Layered with buttercream, this meringue-based Cake Sans Rival finished off with roasted chopped cashews is pure dessert decadence. Follow the ultimate indulgent recipe to make this Filipino cake. It is gone from a table once it is served! No crumbs left!
I heard about the Sans Rival cake from one of my coworkers (she was from the Philippines) a few years ago. She suggested me to try one of the most famous Filipino cakes - Sans Rival.
Well, I wrote down the name of the cake, did some research in the Internet, trying to find the original recipe of Sans Rival cake. I found it, saved it and forgot about the cake for a while. Today is the time for this gorgeous Cake Sans Rival!
History of Sans Rival Cake
Layer Cashew Cake Sans Rival is a Filipino dessert, but it is decidedly French in origin (it is translated as a "cake without rival" from French).
The story behind the cake if that two sisters from Philippine Milagros Leelin-Yee and Clarita Leelin-Go decided to reveal the guarded secret recipe of the cake Sans Rival and published it in the "Goldilocks Bakebook". The book is full of delicious Filipino recipes!
I am sharing the authentic recipe of Sans Rival cake, although there are different versions of the cake such as Pistachio Sans Rival, Purple yam Sans Rival, etc.
Why Layer Cashew Cake Sans Rival Recipe Works
- Due to richness of the cake, it could easily feed a crowd.
- This cake is loaded with cashews that are rich in vitamins E, K, B-6 along with minerals such as zinc, iron, selenium and copper.
- Adding roasted chopped cashews between cake layers adds additional crunchiness.
How to Make Layer Cashew Cake Sans Rival - Step by Step
Preheat oven to 300 F/150 C. Butter and flour four 8 inch/20 cm cake ring /s. Place prepared rings on a baking sheet layered with the parchment paper.
To make the meringue, mix ground and chopped cashews and all-purpose flour in a bowl and set aside. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar at the medium speed for 1 minute with the use of an electric mixer, gradually adding the sugar. Then switch the mixer to the high speed and continue to beat egg whites for about 4 to 5 minutes until medium peaks form.
Add the flour/nuts mixture to the beaten egg whites (photo 1) and mix with a rubber spatula, until well combined (photo 2).
Equally distribute the preparation into the prepared cake rings and spread evenly, using a small spatula, or just pipe from a pastry bag (photo 3).
Bake the meringue for 50 to 55 minutes or until dry. Once the meringue disks are baked, immediately flip each of them onto another sheet of the parchment paper. Peel off parchment from the bottom and allow to cool (photo 4).
To make the Sansrival icing, beat egg yolks and vanilla extract for about 8 to 10 minutes at high speed, using an electric mixer (photo 5). Bring water and sugar in a heavy bottom saucepan over low heat and cook the sugar syrup up to 240 F/115 C.
Reset the mixer to low speed and gently pour the sugar syrup over the beaten egg yolks and beat (photo 6). Transfer the ready egg yolks/sugar mixture to another bowl, cover with a plastic film and let it cool.
In a separate bowl, beat the softened butter at low speed until smooth. Switch the mixer to medium speed and continue to beat, until volume increases.
Reset the mixer to low speed again and add the cooled egg yolks/sugar mixture. Whisk until the Sansrival icing is smooth (photo 7).
To assemble the cake, place the first meringue disk on a board. Spread the Sansrival icing on the top of the disk. Sprinkle with roasted chopped cashews. Repeat this operation with the remaining three meringue disks and the Sansrival icing. Cover top of the cake and its edges with the icing. Sprinkle with roasted chopped cashews (photo 8).
Expert Tips to Make Layer Cashew Cake Sans Rival
- Use large eggs to make the cake.
- To roast cashews, heat oven to 300 F/150 C and roast nuts on a baking sheet for 15 minutes.
- Do not over beat the meringue: you should reach medium peaks (not the firm ones).
- Make meringue disks one day ahead and store in an airtight container or simply cover them with a kitchen towel. You might choose to bake two meringue disks at a time, using two cake rings.
- Use a cooking thermometer to check the correct temperature of the sugar syrup.
- Take butter out of the fridge 2 hours before making the Sansrival icing. Then cut butter into small cubes to get 1 ½ cup.
- Try to adjust the baking time of your oven. The recommended baking time is 50 to 55 minutes, but it could be less or longer. The ready meringue disks have to be dry.
- Switch cashews with other nuts such as peanuts or pistachios.
More Delicious Cake Recipes You'll Love
- Plum And Almond Meringue Cake
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Please, note that the recipe was primarily developed using gram measurements for high precision and then converted to the US volume and weight measurements. I recommend using a kitchen scale for accuracy and the best results.
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Layer Cashew Cake Sans Rival
Layered with buttercream, this meringue-based Cake Sans Rival finished off with roasted chopped cashews is pure dessert decadence. Follow the ultimate indulgent recipe to make this Filipino cake. It is gone from a table once it is served! No crumbs left!
