Salvadorian Butter Cake? The name describes the flavor. As for the Salvadorian, one day I found myself feeling peckish at a local gas station on the East End of Long Island. My eye hovered over the Ding Dongs and Hostess cakes then fell upon a selection of Latin treats near the cash desk, conchas and their like. I saw one that I’d not seen before, quesadilla de arroz Salvadoreña. It piqued my curiosity. It didn’t look like any quesadilla I’d ever eaten nor could I see where the cheese and rice came in, so I bought it. I was rewarded with a deliciously sticky, slightly tangy pound cake. The memory of this cake dogged me for days afterward so I scoured the internet to find out more about it. The result of this research is Salvadorean Butter Cake, my version of the 'quesadilla de arroz' recipe. It is delicious. Tried, tested, and gluten-free thanks to the traditional rice flour, this sticky treat is now in heavy rotation chez moi to dunk in my morning espresso or eat with fruit as a quick dessert. Enjoy!
AuthorAnn Ogden GaffneyHeat the oven to 370F/190C. Grease and flour a 8" springform baking dish. Set aside.
Heat the oven to 370F/190C. Grease and flour a 8" springform baking dish. Set aside.
Blend together the cheese, milk and sour cream. I do this with an immersion blender in a high sided measuring jug. Set aside
Beat the egg whites into soft peaks. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time at low speed. Continue to beat for 2 mins after adding the last yolk. Set aside
Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar. Make a well in the center. Beating at slow speed, pour in the beaten egg mixture. Add the sour cream /milk/cheese mixture and lastly the melted butter. Mix until smooth.
Tip into the prepared tin and sprinkle top with the sliced almonds. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the tin. Serves 10/14
- Traditionally this is made with Salvadorian crema, a type of salty sour cream similar to Mexican crema, but full fat Greek yogurt works too. I’ve made it with both, and the cakes were equally good.
- ricotta salata can also be subbed for the queso
- If you can't find rice flour, use 1x1 all purpose gluten-free flour. The cake will be a touch drier, but not by much.
- You can also sub raw sunflower seeds for the sliced almonds
Ingredients
Directions
Heat the oven to 370F/190C. Grease and flour a 8" springform baking dish. Set aside.
Blend together the cheese, milk and sour cream. I do this with an immersion blender in a high sided measuring jug. Set aside
Beat the egg whites into soft peaks. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time at low speed. Continue to beat for 2 mins after adding the last yolk. Set aside
Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Stir in the sugar. Make a well in the center. Beating at slow speed, pour in the beaten egg mixture. Add the sour cream /milk/cheese mixture and lastly the melted butter. Mix until smooth.
Tip into the prepared tin and sprinkle top with the sliced almonds. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the tin. Serves 10/14
- Traditionally this is made with Salvadorian crema, a type of salty sour cream similar to Mexican crema, but full fat Greek yogurt works too. I’ve made it with both, and the cakes were equally good.
- ricotta salata can also be subbed for the queso
- If you can't find rice flour, use 1x1 all purpose gluten-free flour. The cake will be a touch drier, but not by much.
- You can also sub raw sunflower seeds for the sliced almonds
