Make Cassava Cake In Minutes With Only 3 Ingredients

A cake made from just three ingredients might sound too good to be true. You may guess that one of the ingredients must be boxed cake mix, but that's not the case; while there are a ton of ways to make boxed cake mix taste homemade, this recipe actually depends on a root vegetable and two canned ingredients. To make a delicious cake with only a few minutes of prep time requires cassava, coconut milk, and sweetened condensed milk.

Cassava cake hails from Southeast Asia and has origins in the Philippines, where it might also be called cassava pie or pudding. The cake's interior is like solid pudding, similar to mochi, with crispy edges. It's not too sweet and has a texture totally unique compared to the light, fluffy cakes many of us are accustomed to. It's perfect as an afternoon snack served with coffee or tea, or as a light dessert.

With a rich, chewy texture, you won't notice that it's naturally gluten-free or egg-free. This is thanks to the use of cassava, a starchy root vegetable that acts as both the bulk and binder. Cassava, also commonly called yuca or manioc depending on where you are in the world, is eaten as a staple food throughout Africa, Asia, and South America. The root is also ground up to make tapioca flour, which is frequently used in gluten-free baking and as a thickener that mitigates messy, watery sauces and pie fillings.

It may be possible to snag all three ingredients needed for this cake in your regular grocery store. Coconut milk and sweetened condensed milk are easy enough to find, but for a dairy-free, vegan version, use a sweetened condensed coconut milk (here's how you can make it yourself).

A stop at your local Asian, Latin American, or international foods store may be called for to find the cassava root. There are two options: fresh or frozen. With the fresh, whole root, you have a bit of work cut out for you. The woody-like exterior of the root will first need to be peeled, and then it will be finely grated. Don't underestimate this step — cassava is a very hardy root vegetable, tougher than potatoes and beets. Frozen cassava comes already grated, saving you a ton of time and effort. The bag will need to be defrosted, and the grated cassava rinsed and strained of water before incorporating into the batter.

There's not much to making the cake batter itself: All the ingredients are mixed together until smooth and poured into a greased baking dish. It will bake for about 50 minutes at 325 degrees Fahrenheit, and is ready when the top is slightly golden. In awe of how quickly this cake comes together? Add some complexity to the batter with the addition of vanilla or lime zest. Tropical fruit is a perfect pairing, so chunks of pineapple or shredded coconut would work well in this recipe.