Cassava cake, or cassava bibingka, is a dessert or snack made with cassava, coconut milk, and condensed milk.
It has a creamy custard layer on top, like leche flan. The best part is that you only need five ingredients to make it!
Jump to:
- What makes a good cassava cake
- Ingredients you'll need
- How to peel and cut fresh cassava
- How to grate fresh cassava
- How to make this recipe
- How to serve
- How to store and reheat
- Frequently asked questions
- More about cassava cake
- Watch how I make it here
- Other dessert recipes you may like
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
What makes a good cassava cake
A good cassava cake is soft and slightly chewy, similar to palitaw (sweet rice cakes). A small amount of glutinous rice flour makes the cake lighter and softer.
For more flavor and texture, you can use macapuno or tender coconut strips. Some recipes add margarine or butter, evaporated milk, additional sugar, and cheddar cheese.
Ingredients you'll need
Notes and substitutions
- Cassava: Use frozen grated cassava or fresh cassava and finely grate them.
- Glutinous rice flour: also known as sweet rice flour or malagkit in Filipino. Despite its name, it is gluten-free and not sweet at all.
- Coconut milk: I used full-fat coconut milk. You can also use coconut cream (without sugar) or evaporated milk – the texture and taste may slightly change.
- Egg yolks: I excluded the egg whites for a smoother, creamier custard layer.
How to peel and cut fresh cassava
Do not eat raw cassava. It contains naturally occurring forms of cyanide and can be toxic when ingested. Its sweet variety, typically sold in the US, contains less cyanide content and is removed by peeling and cooking. The bitter type requires hours of soaking and cooking before it becomes safe to eat.
(1)Cut both ends of the cassava root. (2)Divide them into smaller sections. (3)Make a vertical slit through the skin.
(4)Carefully lift the thick, brown layer with your knife. You can also slice off the peel. Remove any black spots or discoloration.
(5)Cut them in quarters lengthwise. (6)Remove its woody, fibrous core.
How to grate fresh cassava
Using a box grater
Rinse the cassava under cold running water and shred them using the fine shredding holes of a box grater.
Using a food processor
(1)Use the shredding blade attachment of a food processor. (2)The shreds won't be as fine as we'd like for the cake — don't stop here!
(3)Switch to the "S" blade attachment. (4)Pulse them for 8 to 10 seconds until they are very fine.
How to make this recipe
Prep and organize
- If using frozen grated cassava, thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature until ready to use.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F (177° C).
- Grease an 8x8 inch baking pan or dish. Use parchment paper if you'd like to pull out the entire cake and transfer it to a plate.
Make the custard topping
(1)In a small bowl, combine the egg yolks, ½ can of condensed milk (about ⅔ cup), and ¼ can of coconut milk (about ⅓ cup).
(2)Whisk them together until combined. Set aside.
Make the cassava mixture
(3)In a large mixing bowl, combine the grated cassava, glutinous rice flour, and the rest of the condensed milk and coconut milk. (4)Stir until well combined.
Bake
(5)Pour the cassava mixture into the pan and spread it evenly. (6)Bake for 30 minutes until the top has firmed up.
(7)Take it out from the oven — it won't be fully cooked at this point. Mix the custard once more and pour it over the top.
Tilt the dish to spread it evenly. (8)Bake for another 25 to 30 minutes until the custard is set.
Broil on low for 3 to 5 minutes until slightly browned around the edges; watch it closely so it doesn't burn. Let it cool.
How to serve
If you wish to take it out of the pan, run a knife around the edges and use the parchment paper to pull it out.
Cut the cassava cake into squares.
It can be served warm, chilled, or at room temperature.
How to store and reheat
Leftover cassava cake can be stored in the fridge for up to five days. It will firm up in the refrigerator.
You can reheat it in the microwave if you prefer them soft and warm. You can also freeze them to enjoy later.
Frequently asked questions
Also called yuca or manioc, cassava is a starchy tubular root similar to sweet potato, yam, or taro. It is naturally gluten-free.
You can buy them fresh or frozen in Asian and Latin American supermarkets. They are also available in some well-stocked grocery stores.
In Filipino cuisine, cassava is mainly used in sweet preparations like pichi-pichi or bilo-bilo. It can simply be boiled, cooked with coconut milk, or made into cassava chips.
Tapioca starch made from cassava pulp is the same ingredient in tapioca pearls used in taho (tofu with sago and syrup) or buko pandan salad.
You can, there will be a slight difference in texture. The addition of glutinous flour makes the cake lighter, softer, and slightly chewy.
More about cassava cake
Here are more frequently asked questions on cassava cake including extra tips, troubleshooting, and other information.
Watch how I make it here
Other dessert recipes you may like
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📖 Recipe
Cassava Cake
Equipment
- 8x8-inch baking pan or dish
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 1 pound finely grated cassava about 1⅔ cups
- ½ cup glutinous rice flour
- 1 (14-ounce) can condensed milk divided
- 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk divided
- 2 egg yolks
Instructions
Note: Raw cassava can be toxic when ingested as it contains naturally occurring forms of cyanide. Cooking it properly makes it safe to eat.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F (177° C).
- Grease an 8x8 inch baking pan or dish. Use parchment paper if you wish to transfer the cake to a plate.
- In a small bowl, combine the egg yolks, ½ can of condensed milk (about ⅔ cup), and ¼ can of coconut milk (about ⅓ cup). Whisk them together until combined. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the grated cassava, glutinous rice flour, and the rest of the condensed milk and coconut milk. Stir until well combined.
- Pour the cassava mixture into the pan and spread it evenly.
- Bake for 30 minutes until the top has firmed up.
- Take it out from the oven — it won't be fully cooked at this point. Mix the custard once more and pour it over the top. Tilt the dish to spread it evenly.
- Bake for another 25 to 30 minutes until the custard is set.
- Broil on low for 3 to 5 minutes until slightly browned around the edges; watch it closely, so it doesn't burn. Let it cool.
Bim
So yummy! Another recipe added to my collection. Easy to make. If I reduce the amount of condensed milk will it affect the consistency of the cake?
Nora
Hello Bim! This cassava cake is a forgiving recipe, go ahead and reduce the condensed milk. The slight difference in texture shouldn't be a big deal. =)