Quesadilla Salvadoreña (Salvadoran Sweet Cheese Cake)
Local name: Quesadilla salvadoreña
In short: A moist, lightly salty-sweet cake of rice flour, cheese, sour cream and butter topped with toasted sesame seeds, made for coffee time. It takes about 1 h 5 min in total and makes 10 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 45 min
- Total
- 1 h 5 min
- Servings
- 10
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 360 kcal
Quesadilla salvadoreña has nothing to do with the tortilla snack of the same name. It is a dense, buttery cake with a tender, slightly sandy crumb, made with rice flour, grated hard cheese and sour cream, and topped with sesame seeds that toast in the oven. The cheese adds a savory edge that balances the sugar. Salvadorans eat slices with coffee in the afternoon or at breakfast.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Butter a 23 cm (9 in) round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
- Whisk the rice flour, baking powder and salt together in a bowl.
- Beat the butter and sugar for 3 to 4 minutes until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the sour cream, milk and vanilla.
- Fold in the dry ingredients and the grated cheese until just combined. The batter will be thick but pourable.
- Pour the batter into the pan, smooth the top and sprinkle with the sesame seeds.
- Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then turn out and serve warm or at room temperature.
Tips
- Use ordinary rice flour, not glutinous rice flour, which makes the cake gummy.
- A salty, dry cheese such as Parmesan or aged cotija stands in for the Salvadoran cheese and balances the sugar.
Questions and answers
Is quesadilla salvadoreña sweet or savory?
Mostly sweet, with a salty cheese edge. The flavor sits somewhere between pound cake and cheesecake.
Can I use wheat flour instead of rice flour?
Yes, use the same weight. The crumb will be softer and less sandy, and the cake will no longer be gluten-free.
How long does quesadilla salvadoreña keep?
Up to 3 days covered at room temperature, a week in the fridge or 2 months in the freezer.
How long does it take to make Quesadilla Salvadoreña (Salvadoran Sweet Cheese Cake)?
About 1 h 5 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 45 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Quesadilla Salvadoreña (Salvadoran Sweet Cheese Cake)?
About 360 kcal per serving, with 9 g of protein, 36 g of carbohydrates and 20 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 360 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 9 g |
| Carbohydrates | 36 g |
| Fat | 20 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 18 g |
| Sodium | 450 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
