Bibingka (Filipino Baked Rice Cake)

Bibingka is a fluffy Filipino rice cake made up of rice flour and coconut milk. Typically eaten as a midday snack or dessert, this traditional Filipino cake is a perfect ending to any meal or with a warm cup of tea or coffee!

What is Bibingka?

Bibingka is a traditional Filipino rice cake, typically eaten for dessert or as a midday snack (merienda).

It’s commonly enjoyed during the Christmas season, being sold by street vendors and topped with various toppings such as coconut shavings, shredded cheese, and melted butter or margarine to make it even more decadent and special.

Bibingka is one of many types of rice cakes in the Philippines known as Kakanin, which is an umbrella term that encompasses Filipino sweets made of coconut milk and glutinous rice.

I’m slowly working through creating all the Kakanin recipes, so here’s the list of what we have down so far:

• Biko (Filipino Sticky Rice Cake)

• Puto (Filipino Steamed Rice Cake)

Traditional vs. Modern Bibingka

Bibingka is traditionally made with galapong, a fermented glutinous rice mixture. The galapong batter gives traditional bibingka a slightly tangy and yeasty aftertaste due to the fermentation process.

In order to save time, modern versions now instead use rice flour as a shortcut, while still keeping the rest of the ingredients fairly the same (e.g., coconut milk).

If you’ve ever been to the Philippines, you’d also be familiar with the way Bibingka is traditionally prepared. Especially during the “Ber-months”, street vendors would cook Bibingka over hot coals in banana leaf-lined palayoks (clay pots).

By the time the cake is almost complete, they would place a small piece of banana leaf on top to allow the Bibingka to char slightly, giving it a toasty finish. Seeing them prepare and cook the Bibingka in this way truly gets you into the festive spirit!

A more modern way Bibingka is now prepared (especially in the West) is through the use of ovens (instead of the traditional coals) and metal molds (rather than clay pots).

While this may not exactly replicate how the street vendors prepare it in the Philippines, we can still achieve a pretty tasty and similar outcome through proper baking techniques and light broiling (to achieve that charred effect from the hot coals).

Ingredients

Rice flour: As mentioned above, rice flour will be used to replace what’s traditionally supposed to be galapong, a fermented rice batter. You can purchase rice flour in most Asian or Western groceries.

Glutinous rice flour: A small amount of glutinous rice flour will give our Bibingka a slight chewy texture and keep it from becoming crumbly.

Sugar: As a sweet dessert and snack, sugar will provide the necessary sweetness required for our Bibingka.

Baking powder: A leavening agent to make our cake fluffy. Ensure your baking powder is still fresh and not expired, as this can cause your cake to be overly dense and/or not rise as much in the oven.

Egg: Like with most baked goods, egg provides the structure required for cakes and also works as a leavening agent.

Oil, butter: Both oil and butter are fats which give cakes their moistness and richness.

Coconut milk: As with any kakanin recipe, bibingka uses a good amount of coconut milk to create a rich, aromatic cake batter.

Salt: To balance out the sweetness of the dessert, a small pinch of salt will do the trick.

Banana leaf: While not exactly an ingredient that goes into the cake batter itself, I would still consider banana leaf a crucial element to making a good Bibingka. When baked, the leaf imparts into the cake a subtle floral aroma and taste that can’t be accurately replicated with anything else.

• Substitution: You may use parchment paper or even cupcake liners, if you can’t find the leaves or prefer not to use them.

Toppings

Let’s go over the toppings that make Bibingka so incredibly special and festive. Do note that you don’t necessarily need to have all of these ingredients, nor are you required to put all of them at once!

Butter or Margarine: After the Bibingka has finished baking, the cake is typically brushed with a generous amount of butter or margarine, which not only keeps the cake moist and rich, but it makes the surface slightly more sticky -allowing the toppings to stick better to the cake.

Salted Duck Egg: Some people may find this off-putting, but Filipinos truly love balancing our sweets with something a little salty. Also known as “itlog na maalat” these eggs are brined in salt, which transforms it into a jammy, salty, and umami-packed egg. It’s the perfect pairing to balance out the rich and sweet flavors of the bibingka.

