Quesadilla Salvadorena (Salvadorian Sweet Cake)

Quesadilla Salvadorena is a sweet and rich cake from El Salvador. Its texture is like a pound cake. It tastes sweet with a hint of cheese. It goes very nicely with a cup of coffee.

This quesadilla is not the one you are thinking about. This is not the Mexican version, which is a folded tortilla stuffed with gooey melted cheese. This is the Salvadorian version, which is a sweet cake that has cheese it in. It is kind of like a pound cake with the perfect balance of sweetness and savory flavors.

My in-laws are Salvadorian. They were born and grew up in El Salvador, then they came to the US later in life. For the years that I have been with Bryan, I have tried many different kind of Salvadorian foods, like tamales, pupusas, empanadas, pan con Pavo (sandwich). One of my favorites has to be this quesadilla. This rich cake has a texture of a pound cake. It is moist and it tastes mainly sweet with a hint of cheese. It goes very well with a cup of coffee or with a couple of tamales. Tamales? Yes, think of it like corn bread. Corn bread is mostly served with BBQ. You go back and forth between the corn bread and BBQ. It’s the sweet and savory kind of combination, which apply to the quesadilla and tamales. So good! YUM!

There are quite a lot of different quesadilla recipes in the internet world. Back in El Salvador, people use local hard cheeses. In the US, most bakeries use Parmesan, which is the one I used in this recipe. Picking the right flour wasn’t easy. Some recipes go with regular all-purpose flour; some are made with rice flour; some use whole wheat flour. I ended up choosing whole wheat flour. With the whole wheat flour, the color of the cake is slightly darker than the quesadilla I have had before. But the flavors and the texture are spotted on! Moist, not too dense and flavorful. Bryan gave his approval! Give this a try!

Have you tried any Salvadorian food before?

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Quesadilla Salvadorena (Salvadorian Sweet Cake)

Author Lokness

Yield 2 (6-inch) round cakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 large egg (beaten)
• ½ cup milk
• ½ cup heavy whipping cream
• ¾ cup sugar
• 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
• toasted sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚F (177˚C).
2. Lightly grease 2 (6-inch) round baking pans (best to use spring form pans). Line the bottom with a parchment paper.
3. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder.
4. In a large mixing bowl, add egg, milk, heavy whipping cream, sugar and cheese. Whisk to combine. Add the flour mixture. Whisk until just mixed. Add the melted butter and whisk to combine.
5. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pans. Sprinkle the top with sesame seeds. Bake in the oven for 30 minutes. The cake doesn’t take on much color. Turn off the oven and let them sit inside the oven for 5 minutes before removing. Cool at room temperature for at least 15 more minutes before unmolding. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Tips:

1. For storage, once the cakes are cool, wrap with plastic wraps. Keep at room temperature for a few days.
2. Use the leftover whole wheat flour to make these chewy cookies! 

(Adapted from De Aixa Delicias Culinarias)

Courses Dessert

Cuisine Salvadorian