🇨🇷 Costa Rican Cuisine

Tamal Asado

Baked Corn Cake

Prep Time 15 min

Servings 8

Difficulty Easy

Calories 262 kcal

A sweet, dense corn cake baked until golden, with a custardy interior and caramelized edges — Costa Rica's traditional baked treat served with coffee.

Ingredients

4 cups fresh corn kernels (or 2 cans, drained)
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup melted butter
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup shredded cheese
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

1 Blend corn kernels, eggs, sugar, butter, sour cream, and vanilla until mostly smooth.
2 Stir in shredded cheese, baking powder, and salt.
3 Pour into a greased baking pan.
4 Bake at 175C for 45-50 min until golden on top and a toothpick comes out clean.
5 The edges should be caramelized and slightly crispy while the center remains custardy.
6 Cool slightly and cut into squares. Serve warm with coffee.

Did You Know?

Despite its name, tamal asado is not steamed like a tamal — it is baked (asado), creating a completely different texture that is more cake than tamale.