Bibingka (Baked Rice Cake)

Bibingka (Baked Rice Cake)

“Bibingka” is a Filipino native rice cake made of rice flour, eggs, sugar, coconut milk, cooked in clay pot lined with banana leaves and topped with salted egg yolks, cheese and served hot or warm with grated matured coconut. It has a soft spongy texture similar to “puto”. During Christmas season, “Bibingka” is usually sell along with “Puto Bumbong” and other “kakanins” (variety of rice cakes) on the side streets during the Simbang Gabi (Dawn Mass). Church goers before going home will buy for their breakfast.

Traditionally, the “bibingka” is bake in clay ovens with glowing charcoal under and above the cake. I do not have the clay oven here but I have an oven that I will use as an alternative to cook my “Bibingka”. Since, I am still in Asia, where fresh banana leaf are available I used it to line my individual moulds, if you do not have small mould you can use round cake pans. If banana leaf is not available you can line you your pans with aluminum foils.

The recipe I am using here is from Ramela Jimenez, a co-member of the social media group that I am in. Thanks, Ramela for this deliciously recipe. I made slight modification on the recipe according to my cooking preference. I topped my individual “bibingka” with salted eggs only because the egg that I bought is already very salty. You can add more topping of your choice if you want but normally, when cheese and salted egg yolks were topped it is what we called “Bibingka Espesyal” (special version).

Rice Cake or Bibingka Recipe
 

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice flour
• 2/3 cup sugar
• 1tsp baking powder
• 3 eggs
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
• 1 ¼ cup coconut milk
• 1/2 cup evaporated milk or fresh milk (optional)
  
• 1 salted egg, sliced into 1/4-inch thickness, (optional)  
• Unsalted butter, softened – for brushing the top
• Cheddar cheese and/or cream cheese, sliced (optional)
• Banana Leaf

For Serving:

• Softened butter or Margarine (to be spread on top)
• Grated coconut  to be sprinkled on top  
• Sugar (optional)

Instructions:

1. Rinse banana leaves under warm water, wipe with kitchen cloth to dry and trim away thick edges. Cut leaf large enough to cover bottom and sides of baking pan. Heat leaves over stove flames for a few seconds or until just softened. The leaves will turn greener and elastic. Line pie pans with the leaf, making sure they are intact with no rips.
2. Pre-heat oven to 375deg F or 190deg C  for 8-inch pan or 170deg C (340deg F) if using individual/small pans
3. Line pans with softened banana leaf or aluminum foil if banana leaf is not available and brush the top and sides of the pan with softened butter. 
4. Whisk to combine rice flour, sugar, baking powder, in a bowl, set aside.
5. In another bowl beat eggs with a fork, add butter, coconut milk and evaporated milk (if using). Add in the flour mixture, mix well to combine until smooth.
6. Pour the batter on prepared pan/pans. If using salted egg, arrange it on top of the batter.
7. Bake the cake in preheated oven to almost done about 15-20 minutes. Take the pan out of the oven, brush with softened butter, put slices of cheese. Turn the broiler to low to soften and melt the cheese slightly and lightly brown the top and sides, about 2 minutes.
8. Take pan out of the oven. Brush with more butter or margarine, sprinkle sugar (if using) and with freshly grated coconut. Serve warm