Bebinca
Goa's iconic sixteen-layer coconut and egg-yolk cake, baked one thin layer at a time, traditionally the centrepiece of Christmas celebrations.
- Prep
- 40 min
- Cook
- 90 min
- Total
- 130 min
- Servings
- 10
- Difficulty
- Hard
- Calories
- 320 kcal
Equipment
- •Round baking tin
- •Oven or traditional charcoal setup
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 320 kcal
- fat
- 17 g
- carbs
- 38 g
- fibre
- 1 g
- protein
- 5 g
- calories
- 320 kcal
Instructions
- 1
Whisk the coconut milk, egg yolks, flour, sugar and nutmeg together until you get a smooth batter with no lumps.
- 2
Grease a round baking tin well with ghee (clarified butter). Preheat the oven using the top heat or grill setting.
- 3
Pour a thin layer of batter into the tin. Bake it under the top heat for about 6-8 minutes until golden.
- 4
Brush the baked layer with melted ghee. Pour the next thin layer of batter directly on top.
- 5
Bake under top heat until golden. Repeat this layering process to make 14-16 layers in total.
- 6
Brush the top layer with ghee. Bake until it turns deep golden brown.
- 7
Let it cool completely. Turn it out of the tin and slice to show the layers.
Chef's tips
Take your time and bake each layer on its own. Keep the oven on top heat or grill mode so the lower layers do not overcook.
Ingredient substitutions
- egg yolks → no true eggless substitute; this is a traditional egg-rich dessert
Storage
Keeps well at room temperature in an airtight container for up to a week; refrigerate in humid weather.
Reheating
Best served at room temperature; not typically reheated.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Pouring the layers too thick, which stops the cake from forming its classic thin layers.
Serving suggestions
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