Imagine a dessert that’s a cross between a sweet pound cake and savory, buttery, cheesy cornbread in both flavor and texture. The Salvadorans have done just that. The Quesadilla Salvadoreña Sweet Cheese Pound Cake is near the sweetness and texture of a pound cake with a moist, sweet cheese flavor and near density of a cheesy cornbread. Cheese, dairy, sugar, eggs, and rice flour are the main ingredients in this uniquely flavored, lightly sweetened dessert.
“Quesadilla”, You Say?
The quesadilla from El Salvador is a far cry from the Mexican quesadilla. The word “quesadilla” comes from the word “queso” meaning cheese and “quesada” referring to a type of cake with cheese. A Mexican quesadilla, of course, is a flat tortilla folded and filled with savory meats, cheese, and veggies. The El Salvador version is a sweet cake, a “pan dulce”. The common ingredient in both is cheese, cheese, and more cheese. I’m excited to share my version of the Quesadilla Salvadoreña in this post.
Quesadilla Salvadoreña Ingredients
Check out these ingredients. You’ll need rice flour, baking powder, eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla, Cotija cheese, Crema Mexicana, whole milk, butter, and sesame seeds. There are appropriate substitutions in the following recipe.
Preheat Oven & Prepare Baking Pan
This recipe comes together fairly quickly, so preheat the oven to 375˚F (190˚C). Then, prepare the baking pan. Butter an 8×11.5 (2 quart) or 9×13 (3 quart) baking dish. Line the pan with parchment paper with overhanging edges. With a pair of scissors, cut a slit in each corner down to where the paper meets the pan. Allow the cut flaps to overlap so they are flat against the pan. Butter the paper, top and sides, to ensure easy removal of the cake.
Combine Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, add 240 grams (1½ cups) of rice flour. Then, add 7 grams (½ tablespoon) of baking powder. Stir the ingredients together and set aside.
TIP: Rice flour is the traditional flour used in this dish in El Salvador. However, you can also use finely ground corn flour, regular all-purpose flour, or cake flour for a lighter cake.
Separate Eggs
Separate 3 large eggs (~50 grams each). Place the egg yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer or the large bowl in which you intend on making the batter. Place the egg whites in a smaller bowl and set aside at room temperature until needed.
Combine Wet Ingredients
Beat Together Eggs, Sugar & Vanilla
In the bowl of the stand mixer with the egg yolks, pour in 200 grams (1 cup) of granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of vanilla. With the paddle attached, begin beating on medium speed until the yolks are light and fluffy.
Add Dairy Ingredients
Blend in the Cheese
Reduce the machine speed and add 142 grams (5 ounces or 1½ cups) of finely grated Cotija cheese. Finely grated works best as the cheese should melt into the rice flour. Traditionally, queso duro blando (a hard white cheese) is used in this dish in El Salvador. However, that cheese is difficult to find in the United States. I prefer to use Cotija as it is also a hard salty cheese. If you can’t find either, simply use finely grated Parmesan cheese. Cotija is a smidge softer than Parmesan but is just as salty. Blend until well-combined.
TIP: The texture of the eggs will be grainy once the cheese in mixed in, but the cheese will melt as the cake bakes.
Measure out Cream & Milk
In a small bowl or measuring cup, add 120 milliliters (½ cup) of Crema Mexicana. Crema Salvadoreña is used in El Salvador, but the Mexican version is close enough. If you can’t find either, the best substitute is the French crème fraîche. However, sour cream or Greek yogurt will work just fine. Keep in mind that these traditional cremas are not as tangy as sour cream. Stir in 125 milliliters (½ cup) of milk until combined.
With the stand mixer speed on low, pour in the milk mixture (about 1/4 cup at a time). Mix between each addition allowing time for the egg mixture to blend in with the milk.
Melt Butter
In a small bowl, melt 114 grams (½ cup or 1 stick) of butter in the microwave for 20 seconds. Stir the butter and place back in the microwave for another 5 seconds or so until the butter is completely melted. With the machine on low speed, slowly pour in the melted butter.