You can find salted eggs in most Filipino groceries, and sometimes in Asian markets. The shells may appear off-white or purple/red in color, which indicates that they’ve been salted.

Cheese: This is a common topping and mix-in for so many Filipino dishes and desserts. Similar to the salted egg, cheese provides the cake with a balance of saltiness and slight creaminess.

The most common cheese to use for Filipinos are anything processed, such as Eden or Magnolia brands. You may also try using Velveeta or even cheddar, if you prefer.

Coconut shreds/shavings: Doubling down on the coconut is never a bad thing with any kakanin. With such an abundance of coconut in the Philippines, it’s easy to get your hands on fresh coconut shavings, which are naturally sweeter, moist, and softer in texture. For those in the West or in colder climates, you can try going for fresh (if in season) or simply the dried packaged coconut shreds in groceries.

Instructions

Prepare your molds:

Clean your banana leaves adequately of any dirt with a moist paper towel or cloth by wiping both sides of the leaves.

Over an open flame, briefly pass the leaves over the fire until the leaves become slightly dark and glossy (this will make them flexible and pliable enough to line our molds without becoming brittle).

Cut the banana leaves into circles slightly larger than your molds; we will use this as the lining to pour the bibingka batter in. Set aside.

Prepare the bibingka:

Preheat your oven to 390 F while you prepare the batter.

In a mixing bowl, combine together the egg and sugar. Whisk for about 1-2 minutes until the egg becomes slightly pale and the no large clumps of sugar remain.

Pour in the coconut milk, oil, and butter. Whisk well to incorporate.

Sift in the rice flour, glutinous rice flour, and baking powder. Sprinkle in the salt. Mix to combine in order to make a thin batter.

Pour enough batter to fill your molds about 3/4 of the way full (you may also add in the grated cheese and salted egg at this point if you want it incorporated into the cake).

Bake the bibingka for 15-20 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick in the centre of the cake -if it comes out with a few moist crumbs, the bibingka is cooked.

Insert the bibingka back into the oven and broil on high for about 2-5 minutes until the tops become slightly charred and dark brown in color.

To serve, immediately brush melted butter or margarine on top. Top the bibingka with toppings of your choice. Enjoy!

Cooking Tips

Sift the dry ingredients: To ensure a smooth batter and without any clumps, sift your rice flour and baking powder. This will prevent any raw pockets of flour that might not have dissolved during mixing or baking.

Check for doneness using a toothpick: Some ovens are built different than others, and unfortunately, heat discrepancies from the oven and even altitudes based on where you live can affect how baked goods come out.

I’d recommend using a toothpick after the 15 minute mark and see if moist crumbs come out, indicating the cake is complete. If you notice that the toothpick comes out wet or moist, the batter may still be undercooked.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

How do I store Bibingka?

Bibingka should be stored in an airtight container to retain their freshness and texture (you may also individually wrap the cakes with cling film or aluminum foil). They can last for up to 3-4 days stored in this way, though it is best enjoyed fresh.

Can I cook these in larger molds/pans?

You can use this same recipe to make a larger bibingka cake, if you’d like. Just be sure to increase the baking time until the cake is set!

Is it okay if I don’t use banana leaves?

To make an authentic bibingka, banana leaves are crucial since they impart a subtle floral flavor into the cake itself. You can still go ahead with the recipe without the leaves, it just won’t have that same undertone of flavor (though it will still taste great!).

Why didn’t my bibingka rise?

If the baking powder you used was expired or old, its leavening properties may not be as potent, resulting with a weaker rise in your cake.

Another reason may be letting the batter sit too long before baking. The baking powder’s leavening effects tend to weaken over time.

Can I freeze this?

Yes, you can freeze the cooked bibingka for up to 2-3 months! Be sure to let the bibingka cool down completely prior to packing them in airtight bags. For best taste and texture, consume the bibingka within the 2-3 month time frame.

To reheat, thaw the cake in your fridge until softened (you can do this overnight). Then simply use a steamer, microwave, or toaster oven to warm the bibingka completely through.

Looking for more tasty snacks? Here’s some more you might love:

• Buko Pandan
• Vietnamese Pizza
• Tteokbokki
• Ube Champorado