Traditional Filipino Cassava Cake

About This Cassava Cake Recipe

Cassava cake is a traditional Filipino snack cake made with grated cassava, coconut milk, and a layer of molten custard on top. The cake is typically gluten free, with a soft and slightly chewy crumb from the cassava. Its texture is very similar to that of Hawaiian butter mochi cake and other sweet rice flour-based desserts.

@hummingbirdhigh filipino cassava cake hits different i swear #filipinofood #bakingrecipe ♬ original sound – hummingbirdhigh

For more unique Filipino dessert recipes, check out Hummingbird High‘s Ube Recipes round-up! Popular recipes include these Ube Crinkle Cookies and these Small Batch Baked Ube Mochi Donuts.

What Does Cassava Cake Taste Like?

I mentioned this earlier, but it bears repeating: I like to think of cassava cake as the Philippine version of Hawaiian mochi butter cake. Because cassava is so mild-flavored, this cake mostly tastes like all the other ingredients in it! The cassava cake has a mildly sweet, milky flavor from the combination of coconut milk, evaporated milk, and sweetened condensed milk in the recipe.

That being said, despite not adding too much in the way of flavor, cassava still plays a prominent role in this recipe. Why? The cassava is responsible for the cake’s distinct, chewy texture. The cake manages to be both soft and firm all at once, and is chewy and sticky without being overly gummy or gross. It’s hard to describe! But if you’re the kind of person who likes Hawaiian butter mochi cake, Japanese mochi sweets, and the boba pearls in bubble tea, you’re going to LOVE cassava cake. I promise.

Why You Should Make This Recipe

This cassava cake recipe is an updated take on a classic, authentic Filipino cassava cake recipe.

This recipe is based on my mom’s recipe for cassava cake, which she in turn adapted from classic Filipino resources like Positively Filipino and the cookbook, Let’s Cook with Nora. The latter is a prominent Filipino cookbook. It was first published in 1969 and quickly became ubiquitous.

Growing up, I remember EVERY Filipino household having a copy of Let’s Cook with Nora in their kitchen. Its influence is multi-generational. It was used by both my mom and my lola (the Filipino word for grandmother) extensively. However, Let’s Cook with Nora really hit its stride in the 1980s when its original author hosted a cooking show on TV. Even now, it remains influential: Nora’s daughter recently updated the beloved classic in 2019.

But here’s the thing—as much as I love using and referencing old cookbooks, they can be hard to cook from! Let’s Cook with Nora‘s instructions are often sparse; often times, no precise measurements or cooking times are given. A big part of that has to do with what cooking was like in the 1950s and 1960s. For instance, my own lola made the BEST leche flan (the Filipino version of creme caramel) without measuring any ingredients. She would just measure ingredients by look, feel, and taste. In a pinch, she would use empty cups and milk cans as measuring utensils when necessary.

As much as I admire that skill (and I really, truly do!), modern recipe writing now favors accuracy and precision. Folks expect as much detail as possible to help them achieve the best dish, baked good, and whatever else! As a result, I’ve updated the recipe with more precise measurements and queues.

This cassava cake recipe is gluten-free!

Traditional cassava cake recipes don’t require any flour. Instead, the cake is made simply from the combination of cassava, eggs, and milk! Because cassava is a root, it does not contain any gluten whatsoever.

This cassava cake recipe comes together quickly.

The most time consuming part of this recipe is actually baking and broiling the cassava cake itself. But the cassava cake batter comes together in 5 minutes: simply whisk the ingredients together and pour it into the prepared pan. That’s it!

Ingredients and Substitutions

Now that I’ve convinced you to make this cassava cake, here’s your shopping list for the recipe:

Shopping List for Cassava Cake Recipe

• granulated sugar
• kosher salt
• large eggs
• canned coconut milk
• evaporated milk
• frozen grated cassava
• sweetened condensed milk
• large eggs
• pure vanilla extract
• unsalted butter

And let’s talk about some of the key ingredients in the recipe:

How To Make The Recipe

Here are the basic steps to make cassava cake:

1. First, prep your ingredients. (Prep Time: 5 minutes)
   Honestly, prepping the ingredients for this recipe is more time-consuming than the cake itself! Depending on what route you decide to take for your cassava, you’ll need to prep it for this recipe. My prep consisted of thawing the frozen grated cassava overnight in the refrigerator. You’ll also need to divide both the coconut milk and evaporated milk in half. The first halves will be used in the cassava cake batter, while the remaining halves will be used for the custard topping.
   
   
2. Make the cassava cake batter. (Work Time: 5 minutes)
   Whisk together the sugar, salt, eggs, milks, and cassava. Boom! That’s all you need to do to make the cake batter. Easy, right?
   
   
3. Bake the cake. (Bake Time: 40 minutes)
   You’ll need to bake the cassava cake for 40 minutes, or until the edges are set and a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out with few crumbs attached.
   
   
4. Make the custard topping. (Work Time: <5 minutes).
   While the cake is in the oven, make the custard topping. Whisk together the remaining milks with an egg. Again, that’s all you need to do! Told you this recipe was easy.
   
   
5. Broil the cake. (Bake Time: 15 minutes)
   Pour the custard topping over the cassava cake, and then stick the entire thing in the broiler until the custard gets molten and mottled. Broiling the cake gives it its unique appearance.

Recipe Troubleshooting and FAQ

Can I use a glass cake pan for this recipe?

Although it’s what’s recommended for use in traditional Filipino cassava cake recipes, please avoid using a glass cake pan. Why? This recipe explicitly asks you to bake the cassava cake, then broil it. Glass pans are especially susceptible to sudden changes in temperature. That is, if you transfer a glass pan from a medium-warm oven (one that’s heated to 350°F, for example) to a very warm broiler (one that has a temperature of 450°F+), it could potentially break and shatter!

Do I eat cassava cake warm, at room temperature, or cold?

All of the above! Although my family has always served cassava cake cold, you can also enjoy it slightly warmed, or at room temperature. The only thing that I’d be wary of is cutting into the cassava cake while it’s still pretty fresh from the oven. Why? Similar to pumpkin pie and other custard based pies, cassava cake needs time to set after baking. Cutting it too soon will end up in a goopy cake that won’t hold its shape.

To serve cassava cake warm, cool the cassava cake on a wire rack for at least 1 hour before slicing. The cake pan should still feel slightly warm to the touch, but not so warm that you need to handle it with pot holders. Alternatively, you can cool the cassava cake completely. Slice the cassava cake into squares for serving. Microwave the slices for 15 to 20 second intervals until slightly warm.

Can I freeze cassava cake?

Yes! You can freeze cassava cake. Follow the recipe instructions to bake the cassava cake. Cool the cassava cake completely to room temperature on a wire rack. Then, wrap the entire thing in plastic wrap for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw the cassava cake the night before serving. Follow the recipe instructions to make and broil the cassava cake custard topping.

If you choose to go this route, I suggest buying a disposable cake pan (one of those ones made from stiff aluminum foil) and making the cassava cake in it instead. Why? That way your regular cake pan isn’t in the freezer for months and months!