Latiya, from Guam, descends from Spanish natillas custard and is poured over sponge cake and dusted with cinnamon. Serve it with coffee.
Latiya (Chamorro Custard Sponge Cake)
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Cakes cupcakes
Vanilla: Extract
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Layers of tender sponge cake covered in a warm vanilla milk custard and finished with cinnamon. A staple at Chamorro fiestas. Makes 12 servings in about 2 hr 45 min.
Prep
25 min
Cook
20 min
Cooling
2 hr
Total
2 hr 45 min
Servings
12
Ingredients
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servings
Scales from a half to a double batch; give a bigger batch a little more time.
- 16 oz (450 g)sponge or pound cake, sliced 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) thick
- 1 ⅔ cups (400 ml)water
- 1 ½ cups (354 ml)evaporated milk, one 12 oz can
- 3 ½ tbsp (30 g)cornstarch
- ⅓ cup (75 g)granulated sugar
- 2 (100 g)eggs, beaten
- 2 tsp (10 ml)vanilla extract
- 4 tbsp (55 g)unsalted butter
- 1 ½ tsp (4 g)ground cinnamon
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Instructions
- Arrange the cake slices in a single layer in a 9 x 13 inch (23 x 33 cm) dish, trimming to fit.
- In a saucepan, whisk 320 ml of the water with the evaporated milk and sugar and heat until steaming.
- Stir the remaining water with the cornstarch and vanilla until smooth. Add to the pan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens and bubbles.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the butter.
- Whisk the beaten eggs with a little of the hot custard to temper, then stir back into the pan. Return to low heat and cook, stirring, until the custard reaches 160 F (71 C), about 2 to 3 minutes.
- Pour the hot custard evenly over the cake and dust with cinnamon.
- Cool, then chill at least 2 hours before serving.
Tips
- Whisk constantly when the custard thickens to avoid lumps.
- Temper the eggs slowly so they do not scramble.
- A day-old cake soaks up the custard well.
- The custard contains eggs; cook it to 160 F (71 C) and keep refrigerated.
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Recipe FAQ
How long does it take to make latiya (chamorro custard sponge cake)?
Plan on 25 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cooking, plus 2 hours to chill. The recipe makes 12 servings.
How should I store latiya (chamorro custard sponge cake)?
Refrigerate covered up to 3 days.
Can I make latiya (chamorro custard sponge cake) ahead?
Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.
Can I use a different form of vanilla?
Yes. This recipe uses 2 tsp vanilla extract (10 ml). Each teaspoon of pure vanilla extract can be swapped for 1 teaspoon of vanilla bean paste, the seeds of half a vanilla bean, or 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla powder. Paste and seeds add the classic dark specks.
Estimated · per serving
Nutrition
Per serving = 1 of 12 servings this recipe makes.
265
Calories / serving
12.5g
Fat
33.3g
Carbs
4.7g
Protein
22.6g
Sugar
Whole recipe (12 servings): ~3180 cal · 150g fat · 400g carbs · 56g protein · 271g sugar
Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.
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