If there’s one thing Filipinos love as much as food, it’s Christmas. In fact, Filipinos love Christmas so much, our holiday season begins as early as September 1! And bibingka is the perfect example of a classic Filipino Christmas food. Like the famous Ben & Ben song of the same name says, we can find bibingka sold by street vendors, especially near churches, during the holiday season.
Typically, one enjoys bibingka with another type of rice cake, puto bumbong, especially after Simbang Gabi. Hot drinks, like coffee or chocolate, also make the ideal companion for this treat. Treats like bibingka often brings back a lot of cherished moments –– of warmth, and spending time with loved ones. Food is memory, and by cooking it effectively, bibingka can bring back some of our best ones.
The traditional bibingka recipe may seem quite daunting at first; after all, who just has clay pots or Bibingka ovens just lying around at home? But this bibingka recipe is simple and can be made in any typical household kitchen. All you need are some ordinary cake pans and a kitchen oven. And with rice flour instead of regular galapong, you’ll have your own bibingka in no time!
Bibingkahan
Bibingka is a type of rice cake native to the Philippines. It goes without saying that we Filipinos love rice. We have it with almost every meal, and dessert is no exception. This is why kakanin has become such a popular Filipino merienda. A combination of the words kanin (rice) and kain (eat), kakanin refers to a group of glutinous rice cakes Filipinos know and love.
And there are so many ways you can enjoy bibingka! Here are just some of my other recipes that put a twist on the popular treat:
- If you’re more of a biko or suman fan, perhaps this bibingkang malagkit recipe will be more to your liking. