All tortas are the same. Dense, hard to swallow, and tastes like stale bread.
Well, that’s how I used to think back then. It was after trying one or two from the bakery at the corner of the dusty street, back when I was a kid. All I wanted were tender, sweet, and melt-in-the-mouth pastries.
Then one day, all of that changed. I had a single bite of the torta my mom brought home from Argao, Cebu. My eyes grew wide in surprise, and I couldn’t believe what I was eating. It was like a large, delicate cupcake. It was sweet but a bit tangy, rich in texture and flavor, crumbly, and had that melts-in-my-mouth feel! To top it all off was a symphony of grated cheese, raisins, and sugar bits. I haven’t tasted anything like it before.
What is this? Why don’t the tortas in the local bakeries near me taste like they do? What is going on?
My mind was racing while my mouth was busy savoring the flavors. I’ve begun craving it in the next days. Oh, but it I can only get it if someone goes back to Argao. Every day, I’ve been missing it — its soft, delicate crumbs. I was plotting how I could go to Argao to get my hands on it.
That was way back when I was young and penniless. Now that I’m learning how to bake, I’ve been studying how to remake the infamous Torta de Argao. Unfortunately, I haven’t been successful yet in recreating it because of its unique ingredients and process. However, my research on its history had been fruitful.
History
Did you know that back in the days, they only made the Torta de Argao on special occasions? They prepare it especially a week before their town fiesta every September 28th? It was considered a well-loved treat that was worth splurging over on festive days. I can only imagine the growing anticipation everyone had during those times.
However, its popularity and demand grew over the years. So much so, it became a go-to pasalubong for balikbayans and a favorite delicacy among those visiting Argao. With that, the local bakers have started to produce the torta daily. It was to match the heightened clamor over the sweet treat.
The late Anecita “Chitang” Camello was the pioneer in making the torta commercially available in the 1980s. Ever since then, the brand has been a household name in Argao. It is currently one of the well-known brands when it comes to the Torta de Argao.
The reason this delicacy has been challenging to replicate for other local bakeries, and for me as well, boils down to its unique recipe and history. Aside from the usual torta ingredients, there are three that stand out. These gives the Torta de Argao its signature taste: egg yolks, tuba, and pork lard.
Egg yolks
During the Spanish colonial era, folks used egg whites as mortar binder to build stone churches, as exemplified in the St. Michael the Archangel Parish Church in Argao.3 As a result, there was a surplus of egg yolks, which the townsfolk made use of in their delicacies, such as torta, among many others.
Tuba
For those who are not familiar with this alcoholic beverage, it is a native Filipino wine that came from the sap of coconut trees. In the absence of baking powder and yeast in the olden times, tuba served as a leavening agent. It also contributed to its unique tangy flavor. It helps the torta batter, placed in individual metal moulds lined with parchment paper, gain volume after a few hours of fermentation. I’m very impressed by the ingenuity of how the makers thought of using tuba as a leavening substitute.
Pork lard
Historically, since Torta de Argao is served mostly only during the town’s fiesta or festivities, pork lard was abundant because of the number of pork dishes served during that time. Extra pork lard was either used as shortening or fat to give the torta its distinct aroma and flavor, or it is stored for the next celebration.
These three elements, combined with the rest of the ingredients, are special enough. But what elevates the whole recipe to the next level is the traditional way of baking the Torta de Argao. To get that notable smoky flavor, the torta is cooked in a native clay oven called a hudno or hurno with burning coconut husks above and below it. These earthen ovens are made by clay craftsmen in the neighboring town of Sibonga, and typically last for around 2 years.
These made the Torta de Argao quite challenging to recreate. So, the best way to get your hands on it is to buy from a local business in their town and in turn, support their tourism and livelihood.
Fortunately, some of the tortas are already making their way into the city through bazaars and fairs. It is now becoming more and more accessible and easier to satisfy one’s cravings for a Torta de Argao.
It can be best enjoyed on its own as a dessert or paired with a cup of coffee, or better yet, a cup of sikwate. Sikwate, or hot chocolate made from tablea (“roasted, ground and molded nibs of fermented pure (100%) cacao beans”5), is also one of Argao’s special delicacies.
Ever since that first bite, my love and respect for the Torta de Argao has only deepened. Each bite reminds me of its deep-rooted heritage and of the creativity, ingenuity, and hard work of the townsfolk who made it possible for it to exist in my hands.
References:
- Vince Bellosillo, “Chitang’s Torta goes beyond Argao”, SunStar Cebu, Jan 11, 2017, https://www.sunstar.com.ph/more-articles/chitangs-torta-goes-beyond-argao.
- Rhia de Pablo, “Torta de Argao: An emerging industry”, The Freeman, PhilStar, January 31, 2008, https://www.philstar.com/cebu-business/2008/01/31/41750/torta-de-argao-emerging-industry
- Mark Demayo, “La Torta de Argao: Rich in History, Growth in Argao’s Identity”, ABS-CBN News, Jun 29, 2024, https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/2024/6/29/torta-argao-food-tourism-1015.
- Torta de Argao, Casa Gorordo Museum, Facebook video, September 29, 2020, https://www.facebook.com/casagorordomuseum/videos/torta-de-argao/778209396071364/.
- “Cacao / Tablea”, Department of Trade and Industry – Industry.gov.ph, accessed July 30, 2025, https://industry.gov.ph/industry/cacao-tablea/
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