I'm Going Bananas

Plantain Cake (Tortilla de Plátano)

A plantain cake with a slice cut out, showing layers of plantain and cheese inside, topped with fried plantain slices and shredded cheese
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Yield
Serves 8
Difficulty
medium

The plantain cake comes from our dad’s side of the family. Our great-grandmother, Eva Acevedo, brought it from Maracaibo, a city in the western region of Venezuela. She then taught our grandmother, Haydée, and it quickly became one of our dad’s favorite recipes. He loved it so much that when our parents immigrated to the United States, our mom was tasked with learning how to make it. After countless attempts under her mother-in-law’s scrutiny, our mom finally perfected the plantain cake.

Overhead view of the whole plantain cake with one slice cut and plated separately
A whole, uncut plantain cake topped with fried plantain slices and shredded cheese on a green napkin

Ingredients

  • 3 eggs
  • 2 ripe plantains
  • 1/2 lb white semisoft cheese

Instructions

  1. Peel the plantains and cut at an angle to create 2 to 3 inch long slices, less than 1/4 inch thick.
  2. In a large skillet, fry the plantains on medium heat with enough oil to cover the bottom.
  3. With a fork, flip the plantains so both sides cook evenly. They should be a dark brown color when done.
  4. Set them on a plate with some paper towels to soak up the extra oil.
  5. Separate egg yolks from egg whites and set yolks aside.
  6. In a large mixing bowl, beat egg whites until soft peaks form.
  7. With a spatula, fold in the egg yolks to create a light yellow foamy mixture and add a pinch of salt.
  8. Cut the cheese into thin slices.
  9. Clean the large skillet and wipe with some oil. Use a non-stick skillet. Set to medium-low heat.
  10. Spoon about half the egg mixture into the pan, creating a pancake about 8 inches in diameter.
  11. Evenly place about half the plantains on the egg mixture.
  12. Place a layer of the sliced cheese, then repeat to create a second layer of plantains and cheese.
  13. Spoon the remaining egg mixture on top and spread evenly.
  14. Cover the pan with a lid to help cook the top before flipping.
  15. After about 5 minutes, use a spatula to separate the cake from the bottom.
  16. The easiest way to flip it -- use a few spatulas to transfer the cake onto a plate, then with one hand under the plate, invert the pan onto the uncooked side and, in one swift motion, flip and remove the plate from the pan.
  17. Cook for another 5 to 10 minutes and serve hot with some extra cheese on the side.

Notes

  • The white semisoft cheese we use is Venadito cheese. If you can't find something similar, try mozzarella.
  • Be careful when frying the plantains, as they tend to burn easily.