Although it’s one of my favorite Filipino dishes, I never imagined myself ever making Cassava Cake. I had no idea how to make it nor do I want to handle cassava root. Aside from not knowing how it looks like, I am aware that it could be poisonous.
I did a bit of research a few months ago on handling cassava and I concluded that I will never make it. My friend makes one of the best cassava cakes and I am content to just eat some whenever there’s a gathering. However, having access and reading panlasang pinoy‘s post about cassava cake changed my mind. He made it so simple and since I saw some peeled cassava in the supermarket, I’ve decided to make some.
We have a playdate scheduled and I thought that it would be a great dish to bring for sharing aside from the brownies that I plan to bring. But let me tell you…until the very end, I was skeptical on the safety of consuming this. Again, I did some research prior, during and after making this and the more I read…the more scared I get! The desire to eat the yummy looking cassava cake won in the end though and I couldn’t stop myself from saying “yum” after every bite.
In the end, I concluded that it’s safe to eat since I baked it for a long time and although it was not specified in the recipe, I squeezed out as much liquid as I can from the grated cassava. Grating the cassava can be a bit tiring so I don’t think I’ll be making this very soon unless I see grated ones in the market or when there’s a special occasion.
Cassava Cake
Recipe from Vanjo Merano of Panlasang Pinoy
Ingredients
- 2 packs grated cassava (about 2 lbs total weight; I used the peeled whole ones from NTUC)
- 2 cups coconut milk
- ½ (12 oz.) can evaporated milk
- 3 pieces egg
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- 6 tablespoons cheddar cheese, grated
- ½ cup condensed milk
- 14 tablespoons (3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp) granulated white sugar
Topping ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ½ cup condensed milk
- 2 tablespoons cheddar cheese, grated
- 2 cups coconut milk
Instructions
- Make the batter by combining the grated cassava, butter, ½ cup condensed milk, ½ cup evaporated milk, 6 tablespoons cheddar cheese, 14 tablespoons sugar, and 2 eggs in a mixing bowl and mix thoroughly.
- Add the 2 cups coconut milk in the mixing bowl where the mixed ingredients are. Mix again.
- Grease the baking tray then pour-in the batter (these are the ingredients that you just mixed together).
- Pre -heat oven for 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes then put-in the baking tray with batter and bake for 1 hour.Remove from the oven and set aside.
- Meanwhile prepare the topping by combining 2 tablespoons sugar and flour in the heated saucepan.
- Pour-in ½ cup condensed milk then mix thoroughly.
- Add 2 tablespoons cheddar cheese while stirring constantly.
- Pour 2 cups of coconut milk and stir constantly for 10 minutes
- Pour the topping over the Cassava Cake (baked batter) and spread evenly.
- Separate the yolk from the egg white of the remaining egg (we’ll be needing the egg white only)
- Glaze the topping with the egg white using a basting brush. Simply dip the brush to the egg white and brush it on the cassava cake.
- Set your oven to broil mode. Broil the Cassava cake until color turns light brown.
- Garnish with extra grated cheese on top. Serve.