Black Cake Review
Black Cake is a Hulu original series produced by Oprah Winfrey and adapted from a novel of the same name by Charmaine Wilkerson. It premiered on Hulu on 1 November 2023.
The premise of the story follows two siblings learning about their mother’s true past, from a series of recordings she left for them to listen to, after her death…
The Good
It’s a compelling and emotive watch that pulls you into its web of captivity, as you unravel Covey’s past littered with dark secrets in a story essentially about family and identity….
Similar to the Caribbean rum fruitcake usually made around the Christmas season, Black Cake is blackness, darkness, sweetness, beauty found in unexpected places and just desserts. Two siblings are tasked with listening to 7 recordings – a posthumous revelation of the her true life story, where they learn everything they thought they knew about who they are, is a lie.
They listen to one recording each episode and each recording always drops a bombshell crazier than the last, until you are wondering along with her kids who their mother really was and if they can make peace with the revelations, some which are of the sort someone would take to the grave – which she did.
The casting for the lead actresses is stellar, Mia Isaac as Coventina “Covey” Lyncook is sweet and endearing while Chipo Chung plays the role of the older Eleanor Bennet perfectly in sync, seeming like it’s the same actress aged up or down using makeup and CGI effects.
The stunning visuals and cinematic shots are made even better with a catchy and haunting soundtrack which not only captures the pop-culture of the period the series is set but enhance the atmosphere. I compiled a playlist of some of the music from Black Cake
The Bad
The series is at its strongest when its doing the flashback scenes of Coventina Lyncook’s earlier life story – The present moments don’t seem as a fleshed out slowing down the plot pacing because the only compelling story is being told in the flashbacks.
While Coventina’s character development undergoes a full arc, the others she encounters are one dimensional caricatures, existing only to make a point of how people behave, even the characters who enjoy longer screen time still never get to have their motivations fully explored.
The Ugly
It’s a bit of a heart-wrenching watch, the things Covey goes through – abuse, racism and misogyny, one understands why she had decided to keep her past hidden – you get to experience her burden of being unable to heal from the trauma unshared and the tension her revelations create..
Some moments can really have you in your feels – heartbreaking, its got so much sadness and tragedy.
Final Thoughts
Black Cake is not just a tasty dessert it is, a layered confection that takes days in the making, fruit soaked in rum, a brandy flavour and burnt sugar giving it a dark colour – sweet, dense and intoxicating, from a recipe that’s a cultural hybrid with undertones of colonial heritage infused into the Caribbean identity.
Fun Fact: Chipo Chung is a Zimbabwean actress who was also in the series Silo.
Have you watched it… thoughts?
~B
Becoming The Muse 
Your thoughts.. if you will?