Tamal asado is a baked corn cake made with masa, sugar, sour cream (natilla), cheese, and lard, which despite its name isn’t wrapped or boiled like traditional tamales.
It’s usually served as a dessert or afternoon snack, alongside coffee, and stands out for its golden crust and moist interior, similar to a sweet cornbread.
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Costa Rican Baked Corn Cake
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 10 servings
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Costa Rican
Ingredients
- 500 g of corn masa (Maseca or corn flour) (about 17.6 oz)
- 1 cup of natilla (Costa Rican sour cream)
- 1 cup of sugar
- 125 g of lard or butter (about 4.4 oz)
- 3 of eggs
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 200 g of white cheese, grated (about 7 oz)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven, heat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
- Mix the wet ingredients, beat the natilla, sugar, melted lard, eggs, and vanilla extract until well blended.
- Add the masa, gradually add the corn masa, mixing until you get a smooth, even batter.
- Add the cheese, stir in the grated cheese, mixing gently.
- Grease the pan, grease and flour a rectangular baking pan.
- Pour the batter, pour the batter into the pan, spreading it evenly.
- Bake, bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until golden and a knife inserted comes out clean.
- Serve, let it cool slightly and serve cut into portions.
Tips for getting it right
- Natilla is key to achieving tamal asado’s characteristic moist texture.
- Don’t confuse this preparation with traditional tamales: it’s not wrapped or boiled, it’s baked directly in a pan.
- Checking doneness with a knife or toothpick helps avoid overbaking and drying it out.
- The result more closely resembles a sweet cornbread than a classic tamale.
Traditional variations
- There’s a version with shredded coconut and coconut milk, known as tamal asado con coco.
- Some families reduce the amount of sugar for a less sweet version.
How to serve
Tamal asado is served as a dessert or afternoon snack, warm or at room temperature, alongside coffee.
It’s a highly valued regional specialty in Costa Rica, distinct from traditional leaf-wrapped tamales.
Recommended sides
- Coffee
- Extra natilla
Did you know?
Despite being called “tamal,” this preparation isn’t wrapped or boiled like traditional tamales: it’s baked directly in a pan.
It’s described as a kind of sweet cornbread, since it isn’t as sweet as other desserts but sweeter than typical U.S. cornbread.
Frequently Asked Questions
Although its name associates it with traditional tamales, tamal asado is baked directly in a pan, without wrapping in leaves or boiling.
Natilla (sour cream) is the key ingredient that gives the interior its characteristic moist texture.
It combines mostly savory ingredients, like cheese, with added sugar, giving it a special sweet-and-savory flavor.
It's served as a dessert or afternoon snack, alongside coffee, warm or at room temperature.
