Just discovered cassava cake topped with a thin layer of leche flan at a weekend market and I can’t stop thinking about it. The combo of chewy cassava and silky custard is wild. Is this a known regional thing or a newer mashup?
A few questions to kick off a deep dive:
- What do you call it where you’re from? I’ve heard “cassava flan cake” and “bibingkang kamoteng kahoy with leche flan.” Any local names?
- Origin story: did this start in Pampanga or elsewhere, or is it a modern kakanin trend like puto flan and ube flan cakes?
- Technique tips for clean layers: do you par-bake/steam the cassava base then add flan and finish in a bain-marie, or steam the flan first and top with cassava? How do you keep the layers from mixing?
- Texture goals: how do you keep the cassava layer moist but bouncy (not watery or too dense)? Do you squeeze grated cassava, add a bit of tapioca starch, or adjust gata/evap ratios?
- Flan layer: whole eggs vs yolks only? Dayap/calamansi zest or vanilla? Any tricks to avoid bubbles and cracks when baking in our humid climate?
- Toppings: caramel syrup, latik crumbs, macapuno strips? Anyone tried torching a thin sugar layer for a brûléed top?
- Flavor riffs: pandan-infused gata, ube marbling, tablea swirls, yema glaze-what actually works without overpowering the cassava?
- Sourcing: fresh grated vs frozen cassava-does it change the crumb a lot? Any reliable brands/markets you trust?
- Storage and transport: how long does it hold at room temp for fiestas? Best way to pack for pasalubong in the heat so the flan doesn’t weep?
- Where to buy: must-try spots in Metro Manila, Cebu, Davao, Pampanga, or anywhere really. Bakeries or carinderias doing a standout version?
- For sellers: portion size and pricing that moves at weekend bazaars? Better in bilao or loaf pans for slicing?
Would love recipes, ratios, or even fail stories with fixes. Photos welcome!