The Cooking Diva Blog: Original Tropical Creations by Chef Melissa De Leon

La Receta del Dia: Cake de Yuca al Chocolate y Coco (Mandioca-Chocolate and coconut cake with Vanilla Ice Cream)

You might know about this root by a different name. Does "mandioca", "cassava", "manioc" or "yuca" sound familiar? The root, very starchy food by all means, was used in the past as a starch for ironing at the Chinese dry cleaners in Panama City, Republic of Panama.

I also remember a home-made glue made from "almidon de yuca", or "cassava starch"....Thank God it was not toxic, because, ...to tell you the truth: I ATE it many times.

If by now it hasn't crossed your mind, well I have to confess one more thing: Yes, I was the one that always TASTED everything at the "chemistry lab", ...the one who preferred to burn her tongue, instead of saying "NO!" to the possibility of enjoying ONE more tasty earthly delicacy. Or, who knows -- those chemistry lab "things" -- where they came from :)

In Latin America "yuca" is dear to our heart,...because it is used to make delicious soups, breads, cookies and cakes, among other yummy things. My last scrumptious recipe using yuca was "Yuca Croquettes with Chorizo and Tamarind Sauce", and now it is time to share with you this fantastically exotic recipe to make "Cake de Yuca al Chocolate y Coco", or Mandioca-Chocolate cake with coconut milk. Once you try it , it will have secured a very special place in your recipe drawer. I Promise it!

by Chef Melissa - CookingDiva · November 19, 2005 · 08:00 AM
Permalink · Comments (21) · TrackBack (1) · Categories: RECETAS - Postres · RECIPES: breads · RECIPES: desserts

Gracias Melissa, porque desde hace un tiempo hay yuca en el supermercado aquí en España y yo no sabía cómo utilizarla (sólo la he comido asada en la República Dominicana). Un beso.

Comment by: Cannella • Nov 19, 2005 2:47:51 PM

Yum! I will have to try this recipe. I LOVE yuca. I usually eat it either fried with some garlic thrown in or in soups. I have never had it any other way.
¡Gracias por la receta!

Comment by: kelly • Nov 19, 2005 8:28:50 PM

Queridas Cannella y Kelly:
Les va a encantar esta receta para preparar cake de yuca---realmente es muy especial. Aqui en Panama hay un postre tradicional que se llama "enyucado"---se prepara con yuca rallada cruda, coco rallado crudo, semillitas de anis---y otras cositas! Ahora que se que les gustan recetas con yuca---voy a publicar mas :)

Comment by: melissa • Nov 19, 2005 8:36:21 PM

Melissa
This sounds so yummy. I have to add you to my blogroll

Comment by: Tanisha • Nov 21, 2005 9:11:53 AM

Thank you Tanisha for your visit! if you have the chance to prepare this cake---please do, because you are going to LOVE it!...By the way, just went to your blog and enjoyed very much your daily thoughts. Hugs,

Comment by: melissa • Nov 21, 2005 9:42:32 AM

Hey melissa
I gave you the wrong site. I no longer blog at the other one. I can't even remember my pass word.

I am over at

http://tovahivrit.blogspot.com

Come over and see me and thanks for the comments

Comment by: Tanisha • Nov 21, 2005 9:47:11 AM

Hi Melissa!
I've been sick, so I haven't been keeping up on my reading, but what a nice surprise to see an ingredient I've always wondered "what the heck do I do with that?" Loving Boyfriend and I bought one once on a whim, and it was truly delicious - except that we forgot to cut out the core so it was rather...chewy, or...hard...I would never have imagined you could put it in a cake! And your other recipe sounds so good too! I'll have to see if it's still in the stores or if it's available other times of the year. I love reading about all your interesting ingredients!

Comment by: Michelle • Nov 21, 2005 6:53:38 PM

Michelle! I am glad to know you are feeling better now :) I think you could find yuca in the states all year long if you live in a city with latinos. The only problem is that is very expensive there :( Here in Panama, 1 pound of yuca cost as low as 0.10!!! BUT there is always a friend or relative that has yuca plants and gives the root away...YUM!!! I've cooking lots of desserts recently, and HOPE to publish photos and few recipes soon. I'll keep you posted :)

Comment by: melissa • Nov 22, 2005 12:51:49 PM

Querida Melissa: mi nombre es Nitzia Saenz, panamena con 23 anos de vivir en Costa Rica. No te imaginas la alegria que senti al encontrar tu sitio web. Las recetas se ven dekiciosas y faciles de preparar. Hare de esta pagina una de mis favoritas. Cuentas con una amiga aca en Ciudad Cariari en Costa Rica. Con Carino, Nitzia

