No Bake Tapioca Cake (with coconut topping) is an eggless, naturally gluten-free Brazilian delicacy made from 6 staple ingredients. It's quick to prepare and can be served topped with sweetened condensed milk and coconut flakes.
Surprised? Yep, tapioca can make way more than just tapioca pudding.
In fact, this No Bake Tapioca Cake is one of the several Brazilian culinary treasures that one must try in life.
It's eggless and naturally gluten-free, made by combining together boiling milk, canned coconut milk and coconut flakes, sweetened condensed milk, sugar, and crushed or minute tapioca (available in most American supermarkets).
The recipe for it has a few variations down in Brazil.
One of the versions uses the same ingredients as ours except for the sweetened condensed milk, while another substitutes boiling water for milk.
It's a coffee cake typical from my region, Northeastern Brazil... prepared by simply combining 5 of the ingredients in a large heat proof bowl and stirring in either boiling milk or water.
The mixture is then transfer to a ring baking pan, covered, and refrigerated for about 2 hours. Easy peasy!
The boiling liquid will cook the tapioca, which will absorb flavors fromall the other ingredients.
Th cake is usually served topped with sweetened condensed milk and coconut flakes.
But if you desire, serve it with fruit compotes/sauce, lemon curd, melted guava paste, or your favorite caramel/milk chocolate sauce instead.
In Brazil, this No Bake Tapioca Cake uses as its main ingredient a cassava derivative called tapioca granulada -- equivalent to quick/minute tapioca in the United States.
Both products essentially consist of crushed tapioca pearls.
How To Make No Bake Tapioca Cake
Start by boiling whole milk (or the same amount of water if your prefer).
Meanwhile, combine minute tapioca, both coconut milk and flakes, sugar, and sweetened condensed milk in a large heat proof bowl or pirex.
Next, add the boiling milk or water and stir well until obtaining a homogeneous mixture.
Immediately transfer the mixture to a 10-cup wet ring pan, level the mixture, cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
Last, carefully run a paring knife around the edges to loosen the cake, place a serving plate on top, and invert the cake in order to unmold.
Serve chilled, topped with a good drizzle of sweetened condensed milk and a sprinkle of coconut flakes.
As you can see, you can try this one-of-a-kind treat without traveling to Brazil.
Imagine having it for coffee or tea time or surprising your friends with a different dessert at your next get-together!
I hope you give it a try and enjoy!
PIN & ENJOY!
How to Make No Bake Tapioca Cake (with Coconut Topping)
Ingredients
- 4 cups boiling whole milk (or water if desired)
- 3 ¼ cups minute tapioca ( I used Kraft Minute Tapioca)
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 ½ cups sweetened coconut flakes (plus extra to sprinkle on top of the cake)
- ½ cup canned coconut milk
- 1 ½ cans sweetened condensed milk, divided (each can = 14-oz)
Instructions
- Start by boiling whole milk (or the same amount of water if your prefer).
- Meanwhile, combine minute tapioca, sugar, both coconut flakes and coconut milk, and 1 can of sweetened condensed milk in a large heat proof bowl or pirex.
- Next, add the boiling milk or water and stir well until obtaining a homogeneous mixture.
- Immediately transfer the mixture to a 10-cup wet ring pan, level the mixture, cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours
- Last, carefully run a paring knife around the edges to loosen the cake, place a serving plate on top, and invert the cake in order to unmold.
- Serve chilled and topped with the remaining sweetened condensed milk (½ can) and a sprinkle of coconut flakes. Garnish cake if desired (I garnished mine with berries and lime rinds).
Recipe Notes
- If desired, serve tapioca cake chilled topped with fruit compotes/sauce, lemon curd, melted guava paste, or your favorite caramel/milk chocolate sauce instead.
- If you decide to top with the traditional topping (sweetened condensed milk and coconut flakes), I suggest to sprinkle a bit of fresh lime rinds to add a bit of acidity and extra flavor to the cake. You can even squeeze the juice of ½ lime over the topping.
- Minute Tapioca as Tapioca Flour has a long shelf life but when mixed with other ingredients has its life shortened. This is why any leftovers of this tapioca cake must be refrigerated for up to 3-4 days.
- In addition, also try out shrimp tapioca crepes .
Nutrition
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John / Kitchen Riffs says
This looks excellent! And no-bake? We need that during this hot summer! Good recipe -- thanks.
Deb|EastofEdenCooking says
in the middle of this heat-wave a no-bake dessert sounds fabulous! Serving with summer fruit is a must!
Chrystal says
What is a we ring pan?
Denise Browning says
Hi, Chrystal! A ring pan (also known as tube pan) is a round or circular baking pan with a hole in the center. It is the same pan used to make monkey bread and some coffee cakes such as angel food cake.