium onion
- 1 medium bell pepper
- chili flakes and ground black pepper to taste
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- ½ teaspoon sugar
- 100 ml (3.4 fl.oz/ about ½ cup) water hot
You'll also need
- 5 slices cheddar cheese or any
- 1 liter (34 fl.oz) sunflower oil for greasing and frying the fat cakes
Instructions
- Make the yeast dough for savory vetkoeks: Add 2 tablespoons flour (from 250 g (0.55 lbs/ 2 cups), yeast and sugar to lukewarm water. Using a spoon stir well and let the mixture stand for 10 minutes.
- In a large bowl add the remaining flour, nutmeg, and salt and combine well. After 10 minutes pour the yeast mixture to the flour – salt mixture. Using a wooden spoon or your hands combine well, until you have a smooth dough.
- Transfer the dough to a lightly floured working surface. Lightly dust the dough with flour as well. Then grease your hands with oil and knead for about 5 minutes.*The fat cake dough is sticky, in comparison to doughnut or pizza dough, but please don’t add extra flour. That’s exactly how it should be.
- Put the dough in the greased bowl. Pour few drops of oil on the dough, so that the dough will not dry out. Using your hands, apply the oil evenly and cover with a kitchen cloth. Let the dough rise for about 60 minutes at room temperature until the dough has doubled in size. In the meantime, make the minced meat sauce.
- Make mince for fat cakes: Peel and mince garlic and onion and dice bell peppers. In a large pan, heat about 2 tablespoons sunflower oil (or whatever you prefer) over medium heat. Add onion, garlic and bell peppers and cook for about 5 minutes.
- Add ground beef and let cook until brown. Add tomato paste, followed by thyme, paprika, sugar, salt, ground black pepper and chili flakes and mix well.
- Stir in water and bring to a boil. Cover and let cook for about 15 minutes or until the sauce is nicely thick. Keep stirring and adding a little bit of water in between if necessary. Remove from the heat and set aside.
- Cook vetkoeks: About 10 minutes before the end of rising time, put oil in the pot and heat at medium heat. After 1 hour place the dough on a lightly oiled working surface. Roughly divide the dough into 5 equal pieces.
- Grease your hands with oil and gently shape into dough balls. Now insert the wooden spoon handle in oil to see if the oil is ready. If bubbles start forming around the spoon, then the oil is ready. Carefully drop the dough balls into the oil and fry for about 10 minutes, turn halfway.
- Put the fat cakes on a cooling rack/ cutting board lined with paper towels to remove the excess fat.
- Once you’re able to touch the fat cakes with your hands, cut them with a sharp serrated knife. Don’t cut all the way through. From bottom fill with cheese followed by mince sauce. Spear with a toothpick to hold the fat cakes together if you want and enjoy!
Did you make this vetkoek and mince recipe? I’d love to hear from you! Simply write a review and add rating to it.
Anita
Tuesday 8th of August 2023
I loved this old recipe from my childhood. Thank you