Cassava cake

It is usually made with grated cassava root, often mixed with coconut milk, sugar and eggs. Recipes vary: some use fresh cassava, while others use frozen grated cassava or cassava flour, which gives a different texture.

Bake it until the centre is set and a skewer comes out without wet batter; the top should be golden and the edges may pull slightly from the tin. In a moderate oven at about 180 °C, this often takes 45–60 minutes, depending on the depth of the cake.

Yes. Thaw it fully and squeeze out excess liquid before mixing; too much moisture can leave the middle gummy. If the recipe calls for fresh cassava, use the same weight of thawed grated cassava.

Once cool, cover it and keep it in the fridge, especially if it contains coconut milk, eggs or condensed milk. It keeps for about three days; warm individual slices briefly before serving if you prefer a softer texture.

It is often served as a sweet snack or dessert, plain or with coffee or tea. Coconut is a natural pairing, and some versions include grated coconut or are topped with a thin layer of custard.

No. Cassava cake is generally sweet, moist and baked with ingredients such as sugar and coconut milk; cassava bread is usually a flatter, less sweet preparation made mainly from cassava. Their textures and uses are quite different.

No: cassava root must be properly processed and cooked, and cake batter containing raw eggs should not be eaten. Bake the cake until the centre is fully set.

Coconut cake has more energy per 100 g: 419 kcal, compared with 263 kcal in cassava cake. Cassava cake is typically defined by grated cassava, while coconut cake can be made with flour and coconut.