Cassava Cake
Sweet and Moist Cake with Young Coconut
What is Cassava Cake?
Cassava cake is unique to the Philippines although the root crop cassava came from Latin America during the Spanish colonization through the Manila – Acapulco trading route. It’s a traditional moist cake with a custard-like topping. It’s usually eaten as snacks but it can be seen as a dessert too.
There are many variations of cassava cake, the Philippines is an archipelago so each region will have their own take on Cassava Cake. There are basic ingredients used like grated cassava, sugar, milk and eggs. Some will add shredded young coconut or cheese or jackfruit to their cassava cake. Toppings also vary to the taste of the cook! I prefer mine either plain or with shredded young coconut. Cassava, much like other root crops like potatoes, has a subtle or bland taste, so adding ingredients that will overpower the cassava taste defeats the point for me.
You will see cassava cake at parties, celebrations and gatherings and guests love cassava cake! It’s an easy delicacy to make and a definite hit with the guests.
Buzzfeed video
The Cassava cake that was shown on Buzzfeed UK was my take based on my Mama’s recipe. A follower of mine sent me a screenshot of Godfrey’s instagram story, looking for Filipino women who can cook Filipino food. I applied straight away! My thought was, I need to get out of my comfort zone and face people’s criticisms about my food. I usually don’t like seeing people eat my food but I love feeding people. It’s a weird one because I’m scared that people won’t like my food and I would feel so terrible about myself. I honestly would clam up and be a super introvert for a while until I feel confident again. I don’t want to spoil the video for you but here’s the video in case you want to see it: Filipino Women Try
Swap it and Common Question
Macapuno – Macapuno is a sweetened shredded young coconut, if you want to lessen the sugar/calorie content of your cake, you can use young shredded coconut which you can buy in many Asian shops. I buy mine from Earls Court, there are 3 Filipino grocery shops there and I also go to Chinatown, Long Fung, Seewoo or New Loon Moon.
Coconut oil – I used coconut oil with this recipe, you can swap this with rapeseed oil or avocado oil too. If preferred you can even use unsalted butter.
Ingredients
Toppings
Instructions
Preheat your oven first, I’m using fan assisted at 150C or gas mark 3.
In a large bowl, add thawed cassava, sugar, half a can of condensed milk, coconut milk, evaporated milk, eggs and macapuno or shredded young coconut. Mix all the ingredients well until incorporated. Leave it on the side for later.
Grease an oven proof container with coconut oil, pour the cassava mixture into the oven proof container. Put it in the oven and cook for 45-50 minutes.
Take the cassava cake out of the oven, pour the remaining half of the condensed milk on top of the cake and macapuno or young coconut toppings. Spread them well all over the top of the cassava cake.
Put the cake back in the oven to bake for another 10-25 minutes or until the top is nice and golden or a little burnt.
Take it out of the oven, let it cool down completely before serving.
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