Comment by: Nitzia Saenz • Nov 22, 2005 9:24:24 PM

Hola Nitzia! me da mucho gusto que nos hayas encontrado :) Lo que me cuentas es lo que precisamente me motivo a crear este blog: enviarles un poquito de Panama en cada una de las recetas a todos los que viven fuera, al igual que difundir lo rico que se come y la variedad de productos en Panama. Abrazos,

Comment by: Melissa • Nov 23, 2005 5:29:59 PM

What a great Web site. I've been searching all over the Internet for some Panamanian recipes other than arroz con pollo:) My mom's from Panama, but she's been in the states for more than 30 years (I was born in the U.S) so it's great to find some recipes from her home!

Comment by: Yovanna • Nov 24, 2005 11:58:18 AM

No sabía que también se la llama cassava!
En nuestra cocina local, a pesar que la yuca se consigue fácilmente, no se usa mucho, casi nada. Se usa bastante más la fécula. Será hora de empezar a probar... :)
Y esta receta me parece un buen comienzo.
Un beso,

Comment by: Marcela • Nov 24, 2005 1:36:45 PM

Yovanna: You have found the right place to get delicious recipes from Panama and Latin America..., among other places. Please say HI to your mom..., and ask her the name of her favorite recipe. If I do not have it posted here already I will have it up soon :) HUGS,

Marcela: oh si! la yuca tiene muchisimos usos en la cocina y fuera de ella. Pero, ahora dime tu en que usan Uds. la fecula? Como almidon para el planchado, o como harina para hacer panecillos, etc? Abrazos!

Comment by: Melissa • Nov 27, 2005 1:56:53 PM

Hola Melissa,
de planchado en casa ni hablar, que yo lo evito cuidadosamente... :D
El almidón de mandioca se usa por estos lados para pancitos como por ejemplo los chipá, típicos del noreste argentino (si no me equivoco se preparan también en paraguay y brasil). Almidón de mandioca, queso fresco y grasa son los ingredientes básicos.
Un abrazo,

Comment by: Marcela • Dec 5, 2005 10:11:46 AM

Que coincidencia!...hace varios dias le estoy dando vueltas a unas recetas que tengo para preparar: "Palomitas de Chipa a la Naranja", "Chipa Manduvi", y tambien unos alfajorcitos utilizando almidon de mandioca :) Les mantengo al tanto!

Comment by: Melissa • Dec 5, 2005 11:26:27 AM

Hola Melissa!
My mom wanted to know if you or anyone reading this blog has a recipe for a Panamanian bread called "rosca navideña." Mom grew up in Chiriqui, so I'm not sure if this is a regional treat or if it's common to all Panamanians:)
Oh, she's also looking for a good Panamanian Sancocho recipe. She makes it all the time, but she says it just doesn't taste like what she used to eat back home.
Gracias Melissa!

Comment by: Yovanna • Dec 5, 2005 12:22:42 PM

Yovanna, tomorrow first time in the morning will send or post the recipes you want. HUGS to both of you :)

Comment by: Melissa • Dec 5, 2005 7:07:12 PM

Muchas gracias Melissa! I'm so grateful! I can't wait to get cooking!

Comment by: Yovanna • Dec 6, 2005 10:48:36 PM

Yovanna, thank you for sending the recipe. I will prepare it as soon as I have the chance and will take photos to post in this blog. I will let you know :) Hugs to both of you!

Comment by: Melissa • Dec 7, 2005 10:36:12 AM

Hey Melissa
I Live in the Dominican Republic and want to be a pastry chef so I'll be trying this recipe soon. al igual que tu estudio adm Hotelera... asi que es bueno ver otros que ya lo han logrado...
Hugs and I hope to visit your site a lot more

Comment by: Sheyla • Jan 24, 2006 11:40:26 PM

Hola melissa
yo vivi en paraguay años y años. Mandioca como lo conocemos en paraguay, como lo comparas con taro de fiji o las islas alrededor de nueva zeland?
gracias

Comment by: evie • Mar 22, 2008 8:31:18 PM

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Listed below are links to weblogs that reference La Receta del Dia: Cake de Yuca al Chocolate y Coco (Mandioca-Chocolate and coconut cake with Vanilla Ice Cream):

» Cooking Cassava: Roots with a wide-spread culinary usage from Food Mall
Yesterday we had talked of truffle; today I came across an interesting starchy tuber called as cassava, in the Panama Gourmet blog, posted by Melissa. Melissa�s experience dates back to her cassava tasting in the chemistry lab and the cassava starch th... [Read More]

Tracked on Nov 24, 2005 12:34:47 AM