Filipino kakanin are healthy desserts with a cultural relevance!
What is Filipino kakanin?
Kakanin is a Filipino portmanteau of “kain” (to eat) and “kanin” (rice). This is a general term used for famous Filipino desserts like puto, biko, and kutsinta, all of which are made from carbohydrate-rich ingredients like rice and corn.
These are popular snacks and desserts served at fiestas and parties, especially during Holy Week in the Philippines, when most Filipinos abstain from eating meat.
However, it’s not hard to find these at markets or along streets and highways on a regular day. Filipino kakanin are beloved delicacies that play a vital role in the country’s culture and history.
While there are plenty of them sold around the city, there are some only served or made within their respective towns. Some bring a Cebuano twist to a traditional Filipino kakanin recipe by adding ingredients that are abundant on the island.
These are so popular that they started representing the town they originated from during festivals, food bazaars, and travel fairs. It’s easy to see how Cebu delicacies highlight the resourcefulness recognized in Filipino cuisine.
COMMON FILIPINO KAKANIN
- Puto Maya
Some kakanin in Cebu are traditional breakfast meals sold at small eateries. The most notable of these is puto maya, a glutinous rice cake topped with a coconut-based condiment locally called “latik”.
The cake is chewy, commonly molded into triangles and wrapped inside a banana leaf. The latik adds a rich sweetness to the otherwise plain dessert. Some versions add slices of Philippine mango and a cup of the Filipino hot chocolate called sikwate.
Puto maya is widely sold at the city’s biggest public markets like Tabo-an and Carbon, wherein many flock to its small eateries to indulge on the meals early in the morning.
- Puto Pinalutaw
Cebu has various versions of puto, with the pinalutaw being one of its most popular. It’s from the Bisaya term for “floating”, as the dessert is known to rise when steamed.
The term also references the dessert’s lighter and fluffier texture that isn’t seen in other regional versions. The Cebuano recipe is prepared inside a flower-shaped ramekin with a banana leaf.
The cake has a serving of ube extract added in for more flavor. Unlike puto maya, this is commonly eaten as a snack, not needing a sauce or other condiments to pair it with.
- Puto Bumbong
This particular Filipino kakanin is very popular during the Christmas season. Known for its rich ube flavor, puto bumbong is a colorful sweet treat that some even crave outside of the yuletide season.
Today, you can find this treat inside food parks and food bazaars, served inside styrofoam containers and coated with a generous drizzle of condensed milk and cheese.
This kakanin received its name from the bamboo tubes used to cook it. This is what creates the cylindrical form the dessert is known for.
- Puto Balanghoy
Instead of rice, this Filipino kakanin uses the tuber yuca, or what is locally called “cassava”. It has the third highest amount of carbohydrates in the world, right behind rice and corn, and is typically used to make tapioca and cassava cake.
Puto balanghoy is molded into circular cakes made from a dough of grated cassava, brown sugar, and grated coconut. Some recipes also incorporate sweetened coconut flakes as a topping or filling.
This dessert originated from the rural areas of the Philippines, where yuca is a very abundant resource. Early Filipinos used this resourcefulness to create a delicacy that is healthier than most.
- Masi
Popularly sold and made in Liloan, masi is a mochi-like dessert made of glutinous rice filled with crushed peanuts and brown sugar.
This is popularly sold along the streets of Liloan early in the morning. It is recommended you buy it early in the morning to ensure its freshness, as some masi sold late in the afternoon may be going bad.
Luckily, you can also purchase some freshly made masi at the original Titay’s branch right along the highway. However, these are usually sold out in the afternoon, so make sure to go early to buy some.
- Pintos
Finally, a rather region-specific dish that is quite rare in the city, pintos is a non-rice based kakanin, this time using the corn-based rice alternative maize.
Pintos is similar to the Mexican tamale, made from a corn-based dough that is steamed in a corn husk or banana leaf. There are several variants, some adding in cheese or strips of young coconut.
It is a popular delicacy in Bogo City, but it is also sold in nearby towns such as San Remigio and Medellin. It is the delicacy used for the city’s yearly cultural festival celebrated on the 26th of May.
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Because many Filipinos abstain from eating meat during the Lenten season, these desserts serve as the staple food items during the Holy Week. Filipino kakanin are well-loved delicacies and popular go-to snacks all year round.
Public markets serve almost every kind of puto, while some businesses sell assorted dessert packages like kakanin bilao. During social gatherings, especially those in the countryside, these are commonly seen as part of the feast or spread.
This Holy Week, Filipino kakanin will be more prominent in many homes, streetside stalls, and eateries, and they are definitely worth a try.
