Coca boba or coca de llanda

Coca boba may be one of those recipes that have been there in my life since day one. My mother made it (and still makes it) every now and then as if nothing had happened, without any preamble or planning – that's how simple she is; now even my father is encouraged! – and it was the solution for breakfast and a snack that would comfort our spirits with a glass of hot milk before going to sleep.

I'm not just saying this, coca boba, as its name suggests, couldn't be easier to make ; we just need to combine a handful of basic ingredients, common in every pantry (sugar, eggs, flour, oil and little else), put the mixture in a mould and bake for half an hour. And that's how we end up with a cake for everyone who likes it, without great pretensions, but with a very spongy, tender and fragrant crumb . Not a bad idea, right?

This coca boba – also known as coca de llanda (canned coca) , coca mal feta (badly made coca) , coca de mida (measured coca), coca María or coca secreta, depending on the area – is a traditional recipe, typical of the Valencian Community and certainly very popular in Alicante, my homeland. As is usually the case in these cases, each house gives it its own personal touch (from astral proportions of the ingredients, to ancestral ways of flavouring it and other family “secrets” related to a thousand and one stories) and there are quite a few debates originating because of these variations, each one defending the one that, in their opinion, is the perfect recipe. Don’t be fooled; all versions are good and each person makes it their own according to their own criteria and personal preferences.

The name coca de llanda (as it is generally known in Valencia) is due to the fact that it is very common to use an oven tray or aluminium tray to make it. However, on this occasion, I have used my Laura Ashley porcelain tray , which I am deeply in love with. And although the dimensions are important, it is not essential to stick to the letter when it comes to the mould in this case; it is about avoiding complications. So, what I am leaving you here today is the recipe for coca boba as we usually make it at home, very basic (we are very into classics), perfect for everyone to give it their own touch (if they feel like it).

Laura Ashley Porcelain Oven Tray , Laura Ashley Tea Towel and Laura Ashley Porcelain Plate

Ingredients (for 8-10 people)

All ingredients must be at room temperature , unless otherwise indicated.

• 200 g white sugar
• 3 eggs (L)
• 125 ml of mild olive oil
• 125 ml of milk (whole or semi-skimmed)
• 1 teaspoon mild honey (optional)
• 250 g of common wheat flour
• 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder (Royal type)*
• Zest of 1 lemon
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Sugar and cinnamon, to sprinkle

Elaboration

1. Preheat the oven (electric and without air) to 180ºC with heat above and below and place the oven rack in the central position.
2. Grease the inside of a rectangular baking tray measuring approximately 32 x 22.5 cm and about 6 cm high, suitable for the oven, such as the Laura Ashley porcelain tray that I used for this recipe, with non-stick release spray or line with greaseproof paper. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, place the flour, baking powder, lemon zest and salt and mix with a whisk until well combined. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of our electric mixer , equipped with the whisk attachment (or in a separate large bowl), beat the eggs together with the sugar at medium-high speed for about 3-4 minutes until the mixture turns white, acquires a spongy texture and visibly grows in volume.
5. Next, we lower the speed and, without stopping mixing, we gradually add the olive oil in a trickle until it is integrated.
6. Then we add the milk and honey (if we are going to use it), also progressively and at low speed, and mix until everything is completely combined.
7. Now we add the dry ingredients that we had set aside (step 3) in two batches, mixing gently just enough until there is no more flour left to incorporate. Although I usually use the KitchenAid for the first steps (which usually require more vigorous movements for longer periods of time), I like to do this one by hand with the help of a silicone spatula, because this way I make sure that I don't over-mix and my cake is light and fluffy.
8. We then pour the mixture into the mould and sprinkle a little sugar and a little cinnamon over the entire surface.
9. Bake for about 30-35 minutes or until the surface has acquired a nice golden hue and when you stick a skewer into the center, it comes out dry and free of crumbs.
10. Let cool completely on a rack before serving.

This is one of those recipes that is even better the next day than when it was freshly made; the flavours have settled and the texture has taken on more body. It keeps for 3-4 days, super tender, always well covered and at room temperature.

Laura Ashley Porcelain Oven Tray and Laura Ashley Apron

Grades

• *For this recipe it is also very common to use raising agent (also called soda pop or baking powder) instead of baking powder. Raising agent is nothing more than another type of chemical leavening agent that comes separately in pairs of sachets: in one sachet – the white one – we will have the acidulant (normally tartaric acid, malic acid or citric acid) and in the other – the coloured one – the sodium bicarbonate. When adding it to the mixtures of our cakes, we only have to add the content of both sachets at the time and quantity indicated in the recipe. There are those who prefer them to baking powder, because in addition to providing juiciness and volume, they contain fewer additives (be careful, some contain sweeteners!). These raising agents, as their name indicates, are also used to prepare carbonated drinks (soda, soft drinks, etc.) at home. If you want to test and compare, for this coca boba you should use, instead of the baking powder indicated, 2 double envelopes (that is, 2 white and 2 colored).
• Because it is so grateful, coca boba allows for a good variety of personal touches. You can replace part of the flour (¼ of the total, for example) with ground almonds, the milk with yogurt or even orange juice, and/or even add nuts, raisins, apple, chocolate chips…
• Honey, in this small amount, will not add flavor, but it will help the crumb of our coca boba remain tender for longer. But if you are not a fan, you can safely omit it.

I hope that if you haven't tried it yet, you'll do so soon; you'll see how easy it is to make and, above all, how enjoyable it is!