Honduras

HONDURAS: Yucca Cake with Sweet Milk Sauce

This reminds me of the divine Heavy Cake from The Cayman Islands. It seems that starchy ingredients — cassava, sweet potato, potato — are often a focus in Caribbean and Central American desserts. Found out today that yucca is a synonym for cassava…the things I’m learning.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 lbs. yucca, peeled and grated
4 large eggs, slightly beaten
1 can (13.5 oz.) coconut milk
2/3 cup (5 fl.-oz. can) evaporated milk
1/2 cup double strength instant coffee, cooled
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 can (14 oz.) Sweetened Condensed Milk

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350º F. Grease 13 x 9-inch baking dish. 

Combine sugar, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and salt in small bowl. Combine yucca, eggs, coconut milk, evaporated milk, coffee, butter and vanilla extract in large bowl until well blended. Add sugar mixture; stir until well blended. Pour batter into prepared baking dish.

Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until toothpick entered in center comes out clean. Cool completely in dish on wire rack. 

To serve, pour sweetened condensed milk over entire cake to glaze or top each piece with desired amount of condensed milk.