Bibingka (Filipino Christmas Rice Cake with Salted Egg and Coconut)
In short: Soft, springy rice-flour cakes baked in banana leaves with coconut milk, topped with salted egg, cheese, butter, sugar and grated coconut. It takes about 55 min in total and makes 12 servings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 30 min
- Resting
- 10 min
- Total
- 55 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 310 kcal
Bibingka is the rice cake Filipinos eat at Christmas time, especially after the early-morning Simbang Gabi masses in December. Rice flour and coconut milk make a soft, springy batter that bakes in a banana-leaf-lined pan, traditionally with heat from below and above. It is topped with salted egg, a little cheese, butter, sugar and fresh grated coconut, and eaten warm with hot ginger tea or coffee.
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 200°C (400°F) with a rack in the middle. If using banana leaves, pass them briefly over a flame or dip them in hot water until soft and shiny, then line two 20 cm (8 in) round cake pans. Brush the leaves with melted butter.
- Whisk the rice flour, glutinous rice flour, baking powder, sugar and salt together in a large bowl.
- In another bowl, whisk the coconut milk, eggs and 60 g of melted butter. Pour into the dry ingredients and whisk until smooth, like thin pancake batter. Rest for 10 minutes.
- Divide the batter between the two pans. Bake for 15 minutes, until the surface is set and just starting to color.
- Take the pans out and arrange the salted egg slices on top, then sprinkle with the cheese. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes more, until the cheese melts, the edges are deep golden and a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
- Brush the hot cakes with butter, sprinkle with the sugar and grated coconut and serve warm, cut into wedges.
Tips
- Banana leaves add a smoky, tea-like fragrance. Soften them over a flame or in hot water first, because cold leaves crack. Parchment paper works if you cannot find them.
- Resting the batter for 10 minutes lets the rice flour hydrate, so the cakes turn out tender rather than gritty.
Questions and answers
What is the difference between bibingka and puto bumbong?
Both are Christmas rice treats. Bibingka is a soft baked cake topped with cheese and salted egg, while puto bumbong is purple sticky rice steamed in bamboo tubes and served with butter, sugar and coconut.
Can I make bibingka without salted eggs?
Yes. Leave them out, or use slices of hard-boiled egg for a milder taste. Salted eggs give a savory contrast to the sweet cake.
Can I use only regular rice flour?
Yes, but the cakes will be drier. Glutinous rice flour gives the springy, slightly chewy crumb that bibingka is known for.
How long does it take to make Bibingka (Filipino Christmas Rice Cake with Salted Egg and Coconut)?
About 55 min in total: 25 min of preparation and 30 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Bibingka (Filipino Christmas Rice Cake with Salted Egg and Coconut)?
About 310 kcal per serving, with 6 g of protein, 35 g of carbohydrates and 16 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 310 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 6 g |
| Carbohydrates | 35 g |
| Fat | 16 g |
| Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 15 g |
| Sodium | 320 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
