Spanish Cakes

Known simply as tarta de queso or gazta tarta in its native Basque, this simple yet incredibly creamy cheesecake variation is a decades-old local specialty of the La Viña Bar in San Sebastián. The recipe is a simple... READ MORE

Tarta de Santiago is a sponge cake made with eggs, almonds, and sugar, flavored with either lemon zest, grape marc, sweet wine, or brandy. Optionally, the cake can have a base layer made from puff pastry or shortcrust pastry. The earliest referenc... READ MORE

Bizcocho de aceite is a traditional sponge cake. It's made with a combination of eggs, milk, sugar, flour, olive oil, and baking powder. The cake batter is typically enriched with lemon zest, then poured into a shallow tray and baked until golden ... READ MORE

Coca de San Juan is a popular, festive Spanish cake consisting of flour, sugar, lemon zest, eggs, butter, milk, and yeast. Cherries, pine nuts, and crystallized ginger are dispersed throughout the cake, giving it a unique visual appearance. The ca... READ MORE

The colorful mona de Pasqua is a traditional Catalan Easter cake symbolizing spring and the end of Lent. Although there are numerous versions of the cake, it most usually consists of a sweet brioche dough that is stuffed with candied fruit and top... READ MORE

Mantecadas de Estepa is a type of Christmas sweet cake traditionally made in the municipality of Estepa, in the province of Seville. The recipe for these sweets has remained unchanged for more than a hundred years and still calls for plain flour, ... READ MORE

Ponche Segoviano is a traditional cake originating from Segovia. This layer cake looks like a big rectangle of custard and marzipan that are topped with caramelized sugar which is decorated with a criss-cross design. The recipe of the original cak... READ MORE

As the name suggests, this traditional dessert hails from the city of Córdoba. The cake consists of two layers of flaky puff pastry and a filling made from threaded squash jam, also known as cabell d’ángel or angel... READ MORE

Mantecadas de Astorga is a cake traditionally made in the province of León. It was invented by the pastry chef Juan de la Mata in the 18th century. This sweet cake is made by whisking plain flour, eggs, butter, lard, and sugar, then baking ... READ MORE

The base of this traditional Balearic dessert is usually made with leftover ensaimada—a spiral-shaped sweet pastry. Similar to a bread pudding, greixonera consists of pieces of ensaimada that are combined with milk and eggs and the ... READ MORE

During Holy Week in Valencia, people traditionally prepare and consume arnadí, a festive cake featuring pumpkin, almonds, sugar, and lemon zest. Some opt to use pine nuts in combination with almonds, or sweet potatoes in combination with pu... READ MORE

Bica blanca is a traditional cake originating from Spain. This light and fluffy cake is usually made with a combination of egg whites, flour, sugar, whipping cream, butter, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt. Beaten egg whites are mixed with salt, suga... READ MORE

Greixonera de brossat is a traditional type of cheesecake originating from Mallorca. It's made with sugar, eggs, cinnamon, lemon zest, and brossat (also known as requesón) – fresh cottage cheese made from cow's milk,... READ MORE

Tarta de Mondoñedo is a layered cake consisting of puff pastry, sponge cake, angel hair pasta, almonds, and candied fruit. It was first created in the 12th century by nuns in Mondoñedo, a small town in the Galician province of Lugo. ... READ MORE

Gató d’ametlla is a traditional Mallorcan cake originating from Valldemossa. It’s usually made with a combination of eggs, sugar, almonds, lemon zest, cinnamon, butter, and flour. A round cake pan is first buttered, then dusted ... READ MORE

Although the term flaó is used in other Spanish regions to denote similar cheese-based specialties, the Ibizan version refers to a dessert consisting of a pastry base that is filled with a combination of fresh cheese, eggs, sugar o... READ MORE

Tarta Malagueña is a traditional cake originating from Malaga. The cake is always made from local ingredients and it's typically soaked in moscatel, spiced with cinnamon, filled with raisins, and topped with apricot jam and slivered almonds... READ MORE