Cassava Cake

With a dense, toothsome texture and flavors of coconut and caramel, Filipino cassava cake is an excellent dessert to take to a party or keep around the house as a comforting snack. Lovers of rice flour desserts, such as mochi doughnuts or butter mochi cake, will find this treat has a similar chew.

This cassava cake recipe is laden with all the good stuff—egg yolks, sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, coconut milk and a bit of sugar—as well as a custard-like topping that gets broiled to a bubbly golden brown. Serve cassava cake cold or at room temperature after enjoying a traditional Filipino meal with pancit, chicken adobo and more.

What is cassava?

If you’ve ever tried tapioca pudding or slurped some bubble tea, you’ve eaten cassava without even knowing it! Tapioca is the name for a starchy substance made from the root of the cassava plant and is used in all kinds of fun, tropical treats. Also known as manioc or yuca—not to be confused with the spiky yucca plant—cassava root can be mashed, fried (as in yuca frita con mojo), roasted or grated for use in baked goods like cassava cake.

Cassava Cake Ingredients

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• Frozen cassava root: Look for frozen, grated cassava root. It might be labeled yuca or manioc if you need to ask for it. This product is often easy to find in Asian markets.
• Shredded coconut: Make sure the shredded coconut is unsweetened, and give your coconut a chop before mixing it into the cake batter.
• Condensed milk: Canned condensed milk is sweetened and caramelized. It’s used in many desserts, from fudge and pies to Asian desserts like this cassava cake recipe.
• Evaporated milk: Often confused with condensed milk, evaporated milk is cooked down to reduce its water content. Its rich flavor makes it an excellent ingredient for desserts like pumpkin pie or savory dishes like mac and cheese. There are a few good substitutes for evaporated milk, including reconstituted powdered milk.
• Coconut milk: Coconut milk lends richness and fantastic flavor to the cake and its topping. Don’t mix it up with cream of coconut, which is sweetened and used to make piña coladas.
• Sugar: The recipe calls for granulated sugar, but an equal amount of light or brown sugar could complement the caramelized flavor.
• Eggs: Use room-temperature eggs for baking, but separate the yolks and whites when cold. Save the whites for festive meringue cookies or add them to a frittata recipe.
• Milk: Use whole milk for the cake’s top layer. Half-and-half or heavy cream will also work.
• Flour: All-purpose flour helps thicken and stabilize the custardy topping in this cassava cake recipe.

Directions

Step 1: Bake the cake

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Preheat the oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, combine the cassava, shredded coconut, 3/4 can sweetened condensed milk, 3/4 can evaporated milk, 3/4 can coconut milk, sugar and two egg yolks. Pour the mixture into a greased 9-inch square pan and bake until set, 50 to 60 minutes.

Editor’s Tip: At the end of the cooking time, you’ll be putting the cake under the broiler, so consider using a metal pan rather than a glass pan.

Step 2: Make the custard

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In a small bowl, whisk the milk and flour until smooth.

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Whisk in the remaining sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, coconut milk and egg yolks.

Step 3: Broil the topping

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Pour the mixture over the baked cassava cake and return it to the oven for another 15 to 25 minutes.

Set the oven to broil. Broil until the top is golden brown, two to three minutes. Transfer the dish to a cooling rack and let it cool for 20 to 30 minutes before serving.

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Cassava Cake Variations

• Add toppings: A drizzle of melted chocolate, slices of caramelized bananas or both would enhance this cake. You could also garnish the dessert with slices of ripe mango. A sprinkle of cinnamon would be nice too.
• Make it cheesy: Shredded cheese is a common and traditional ingredient when cooking cassava cake. Try adding 1/2 cup cheddar or Parmesan for a tangy, savory hint.
• Go purple: For a stunning visual effect, use grated purple ube instead of half the grated cassava.

How to Store Cassava Cake

Because of its custard layer, store cassava cake leftovers in the fridge, tightly wrapped or in an airtight container. It will last three to four days.

Cassava Cake Tips

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What else can you serve with cassava cake?

I love pairing cassava cake with other Filipino dishes. Start with crisp bola-bola pork meatballs with banana ketchup, pork pancit or a hearty bowl of Filipino macaroni salad. Or, pair this with a gorgeous purple ube cheesecake if you’re sticking with desserts.

Can this dessert be made gluten-free?

Yes! The cake base is already gluten-free, so that part is easy. When cooking the cassava cake topping, use 1 tablespoon cornstarch or 2 teaspoons tapioca starch or arrowroot in place of the flour.