Bibingkang Cassava (Cassava Cake)

From the kitchen of Carly

Grated cassava baked into a custardy, coconut-rich cake with a silky macapuno topping. The cassava absorbs all that sweetened coconut milk as it bakes, creating dense, chewy layers that taste like tropical comfort in cake form.

Bibingkang Cassava (Cassava Cake)

Cassava cake is custard cake territory, where grated root vegetable absorbs coconut milk and sweetened condensed milk into something tender and almost gelatinous at the center. The egg white topping sets into a delicate, creamy layer that keeps the cake moist without turning it soggy. It's the kind of dessert that holds up for days and tastes better cold, straight from the fridge.

Prep
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Cook
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Total
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Servings
4
Difficulty
medium

Ingredients

4 servings

  • 4egg yolks, beaten
  • 1 1/8 lb(500 g)One 1-lb package frozen grated cassava, thawed
  • 1 cupjarred macapuno coconut strings, or sweetened shredded coconut
  • 1 1/2 cups(375 ml)½ cups canned unsweetened coconut milk
  • 1/2 cup(125 ml)½ cup sweetened condensed milk
  • 4egg whites
  • 1/4 cup(65 ml)¼ cup sweetened condensed milk

Instructions

  1. Set the oven to 350°F.

  2. In a large bowl, combine the egg yolks, cassava, macapuno (or shredded coconut), coconut milk, and the ½ cup of sweetened condensed milk. Mix until everything is well incorporated.

  3. Pour the batter into a greased 8 x 8-inch (20 x 20-cm) cake pan. It will look very loose and wet at this stage, but the cassava draws in most of that liquid as it bakes. Slide the pan into the oven and bake until the surface looks dry with no liquid pooling on top, 45 to 60 minutes.

  4. While the cake bakes, make the topping: whisk the egg whites and the ¼ cup of sweetened condensed milk together in a medium bowl until fully combined. You are not going for foam or meringue here, just a smooth, uniform mixture.

  5. Pull the cake from the oven and pour the topping over it in an even layer. Return the pan to the oven and bake until the topping is set, about 10 minutes more.

  6. Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let the cake cool completely before cutting it into squares. Serve at room temperature or straight from the refrigerator, cold.

Tips from the kitchen

  • Don't panic when the batter looks like soup. Cassava is a sponge and will drink up all that liquid as it bakes, transforming into a dense, fudgy crumb. The top will look dry and matte when ready.
  • Macapuno (young coconut strings) beats shredded coconut if you can find it jarred or frozen, it has a silkier texture and won't make the cake grainy. Sweetened shredded works fine, but drain it of excess liquid first.
  • Whisk the egg white topping just until combined, no whipping or peaks needed. You want a simple custard layer, not a meringue that will slide off or turn rubbery.

Variations

  • Swap the macapuno for toasted unsweetened coconut flakes for a nuttier, less sweet bite.
  • Use fresh grated cassava instead of frozen if you have access to it, reduce baking time by 5 to 10 minutes and check for doneness earlier.
  • Skip the egg white topping and dust the baked cake with cinnamon and brown sugar while still warm for a crumb cake vibe instead.

Make ahead and storage

Wrap leftovers in plastic and refrigerate for up to 4 days. The texture actually improves a day or two in. Not freezer-friendly, as the custard layer will weep when thawed.