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Cakes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Filipino
Ingredients
For the meringue:
- ¾ cup (95 g) ground cashews
- ½ cup (70 g) chopped cashews
- ¼ cup (30 g) all-purpose flour
- 6 egg whites
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 cup (225 g) granulated sugar
For the Sansrival icing:
- ¾ cup (170 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (55 ml) water
- 6 egg yolks
- ⅛ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups (235 g) butter, unsalted
For the decoration:
- 1 ½ cups (105 g) roasted chopped cashews
*Don't you have the correct baking pan on hand right now? Try this simple Cake Pan Converter!
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300 F/150 C. Butter and flour four 8-inch/20 cm cake ring /s. Place prepared rings on a baking sheet layered with parchment paper.
-
To make the meringue, mix ground and chopped cashews and all-purpose flour in a bowl and set aside. Beat egg whites with cream of tartar at medium speed for 1 minute using an electric mixer, gradually adding the sugar. Then switch the mixer to the high speed and beat egg whites for about 4 to 5 minutes until medium peaks form. Add flour/nuts mixture to the beaten egg whites and mix with a rubber spatula until well combined.
- Equally, distribute the preparation into the prepared cake rings and spread evenly, using a small spatula, or just pipe from a pastry bag. Bake the meringue for 50 to 55 minutes or until dry. Once the meringue disks are baked, immediately flip each of them onto another parchment paper sheet. Peel off parchment from the bottom and allow it to cool.
- To make Sansrival icing, beat egg yolks and vanilla extract for about 8 to 10 minutes at high speed, using an electric mixer. Bring water and sugar in a heavy bottom saucepan over low heat and cook sugar syrup up to 240 F/115 C. Reset the mixer to low speed and gently pour sugar syrup over the beaten egg yolks and beat. Transfer the ready egg yolks/sugar mixture to another bowl, cover with plastic film and let it cool. In a separate bowl, beat the softened butter at low speed until smooth. Switch the mixer to medium speed and continue to beat until volume increases. Reset the mixer to low speed again and add the cooled egg yolks/sugar mixture. Whisk until the Sansrival icing is smooth.
-
To assemble the cake, place the first meringue disk on a serving board. Spread the Sansrival icing on top of the disk. Sprinkle with roasted chopped cashews. Repeat this operation with the remaining three meringue disks and Sansrival icing. Cover the top of the cake and its edges with icing. Sprinkle with roasted chopped cashews.
Notes
- Use large eggs to make the cake.
- To roast cashews yourself, heat oven to 300 F/150 C and roast nuts on a baking sheet for 15 minutes.
- Do not overbeat the meringue: you should reach medium peaks (not the firm ones).
- Make meringue disks one day ahead and store in an airtight container or simply cover them with a kitchen towel. You might choose to bake two meringue disks at a time, using two cake rings.
- Use a cooking thermometer to check the correct temperature of the sugar syrup.
- Take butter out of the fridge 2 hours before making the Sansrival icing. Then cut butter into small cubes to get 1 ½ cup.
- Try to adjust the baking time of your oven. The recommended baking time is 50 to 55 minutes, but it could be less or longer. The ready meringue disks have to be dry.
- Switch cashews with other nuts such as peanuts or pistachios. To unlock the recipe for Pistachio Sans Rival, join our Club.
Nutrition
- Calories: 436
- Sugar: 30.1 g
- Sodium: 197 mg
- Fat: 31.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 16.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 36.2 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 5.5 g
- Cholesterol: 143 mg
Keywords: sans rival, sans rival cake, sans rival recipe, sansrival goldilocks, Filipino desserts, Filipino dessert recipes
The recipe is taken from http://usa.inquirer.net/. It is re-written by me, but the authorship of the recipe does not belong to me. All posted pictures are mine.
Van says
Been craving this one for weeks already, so I tried looking for a recipe and found yours. Thanks for posting the recipe, super legit! Very much at par with the Sans Rival, we had in Dumaguete, Philippines. Lami kaayo! (Delicious)
★★★★★
Irina says
Thank you very much for your feedback, Van! It is a pleasure to hear that you like the recipe.
Sabrina Stirling says
Can you replace cashews with pistachios? 🙂
Irina says
Yes, yes, and yes, Sabrina! I have just made it with pistachios; it is still in the fridge. One thing: use raw pistachios, they have more intense color. Happy baking!
Millie says
Turned out great! I expected it to be overly sweet with the amount of sugar but it was perfectly sweetened. Tastes similar to ones I've had before. I'm not sure if I missed it written somewhere here but this recipe is best served chilled.
★★★★★
Irina says
Millie, I am so happy to hear that you loved the recipe and the cake came out perfect. As for me, I prefer to take this cake out of the fridge 15 minutes before serving. Thank you so much for your feedback.
EmDaoud340 says
Can I replace the four 8-inch pans with three 9-inch pans? If yes, do I change anything in the recipe?
