When I was younger, I used to have a great-aunt who made the best Sans Rival ever – truth is, it really had no rival, it was that yummy. Only she knew the recipe and, unfortunately, her kids didn’t have the propensity towards baking like she did so she had no one to hand down the secret to. When my Lola Belen passed on, the ubiquitous cake that grazed our Noche Buenas and Fiestas passed away with her. As I grew older, every time I see, smell, or eat Sans Rival, Lola’s cake was my ultimate yardstick.
I always equated her Sans Rival to good family times. And now that I can hold my own in the kitchen, I’ve experimented quite a few times, hoping to come close to the dessert of my childhood.
This is one such experiment. And if my husband has anything to say about it, no best selling lingerie can make his mouth water quite the way this layered sweetie does. *wink* 
Sorry, I wish I had a better picture. The lighting in our house is really not a photographer’s friend.
Anyway, here’s layer after layer of chewy-slash-crunchy cashew wafers, all held together by sweet and super buttery buttercream, and coarsely-chopped cashew nuts, all made from scratch. If only this doesn’t take me four hours each time to do, I’d bake it every day (or bake one just for LaPis so I could get a better picture!). But, alas, I guess the allure comes with the fact that I can’t make this as often as I’d want to, right?
It’s not her recipe but, I hope Lola Belen would be proud.
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If you want to join this weekly whetting of appetites, please do visit the Lasang Pinoy Sundays page HERE. See you there!
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