Bibingka

Bibingka (Filipino Rice Cake)

A festive Filipino rice cake baked in banana-leaf-lined clay pots, with crisp salty-sweet edges from butter, sugar, salted egg, and cheese. Traditionally eaten warm at dawn after Simbang Gabi.

Prep

20 min

Cook

25 min

Total

45 min

Serves

4 small cakes (serves 4 to 6)

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •150 g (1¼ cups) rice flour, plain white rice flour; do not substitute with glutinous rice flour
• •30 g (¼ cup) cornstarch
• •10 g (1 Tbsp + 1 tsp) baking powder
• •60 g (¼ cup + 2 tsp) granulated sugar
• •2 g (½ tsp) fine sea salt
• •3 large egg yolks, room temperature; reserve whites for another use
• •240 ml (1 cup) coconut milk, full-fat, canned; shake well before measuring
• •60 ml (¼ cup) evaporated milk, or substitute whole milk
• •60 g (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for brushing, traditionally a slightly salted or margarine-style butter is brushed on top
• •2 sheets banana leaf, fresh if available, otherwise thawed frozen; pass over an open flame or scald in boiling water to soften and sterilize
• •2 whole salted duck eggs, Filipino itlog na maalat; slice into thin wedges
• •80 g (¾ cup coarsely grated) quick-melting cheese, traditionally Eden or cheddar; queso de bola also works
• •15 g (1 Tbsp + 2 tsp) granulated sugar, for topping, for sprinkling on the hot cake
• •15 g (1 Tbsp) freshly grated coconut, optional, for finishing; use unsweetened

Steps

1. 1 If using a charcoal or wood-fired oven, light it 30 minutes ahead so coals are at a steady medium heat. A conventional oven is the standard home substitute: preheat to 220°C / 425°F with a heavy baking sheet on the middle rack.
2. 2 Prepare four 10–12 cm (4–4¾ in) round pans, ideally unglazed terracotta or clay pots (palayok). Rub the inside of each with softened butter, then press a circle of banana leaf into the bottom and up the sides so it overhangs slightly; brush the leaf with a little melted butter.
3. 3 In a bowl, whisk the rice flour, cornstarch, baking powder, sugar, and salt until evenly combined.
4. 4 In a second bowl, whisk the egg yolks with the coconut milk and evaporated milk until smooth, then whisk in 60 g melted butter.
5. 5 Pour the wet mixture into the dry and whisk just until smooth and lump-free; do not overmix. The batter should be the consistency of thin pancake batter.
6. 6 Divide the batter among the prepared pans, filling each about two-thirds full (roughly 80–90 ml per pan).
7. 7 Bake on the preheated sheet for 12 minutes, then remove from the oven.
8. 8 Working quickly, top each cake with slices of salted duck egg and a generous scattering of grated cheese. Return to the oven and bake 8 to 12 minutes more, until the top is set, lightly puffed, and the cheese has melted; the center should spring back when pressed and an internal reading near the center should reach at least 90°C / 195°F.
9. 9 Brush the hot surface generously with melted butter and sprinkle immediately with the 1 Tbsp + 2 tsp sugar so it crackles slightly. Top with grated coconut if using.
10. 10 Serve straight from the pot while hot, peeling back the banana leaf. Repeat with the next batch if you have extra batter.
11. 11 Food safety note on salted duck eggs: always buy from a trusted source and refrigerate; the yolks should be firm and aromatic. If you prefer a milder flavor, hard-boil regular duck or chicken eggs and salt them for 24 hours before using.