Irina says
Thank you for your interest in the recipe. To convert pan sizes, I have got a cake pan converter here on the website: https://www.bakinglikeachef.com/cake-pan-converter/. So, I have done some calculations: to get 9-inches cake, you need to multiply all the recipe ingredients by 1.27. In this case, you will end up with the same hight of the cake, making four meringue layers. Since you want to make three layers, it means that you will need to use 3/4 of all the recipe ingredients, and your cake will be shorter (typically, the cake is a bit over two inches/5 to 6 cm tall). So, again, to make three-layered 9 inches cake, you will multiply all the ingredients by 1.27 and then take 3/4 of them. You might need to adjust the baking time. Also, I have got a recipe for Pistachio Sans Rival for my subscribers: https://www.bakinglikeachef.com/subscribe/. Please, let me know if you have more questions.
EmDaoud340 says
Can I substitute the cream of tartar?
Irina says
Yes, please, use an equal amount of lemon juice instead. Happy baking! 🙂
Vanessa L. says
Hi, thank you for this recipe. It was really good! I have tried it
with cashews, and the other one was substituted with pistachios!
Irina says
I am happy to hear that you loved the cake, Vanessa! Thanks!
Alma says
This recipe is good for any occasion, not only that it's so delicious that you want to eat the whole cake. Thank you for this great recipe!
★★★★★
Irina says
Thank you so much, Alma. I am happy to hear that 🙂
Denise says
I just stumbled across your recipe and can't wait to try it! Wondering if I can make this a couple of days in advance for a birthday and what's the best way to store it?
Irina says
Hi Denise, two days to make in advance is the maximum for this cake. I would suggest making layers on the first day, to assemble the cake on the second day, and to serve it on the third day. This is the make-ahead option. Store the layers at room temperature, and keep the assembled cake refrigerated. Happy baking and enjoy it! 🙂
Jestoni says
Hi, I tried your recipe, but it didn't work out so well with the buttercream. I followed your steps with the softened butter, but when I added the egg yolk/sugar mixture to my butter, it is not smooth as I was expecting; it's as if my yolks are cooked and separating. Please help me.
Irina says
Hi Jestoni, I am sorry to hear that the cream did not turn out well. To avoid cooking egg yolks while making the buttercream, please, pour the hot sugar syrup slowly into the beaten yolks, but continue to whisk the yolks at the same time. Then let the egg yolks/sugar syrup mixture cool down. Please, let me know if you have more questions.
Irina says
Thank you, Michelle! Please, enjoy the recipe. 🙂
Jess says
Hi, where can I find the recipe listed in grams? Also, can I use a cake pan instead of a cake ring?
Irina says
Hi Jess, thank you for your interest in the recipe. I have just converted all the ingredients into grams and milliliters. As for the use of a cake pan, I do not recommend using it. You will not be able to remove the meringue disk. You can try to line the bottom and the sides of your cake pan with parchment. I have never tried to bake in this way, though. I am just thinking about the possibility. Please, read the comments of my readers: you will find lots of useful information. Please, let me know if you have more questions. Happy baking!
Dominique says
Hi, could this cake be made without layers? Like the same recipe but baked as one cake?
Irina says
Hi Dominique, thank you for your interest in the recipe. Unfortunately, this cake is a layer cake, and it will not work baking it as a single cake. Yes, the cake base is dacquoise, but this type of dacquoise is not created to make a single layer cake. I would recommend having a look at other dacquoise-based cakes such as Coconut Dacquoise Cake or Pistachio Dacquoise Cake. Trust me that you will love these two French cakes!
Melissa says
Hi, I was wondering if this recipe can be modified to make cupcakes instead?
Irina says
Hi Melissa, I am sorry to disappoint you, but this is a short answer, "No." This cake is created as a layer cake, and it cannot be transformed/re-created into cupcakes. The cake base is dacquoise, and to tell the truth, I have never heard of making cupcakes out of dacquoise. This Sans Rival cake is delicious as it is according to its recipe. Please, let me know if you have other questions.
Berh says
I’m a Filipina who has made this recipe before. Thank you for posting it! I have made it with almonds and hazelnuts also, which are delicious and cheaper subs for the cashews. It’s quite rich but yummy, and not too difficult to make for a huge wow factor.
★★★★★
Irina says
Hi Beth, it is wonderful that you have tried other nuts. Once you are ready to make Sans Rival again, please, try pistachios instead of cashews. You will love it 🙂 I actually have a recipe for my subscribers: https://www.bakinglikeachef.com/subscribe/. Please, enjoy it!
Dulce Reinoso says
Sansrival from Goldilocks is my absolute favorite cake of all time! Question: you said to make the meringue layers a day ahead. Do you store it at room temperature or in the fridge? Thank you!
Irina says
Answering your question, I keep meringue layers at room temperature overnight. The next day, I make buttercream and assemble the cake. Please, let me know if you have more questions. Enjoy the recipe! 🙂
SoneeVee says
Question: After you simmer the sugar/water, do you mix it right away to the egg. Would it not solidify the egg. Thank you for posting the recipe.
★★★★
Irina says
Yes, you should pour the hot syrup into the yolks, constantly whisking. Do not stop the mixer while pouring the syrup, and you will be fine. Happy baking! 🙂