Sans Rival is a decadent cashew meringue cake. Layers of light and chewy toasty cashew meringue filled with rich and creamy rum French buttercream. A popular and classic dessert from The Philippines.
One of the tastiest cakes I have ever eaten. Sans Rival means "unrivaled" or "without rival" in French. This sums up the cake beautifully, it is delicious!
This tasty Filipino dessert first came to my attention when I visited Pampanga in The Philippines. It was during my visit to a small family run sweet shop in Santa Rita called Ocampo Lansang Delicacies.
It was my first time tasting sans rival and my introduction was very much a sensory one. The meringue is toasty and chewy. The rich French buttercream melts on your tongue. I knew I had to recreate it at home for me and for you.
Sara xxx
Where I discovered Sans Rival
As mentioned it was a trip to The Philippines where I came across sans rival cake in Pampanga. A small sweet shop owned by Ramon Ocampo
Ramon and his family are known for two local delicacies sans rival and turones de casoy. Most people only get to see the front of the shop as they grab their sweet treats. I was lucky to be invited for a tour behind the scenes.
The turones de casoy are delicious. They are a nougat style sweet made with honey and cashew nuts wrapped in rice paper. I watched four ladies speedily wrapping them around what resembled a kitchen table.
Every room of this home come factory was filled with people on a mission. People wrapping and rolling freshly made traditional treats for sale. The entire house smelt like roasted nuts, toasted sugar, and butter.
Out the back is a rustic kitchen, the source of the amazing smells. There is a production line of baking happening. Sheets of cashew meringue and constantly being put into and pulled out of the oven for sans rival. The smell is deliciously intoxicating.
Ingredients
- Eggs: Large, fresh, and free range.
- Cream of Tartar: Stabilises the egg whites and prevents crystallisation. Alternatively use an equal amount of lemon juice.
- Caster Sugar/Superfine Supar: Finer than granulated sugar and dissolves easily into egg whites when making the meringue.
- Vanilla Bean Paste: Alternatively use one teaspoon of pure vanilla essence (not imitation).
- Cashew Nuts: Buy unsalted and roasted. Alternativley roast them yourself in the oven.
- Butter: As butter is a main ingredient in this recipe use a good quality and tasting one. Don't use margarine or other butter substitutes.
- Dark Rum: Only a tablespoon but adds a lovely distinguished note to the sans rival. If you aren't able to use alcohol use an imitation rum essence.
Recipe Walk Through
Line baking trays with baking paper. Use 2 or 4 baking sheets/trays depending on their size.
Using a food-safe marker trace 18cm (7 inches) circles on the baking paper. Space the circles 5cm (1.5 inches) apart.
Place roasted cashew nuts in a zip lock bag and crush finely with a rolling pin.
You can use a food processor if preferred. Be careful not to over grind your cashews.
Alternatively you can use finely chopped cashews using a knife and chopping board.
To make the meringue place egg whites and cream of tartar in bowl of stand mixer (use the large one if you have two bowls).
Using whisk the attachment, whisk egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form.
Continue whisking the egg whites on medium-high speed, adding heaped spoons of sugar one at a time. Make sure to whisk well after each addition. This will take roughly 10 - 12 minutes.
Once all sugar has dissolved and the mixture is thick and glossy whisk in the vanilla.
Remove bowl from stand mixer.
Using a spatula fold in crushed cashews until evenly combined.
Place four even mounds of cashew meringue mixture in the middle of each circle on the baking paper.
Carefully spread the mixture to form discs as per the ones drawn on your baking paper. Make sure the discs are smooth and level as these are the bones of your sans rival.
Bake meringue discs in the oven for 35 minutes or until they are crisp on top and lightly golden.
Then remove baking paper and meringue discs from the baking sheets/trays. Using a palette knife carefully run this between the meringue discs and baking paper. Remove discs from paper and place on wire racks to cool completely.
Making the Rum French Buttercream
Place sugar and water in a small saucepan. Stir with a spoon over low heat until all the sugar has dissolved.