Add Dry Ingredients
With the machine running, slowly add the flour and baking powder mixture. Blend until the ingredients are well-combined and create a thick batter. Scoop the batter back in the bowl where the flour was residing.
TIP: Adding the flour in stages allows the wet ingredients time to absorb the dry.
Clean Bowl & Whip Egg Whites
Clean well and dry the stand mixer bowl. Pour in the reserved 3 egg whites. Use the whisk attachment to beat the egg whites until they almost triple in size and reach firm peaks (meaning the egg peaks flip but are not soft; they are between soft and stiff).
Fold Egg Whites into Cake Batter
Use a spatula and spoon half of the egg whites over the batter. Fold in the egg whites until combined (no white streaks remain). Then, add the remaining egg whites and fold them in until combined. Remember to fold, not stir. Stirring will cause the egg whites to deflate.
TIP: I like whipped egg whites in this cake because they give the cake height and rise with all of the heavy dairy ingredients.
Spoon Batter into Pan & Top with Sesame Seeds
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth out the top with the spatula. Sprinkle about ¼ cup of sesame seeds over the top.
TIP: White sesame seeds are traditionally added to the top of this cake in El Salvador; however, if you don’t have them or like them, you can omit them.
Bake & Cool Quesadilla Salvadoreña!
Place the cake in the preheated oven for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown. Once baked, let the cake cool on a cooling rack for about an hour before removing it from the pan.
Once cooled, lift the overhanging parchment paper corners to remove the cake and place it on a cutting board or serving platter.
Quesadilla Salvadoreña: A Closer Look
Notice the texture of the cake. It really is a cross between a pound cake and cornbread. The rice flour resembles more of a finely ground corn flour. The cake has height from the baking powder and whipped egg whites. It is moist and rich from all the dairy. The yellow color is a result of the egg yolks and butter. The sesame seeds on time add texture and a little crunch.
Serving Suggestions
You can slice the cake into any preferred individual sizes. Since the cake is rich and buttery, I prefer to slice the whole cake into 12 squares (4 rows down and 3 across).
Storage Suggestions
Store the cake covered at room temperature up to 5 days. The cake will dry out the longer it remains at room temperature. For longer storage, place slices in a sealed bag or container in the freezer for several months.
Quesadilla Salvadoreña Final Thoughts
This is a quick cake to make with unique flavors. It’s clearly NOT a store-bought box cake. The cheese, rice flour, and dairy components create a mildly sweet but satisfyingly rich dessert or snack. The rice flour produces a soft cake making it undetectable as a gluten-free dessert. As for texture, the cake somewhat resembles a soft, moist, light cornbread.
Baker’s Perspective
Overall, this cake is not difficult to make. There a few steps like grating cheese, separating eggs, and whipping egg whites. But once the prep is done, the cake is a quick to make and bake. The ingredients are not difficult to locate in the grocery store and there are adequate substitutions. In fact, aside from the Cotija cheese and Mexican Cream, you likely already have the ingredients in your pantry. If you keep Parmesan cheese and sour cream on hand, then you have everything you need to make this cake. For a little extra texture and color, sift on some powdered sugar before serving.
Taster’s Perspective
This El Salvadoran cake is very moist and somewhat spongy and eggy. The cheese is defined but is very well balanced with the dairy and sugar. There is no need for extra salt due to the salty cheese that balances out the mild sweetness. Once you take a bite, the flavors and textures become very clear as to why this cake is referred to as a “sweet cheese pound cake”. The moisture and richness in the cake is from the butter, cream, eggs, and whole milk. The rice flour is traditional and not detectable from regular all-purpose flour making it awesome for gluten-free eaters. Honestly, if didn’t already know this cake was gluten free, I wouldn’t have guessed. 😉
The cake isn’t overly sweet making it great for breakfast, a light snack, or dessert. The Mexican cream has a very mild tang, so it doesn’t overpower the sweetness. The Cotija cheese melts into the cake, thus giving it a stretchy, almost gluten “feel” to the texture. The sesame seeds add a little pleasing nutty crunch to the top. It’s an addicting cake with unique flavors traditional to El Salvador. This cake is a fantastic treat to bake to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, Cinco de Mayo, or just anytime you want a little salty and sweet dessert, breakfast, or snack. Serve it with a cup of coffee or Mexican hot chocolate and enjoy. 😊
Check out my YouTube video on each step with tips in making this cake. “Quesadilla Salvadoreña Sweet Cheese Pound Cake (Gluten Free!): A Pound Cake or Cheesy Cornbread?”
