Last Updated on September 5, 2021 by Chef Mireille
Yuca Cake Hondurena ~ Gluten Free Cassava Cake with lots of holiday spices and infused with coffee. Honduran Yuca Cake is a more decadent and luxurious version of Cassava Cake by being served with a nice pouring of sweetened condensed milk.
Almost any country where cassava/yuca/manioc/tapioca is a native ingredient has some form of a sweet cake made with the root vegetable.
Due to it’s natural gelatinous properties, it is the perfect vehicle to make gluten free treats, without having to go out in search of fancy gluten free flours.
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If you’re gluten free, cassava should be your best friend. Known as yuca in the Spanish speaking Caribbean and Latin America, manioc in Brazil and cassava to the rest of the world, this vegetable has gelatinous qualities that make it the perfect vegetable/grain to use in baked goods.
How to use Cassava in a Gluten Free Diet
- Boil or roast vegetable and consume as is.
- Grate and pound into a paste (or purchase frozen grated cassava). In this form, it can be used in baked goods or form the base for fritters and other savory snacks.
- Tapioca is made from cassava. Use tapioca pearls to make delicious puddings.
- Tapioca starch or cassava flour can also be used in baked goods.
- Tapioca starch can also be used as a thickening agent for soups and sauces, instead of flour.
- Cassava meal or cassava flour is used widely in Brazil as a side dish, simply toasted as a rice alternative, where it is called manioc.
Here is a variety of both sweet and savory recipes that utilize this versatile tuber and its by products.
Gluten Free Cassava Recipes
- Yuca Fries
- Yuca Donuts
- Cunape – Bolivian Cheese Bread
- Garifuna Cassava Bread
- Bojo – Suriname Style Cassava Cake
If you are gluten free, another grain you should not forget about is cornmeal. Cornmeal is so versatile. There are many different forms and it can be utilized in a variety of both savory and sweet dishes. Discover more about this often under utilized grain.
If you would like to know more about the many varieties of gluten free cornmeal that there are and how to utilize them all in your kitchen, check out this post here to learn all about Cornmeal, Polenta, Grits & more.
This Gluten Free Honduran Yuca Cake is very similar to a cake we often eat for breakfast in the Caribbean called Cassava Pone (as in the Suriname style above). However, the luxurious sweetened condensed milk that it is served with in Honduras adds some luxury and decadence to it, making it a perfect holiday dessert!
Also the addition of coffee in our Gluten Free Cassava Cake for this coffee aficionado definitely appealed to my coffee loving palate.
Nowadays, in any holiday party or potluck party, there is more than likely going to be at least one person who is gluten free. Keep this delicious Gluten Free Cassava Cake on hand for them!
So what do you need to make this delicious gluten free cake?
Ingredients for Yuca Cake Hondurena
- sugar
- ground cinnamon
- nutmeg
- ground allspice
- ground cloves
- salt
- instant expresso powder
- eggs
- coconut milk
- evaporated milk
- vanilla extract
- grated yuca/cassava – either fresh or defrosted from frozen
- sweetened condensed milk
NOTE : Instead of using all these spices, you can make it easier by substituting Pumpkin Pie Spice Mix instead!
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How to Make Gluten Free Cassava Cake
Start to finish this classic Honduran Yuca Cake recipe only requires a little over an hour. It’s an easy process that can be broken down into a few simple steps:
- First, prep your cake pan and dissolve espresso powder in boiling water.
- Then in a small bowl combine the spices and sugar, and in a separate large bowl beat the eggs. To the large bowl add coconut milk, evaporated milk, vanilla, and the cooled coffee. Stir well, and mix in the sugar and spice mixture. Next, stir in the defrosted yuca until thoroughly combined.
- Transfer the batter to your prepared pan, and bake in an oven preheated to 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about one hour. Test the Cassava Cake with a knife for doneness after 50 minutes to make sure you don’t over bake. When done the knife will come out clean, and the cake should have a light golden color.
Let the cake sit in the pan for a few minutes before tipping out and onto a cooling rack. Drizzle with a bit of sweetened condensed milk while still warm, and serve.
A sweet, tender slice of Yuca Cake Hondurena goes perfectly with a cup of coffee for a snack or dessert.
Homemade Cassava Cake Storage & Reheating Tips
- Leftover cake needs to be stored in the refrigerator. Place in an airtight container or wrap with plastic wrap, and keep for up to one week.
- Honduran Yuca Cake is best when reheated for 1 minute in the microwave.
Yuca Cake Hondurena – Gluten Free Honduran Cassava Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon instant espresso powder
- 4 eggs
- 13.5 oz. can coconut milk
- 2/3 cup evaporated milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 lbs. 4 ½ cups frozen grated cassava, defrosted (yucca)
- sweetened condensed milk for serving
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 9 x 13” baking dish with butter or non stick spray.
