Cassava Coconut Cake

I first had cassava cake at a Philipino party. They set the food up buffet style with stacked-up cake platters layered with amazing desserts—cupcakes, pies, and cakes. On the bottom tray, I could see the cassava cake topped with caramel and coconut flakes. It was so gorgeous with cherries on top, I couldn’t take my eyes off it. I just had to try it! So, while the other guests were mixing and mingling with each other, I was mingling with the cassava cake and enjoying every bite. Before leaving, I managed to get the recipe. Oh boy! I made it over and over and over until I couldn’t eat any more. Eating cassava in a dessert was exciting because I grew up eating cassava only as a savory dish.

What Is Cassava?

This tuberous, starchy root is grown in most tropical countries, especially Africa. Nigeria is the world’s largest cassava producer, primarily thanks to the plant requiring little water to grow. In the United States, it’s readily available in most Latin grocery stores and major supermarkets like Walmart. You may know it by another name, yuca or manioc.

Recipe Ingredients

How to Make Cassava Coconut Cake

Preheat oven to 350℉ (180℃). Prep – Grease and flour a 9×13 baking dish. Set aside. Step 1 – In a large bowl, blend cassava, evaporated milk, coconut milk, and ⅔ of a can of condensed milk (reserve the remaining ⅓ for the topping). Step 2 – Add the cheese, eggs, butter, vanilla, ½ cup coconut flakes, and nutmeg. Mix well. Bake – Pour into the baking dish and bake for about 40 minutes. Glaze – Remove the cake from the oven and spread the remaining condensed milk over it. Sprinkle the toasted coconut flakes on top and bake for another 5-10 minutes. Serve – Remove and let it cool for about 10 minutes. Slice and serve.