Stop stirring and if using a thermometer that attaches to your saucepan, attach it now. Bring sugar syrup to the boil and continue boiling until the mixture reaches 110°C (230°F).
While your sugar mixture is coming to temperature whisk egg yolks on high speed until they thick, creamy and a paler yellow.
Have the stand mixer running at high speed, still with the whisk attachment, slowly pour the sugar syrup in a slow steady thin stream into the eggs.
Continue mixing the sugar egg mixure on medium speed. Add a cube of butter and mix well until completely incorporated into the mixture.
Continue to do this with the rest of the butter, one cube at a time.
Assembling Sans Rival
To assemble the sans rival, place a meringue disc on your serving plate/cake stand. Spread one quarter of the rum French buttercream on top of your meringue disc.
Repeat with remaining meringue discs. Continue to do this with all 4 meringue discs. Leave enough buttercream to spread over the top disc.
My Top Sans Rival Cake Tips
MAKE AHEAD
Make the meringue discs the day before making the sans rival cake. After the meringue has cooled store in an airtight container or wrap well in plastic wrap.
Roast cashews the day before in the oven on a lined baking tray at 150°C/300°F.
The cake needs a minimum of 2 hours chilling time in the fridge. Making the whole cake the day before is the perfect way of tackling this recipe. I think the cake tastes better as well.
THE MERINGUE
Be careful not to over beat the egg whites. You are after soft peaks to form. It is at this stage that you will start to add the sugar.
Gradually add a little sugar at a time, making sure it dissolves in between additions.
As you can see Harley was a big fan of this Filipino dessert too.
Printable Recipe
Sans Rival
Special Equipment
- oven
- Stand Mixer, whisk and paddle beater
- Baking Sheets/Cookie Trays - 2 x 30cm x 44cm (12 x 17.5 inches) or 4 x minimum 20cm x 2ocm (8 x 8 inches)
Ingredients
Cashew Meringue Layers
- 6 egg whites
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 220 grams (1 cup) caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 160 grams (1 cup) roasted and crushed unsalted cashews
Rum Buttercream
- 6 egg yolks
- 165 grams (¾ cup) caster sugar (superfine sugar)
- 60 mls (¼ cup) water
- 200 grams unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
- pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon dark rum
Instructions
Cashew Meringue Discs
- Pre-heat oven 150°C (300°F) or 130°C (270°F).
- Line baking trays with baking paper. Use 2 or 4 baking sheets/trays depending on their size. Using a food-safe marker trace 18cm (7 inches) circles on the baking paper. Space the circles 5cm (1.5 inches) apart.
- Place egg whites and cream of tartar in bowl of stand mixer (use the large one if you have two bowls). Using whisk the attachment, whisk egg whites on medium speed until soft peaks form.
- Continue whisking the egg whites on medium-high speed, adding heaped spoons of sugar one at a time. Make sure to whisk well after each addition. This will take roughly 10 - 12 minutes.
- Once all sugar has dissolved and the mixture is thick and glossy whisk in the vanilla.
- Remove bowl from stand mixer. Using a spatula fold in crushed cashews until combined.
- Use a smudge of meringue in a couple of places on your baking tray. Place the prepared baking paper on top. The smudges of meringue will secure the baking paper while spreading out your meringue discs. Make sure the side you have drawn your circles on is facing down on the tray.
- Place four even mounds of cashew meringue mixture in the middle of each circle on the baking paper. Carefully spread the mixture to form discs as per the ones drawn on your baking paper. Make sure the discs are smooth and level.
- Bake meringue discs in the oven for 35 minutes or until they are crisp on top and lightly golden.
- Once cooked remove from oven and leave the baking sheets/trays to cool on wire racks for 5 minutes.
- Then remove baking paper and meringue discs from the baking sheets/trays. Using a palette knife carefully run this between the meringue discs and baking paper. Remove discs from paper and place on wire racks to cool completely.
Rum Buttercream
- Place egg yolks in the bowl of your stand mixer (use the small bowl if you have a choice). Fit the whisk attachment to you mixer.
