Tapioca Custard Cake

(Cassava Flan Bibingka)

June 28: National Tapioca Day

Islander literally likes to get back to her cultural roots by baking bibingka (a type of Filipino cake) made from cassava, a starchy root that is sometimes called tapioca, manioc, sago or yuca (not to be confused with yucca). Her Daddy grows the woody-looking tuber in the back yard of her childhood home in Hawaii. Sometimes he would just boil the fibrous root for the family and we would eat it like a yam or sweet potato. Other times, he would manually grate it for a special Christmas tapioca custard cake recipe, such as the one we are featuring here on our blog post for National Tapioca Day. The bottom bibingka layer has a chewy texture with coconut flavor and is topped with a sweet and creamy custard layer. With only six ingredients, this makes it easy for Islander to appreciate both the cultural and culinary roots when cooking!

Recipe

(From Daddy)

 For the tapioca/cassava bibingka/cake

• 1 package (1 lb.) frozen grated cassava, thawed
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk

For the flan/custard

• 5 egg yolks
• 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated milk

Directions

Line a 13×9-inch baking pan with banana leaf (traditional) or waxed paper. Mist with cooking spray.

In a bowl, mix together the thawed grated cassava, sugar and coconut milk. Pour into the baking pan. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes.

While the bibingka layer is baking, make the flan/custard layer. In a bowl, beat the egg yolks with the sweetened condensed and evaporated milks.

Remove the bibingka from the oven and pour the flan/custard mixture over it. Return to the oven and bake for an additional 40 minutes or until the flan/custard no longer wiggles in the middle. Remove from the oven. Use a spatula to loosen and unstick the dessert from the sides of the pan. Cool completely until it reaches room temperature to set. Slice into squares and cut off any burnt or jagged edges. Remove the banana leaf or waxed paper before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Notes

• Warning: Do not eat cassava raw. It must be cooked thoroughly to remove toxins.
• Some Philippine cuisine has its roots from Spain. For example, the flan/custard layer on top of the Filipino-based bibingka is a Spanish influence. Islander’s family names, both paternal and maternal, are Spanish.