Bebinca — Goan layered coconut cake
Bebinca is the canonical celebration cake of Goa: a 7-or-16-layer baked cake of coconut milk, egg yolks, ghee, sugar and nutmeg, with each thin layer separately browned under a grill before the next is poured on. The cross-section shows clean alternating bands of pale and brown.
i. Origin & history
Bebinca is one of the great Indo-Portuguese sweets, developed in Goa during the centuries of Portuguese rule. The seven-layer version is said to honour the seven hills of Lisbon; the sixteen-layer is purely showpiece. It is canonical Christmas food in Goa.
ii. Ingredients
Makes 16 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust
- 12 egg yolks
- 400 ml thick coconut milk
- 250 g caster sugar
- 100 g plain flour
- 250 g ghee, melted
- 1 tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp ground cardamom
iii. Method
- Whisk yolks, coconut milk and sugar smooth.
- Sift in flour; whisk. Stir in nutmeg and cardamom. Strain.
- Heat oven grill (broiler). Grease a 20 cm round tin.
- Brush 2 tbsp ghee on the base. Pour in a thin ladle of batter — about 4 mm. Grill until just-browned (3-4 min).
- Brush 1 tbsp ghee; pour another ladle of batter; grill. Continue until you have 7 layers (or 16 for the showpiece version).
- Cool fully — overnight is ideal — before turning out and cutting into thin wedges.
iv. Tips & common mistakes
- Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
- Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
- Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.
v. Variations
Bibik from Macau is the Portuguese-Asian cousin. Modern Goan bakeries sometimes layer in chocolate or coffee. Sixteen-layer bebinca is the wedding showpiece.
vi. Common questions
What is bebinca?
Bebinca is goan layered coconut cake, from indian & south asian cuisine. The cross-section shows clean alternating bands of pale and brown
Where is bebinca from?
Bebinca is from the indian & south asian dessert tradition; the recipe and history are detailed above.
How long does bebinca keep?
See the storage note in the Quick facts panel: 1 week refrigerated.