With this Bibingka recipe, you won’t have to wait to visit the Philippines during the holiday season to enjoy easy, fresh baked bibingka at home.
Where did bibingka originate?
Like other rice cakes in Filipino culture, puto or biko, this kakanin (or cake) is one of the most popular desserts. Bibingka is traditionally made on the streets of the Philippines in terracotta pots lined with banana leaves and cooked over charcoal. While the origin of bibingka is not quite known, there are similarities between Indonesian and Filipino bibingka since they are both baked rice cakes. Traditionally, bibingka (like puto) is made with a fermented glutinous rice mixture called galapong. This can give bibingka a slightly tangy flavor. In some regions like Cebu, bibingka is known for it’s tangy and yeasty flavor due to the traditionally added ingredient of tubâ (palm wine). This recipe gives a slightly modern flavor to the traditional bibingka. For the purpose of saving time without losing the delicious flavor, this recipe will use rice flour as a shortcut. We also add plenty of sugar and melted butter to give a sweet and fattier flavor to the bibingka–this pairs really well with the added salty toppings like cheddar cheese or salted duck egg.
Oven baking vs. charcoal grill
While I’ve tried baking the bibingka over charcoal to get that smoky flavor, I prefer baking the bibingka in the oven–you don’t have to preheat coals and you get an even temperature that cooks the rice cake more evenly.
Toppings
Different toppings need to be added at different times to prevent burning. For salted eggs slices, add them to the bibingka after 9 minutes of baking. For dried, unsweetened coconut shreds, add them on the bibingka after 11 minutes of baking. For cheddar cheese (or velveeta), add them onto the bibingka at 19 minutes of baking. Note: timings are based on my standard, family sized electric oven, and it may vary from oven to oven. The goal is to add the toppings early enough while the batter is slightly wet and can adhere to them, but not so early they will bake too long and burn.
Cooking tips
What does Bibingka taste like?
Bibingka tastes like sweet rice cakes that have a hint of coconut milk and pairs well with various toppings like salted egg. They’re known for their soft and slightly chewy texture.
Who invented Bibingka?
Bibingka comes from the Philippines and Indonesia. It’s a traditional baked rice cake that is often eaten during the Christmas season in the Philippines.