Quesadilla Salvadoreña Sweet Cheese Pound Cake: Gluten Free & Buttery
Ingredients
- 240 g (1½ cups) rice flour
- 7 g (½ tbsp) baking powder
- 3 large eggs separated
- 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar caster sugar (superfine) is best
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 142 g (5 oz or 1½ cups) Cotija cheese (finely grated) or Parmesan cheese
- 120 ml (½ cup) Crema Mexicana or Crema Salvadoreña/ crème fraiche/ sour cream/ Greek yogurt
- 125 ml (½ cup) whole milk
- 114 g (½ cup or1 stick or 8 tbsp) butter melted (plus more for greasing pan & parchment paper)
- ¼ cup sesame seeds optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Butter an 8×11.5 (2 qt) or 9×13 (3 qt) baking dish. Then, line the pan with parchment paper with overhanging edges and butter the top and sides of the paper. Set the pan aside.TIP: With a pair of scissors, cut a slit in each corner down to where the paper meets the pan. Allow the cut flaps to overlap so they are flat against the pan.
- In a large bowl, stir together the rice flour and baking powder and set aside.
- Separate the egg yolks from the egg whites placing the egg yolks in the bowl of a stand mixer and egg whites in a smaller bowl.TIP: You can simply use a large bowl and mix the ingredients by hand or use an electric mixer.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the egg yolks, add sugar and vanilla. With the paddle attached begin beating on medium speed until the yolks are light and fluffy.
- Reduce the speed and add the grated cheese until well-combined.TIP: The texture of the eggs will be grainy once the cheese in mixed in, but the cheese will melt as the cake bakes.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together the crema and milk until combined. With the stand mixer speed on low, pour in the milk mixture (~¼ cup at a time) mixing between each addition.
- Melt the butter in the microwave for 20 seconds, stir, and another 5 seconds or so until completely melted. With the machine on low speed, slowly pour in melted butter.
- While the machine is running, slowly add the dry ingredients and mix until the ingredients are well-combined.TIP: Adding the flour in stages allows the wet ingredients time to absorb the dry.
- Scoop the batter back in the bowl where the flour was residing.
- Clean well and dry the stand mixer bowl. Add the egg whites and use the whisk attachment to beat until the egg whites triple in size and reach firm peaks (the egg peaks flip but are not soft; they are between soft and stiff).
- Use a spatula and spoon half of the egg whites into the batter. Fold in the egg whites until combined (no streaks). Then, add remaining egg whites and fold them in until combined.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan. Smooth out the top with the spatula. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the top, if desired. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top is golden brown.
- Let the cake cool in the pan on a cooling rack for about an hour before removing it from the pan. Once cooled, lift the overhanging parchment paper edges to remove the cake and place it on a cutting board or serving platter. Slice into preferred sizes or consider 12 squares (4 rows down and 3 rows across).
Video
Notes
Interested in some other sweet treat recipes? Check these out.
Coconut Flan (Gluten & Dairy Free)
No-Bake Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies (Gluten-Free & Vegan Friendly)
Banana Pudding: No Cook & Egg Free
Argentine Alfajores Sandwich Cookies
Simple Scottish Shortbread Cookies
Gluten-Free & Vegan Scottish Shortbread Cookies
Latin American Tres Leches Cake
Australian & New Zealand Pavlova
New Zealand Kiwi Quick Bread (Regular & Gluten Free)
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