- Place sugar and water in a small saucepan. Stir with a spoon over low heat until all the sugar has dissolved.
- Stop stirring and if using a thermometer that attaches to your saucepan, attach it now. Bring sugar mixture to the boil and continue boiling until the mixture reaches 110°C (230°F).
- While your sugar mixture is coming to temperature whisk egg yolks on high speed until they thick, creamy and a paler yellow.
- Once the sugar mixture reaches temperature remove from the stove and leave to cool until it stops bubbling.
- Have the stand mixer running at high speed, still with the whisk attachment, slowly pour the sugar mixture in a slow steady thin stream into the eggs. Once all the syrup has been incorporated continue to whisk of a medium speed until the mixture has cooled to room temperature (between 5 - 10 minutes)
- Once the egg mixture has cooled remove the whisk attachment and replace with the paddle beater.
- Continue mixing the sugar egg mixure on medium speed. Add a cube of butter and mix well until completely incorporated into the mixture. Continue to do this with the rest of the butter, one cube at a time.
- Once the mixture is smooth and creamy beat in the rum and salt.
Sans Rival Assembly
- Importantt Note: You will need to assemble the sans rival on the cake stand or serving dish you will use to present the cake. Keep in mind that the cake needs to be placed in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Be aware of the space you have in the fridge. If you want to present it on a cake stand, but lack room for it in the fridge, assemble on a plate that compliments and can be placed on top of your cake stand.
- Place a meringue disc on your serving plate/cake stand. Spread one quarter of the rum buttercream on top of your meringue disc. Place another meringue disc on top of the one spread with rum buttercream. Continue to do this with all 4 meringue discs. The top meringue disc will also be topped with buttercream.
- Decorate with extra crushed cashews and place in the fridge for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Measurement Notes
All measurements are Australian metric standard. All measures are level, and cups are lightly packed unless specified. 1 teaspoon = 5ml / 1 tablespoon = 20mls / 1 cup = 250ml /4 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon.
Recipe Notes
1 tablespoon equals 20 ml
1 cup equals 250ml
4 teaspoons equals 1 tablespoon I use the below unless specified in my recipes; Herbs are fresh
Vegetables are of a medium size
Eggs are roughly 60 grams in weight (large)
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION
The recipe's nutritional information is an approximation based on an online calculator. It is meant solely for reference purposes. If you're looking for precise details, be sure to double-check with your own research.
More Filipino Recipes
The Philippines is a delight for all foodies, so much food to discover and eat. Some food for thought below, but if you make only one other recipe besides the Sans Rival, try the Filipino Empanadas!
Timz
Hi Sara my oven is small can i bake my meringue per batches first 2 batch then the the next 2 thanks??
Sara McCleary
Hi Timz, you certainly can 🙂
Bev
Hi Sara, this is such an unusual cake that I had to try to make it on the weekend. It was so delicious, and fun to make. Thank you.
Sara McCleary
HI Bev, it is a delicious cake, it has to be one of my favourites now since I visited The Philippines. So glad to hear that you enjoyed it too.
Maria Arcilla
Bring sugar mixture to the boil and continue boiling until the mixture reaches 110°C (230°F).
Hi Sara.
I don't have a thermometer, how would I know if the mixture has reached the desired temperature.
Thanks
Maria
Sara McCleary
Hi Maria
There is a way you can test the syrup to see if it has come to temperature.
We want to bring the sugar syrup to just before the "soft ball" stage, which is at the end of the "thread" stage. To check to see if it has come to temperature drop a small amount of the syrup into a small bowl of chilled water.
The sugar syrup should form threads, and when you take it out of the water you should be able form a soft goopy ball. The ball will flatten out after a few moments in your hand.
This video shows you somebody testing to soft ball stage. We want the mixture to be just beofre this. The mixture a litlte more fluid when it's between your fingers. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lchea5BHbgs
Without a thermometer it is hard to get an exact temperature. I hope this helps.
Cheers Sara