- Dissolve espresso powder in ½ cup boiling water. Leave to cool.
- In a small bowl, combine sugar with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cloves and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat eggs well.
- Add coconut milk, evaporated milk, vanilla and coffee. Mix well until thoroughly combined.
- Add sugar and spices. Mix well.
- Add cassava and mix well until thoroughly incorporated.
- Transfer to prepared baking dish.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes until a knife inserted comes out clean.
- To serve, top with a little of the sweetened condensed milk.
Notes
Nutrition
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The only way we include cassava is as chips with a dash of salt and a generous sprinkle of red chili powder. Never tried a dessert with it! That piece of cassava cake looks extremely yum with the condensed milk topping.
we also make cassava chips in the Caribbean but it is so versatile and we also make sweets with it
Looking forward to making this yuca cake. I’m excited to try something new this holiday season.
you will fall in love with it once you try it
I have never heard of this vegetable before but I am intrigued! The cake looks delicious and who doesn’t love sweetened condensed milk! Great recipe!
thanks – if you are in the US it is pretty commonly available now. The frozen one may be harder to come by but you can grate the fresh yuca using the fine side of a box grater. It is a bit laborious but a good substitute if the frozen isn’t available.
Very interesting post. I have never heard of this before. Now you have my curiosity up, and I will be looking for this in the specialty markets. The cake looks delicious.
here in NY, yuca is now very common and available in most supermarkets since we have a large Latin community where it is common fare in their diet. It might even be in your local market and you never noticed it before. The frozen one isn’t as readily available but you can grate the fresh yuca using the fine side of a box grater for the same result.
You are so right, the chances of meeting someone with a gluten allergy are big on occasions like these. Then it’s good to have a recipe like this to turn too. It really does look very tasty (and also for those without allergies!)
yes this cake is delicious – with or without a gluten allergy
This looks great for anyone who eats gluten-free or not! I’ve never had anything like this but it look delicious!
I definitely suggest you be on the lookout for cassava/yuca – I guarantee you wont be disappointed!
I’m always looking for new, fun recipes for the holidays, and this looks perfect! Everything about this cake sounds delicious. Can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing!
you must come back and let me know how you liked it 🙂
That cassava cake looks really good. I’d love to try it. Brilliant that it’s gluten free. As you say it’s good these days to have a gluten free dessert on offer!
it’s such a natural way of doing gluten free – the cake is as delicious as it looks 🙂
Honduran cassava cake looks absolutely incredible and super moist. I love cassava very much and am sure this cake will definitely please my tastebuds.
yes it’s such a decadent version of the cassava cake with the condensed milk – I am sure you will love it!!!
gluten free cassava cake looks awesome chef. drooling over here.
thank you – it is a delicious cake 🙂
I bet this is so moist and delicious! I’m pinning for later, it sounds so very good!
thank you I am sure you will enjoy it as much as I do!
What a great way to end the meal! The Yucatan cake with the condensed milk drizzle looks fabulous Mir.
thanks yes it’s a great way to end any meal
Looks amazing and a great option for people with gluten intolerance. I have never used yuca in my cooking as I am somehow intimidated by the look of it 🙂 I have had chips made with it though.
if you buy the frozen one already grated for you for sweet recipes like this, you don’t have to look at it…though you shouldn’t really be scared of a vegetable 🙂
wow looks so tasty, I have never baked with cassava flour but I have tried it in flat-bread and it is so good however have never used it raw on desserts. Great way to use yuca. Love the drenching of condensed milk so delightful.
oh in the Caribbean we use it raw in many desserts. We have something called Cassava Pone which is very common on all of the islands. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed with this version either!
I love how how Spanish, Latin, Asian and Caribbean cultures have all these great naturally gluten free dessert recipes. It is amazing how these traditional foods are so amazing just the way they are. Thanks for cooking up the world and always sharing recipes that intrigue!
nowadays they have all these expensive gluten free flours and other stuff and nature itself has so many gluten free foods that lend itself to baking. the rest of the world needs to discover cassava!
The final pic with the condensed milk is so sinful Mir, I would surely want to taste this!
thanks – it is such a delicious way to use yuca
In Haiti we often had yucca but never as a cake. We often fry them or boil them. I want to try ttos recipe. Very curious. Pinning to try this weekend.
This cake looks delicious! This would be great to serve at any holiday gatherings – we all know at least one person who can’t have gluten and this would be a great way to make sure they are included!
yes and I guarantee everyone will love it even the ones who aren’t gluten free
I recently started using casssava and this recipe looks another one for me to try. Looks yum and delicious.
I am sure you will love the utilization of cassava in this recipe
I didn’t know it was called yuca in the rest of the world! Great recipe and also very educational 🙂 Thanks a lot for sharing it.
yes despite the different names, it is such a versatile ingredient.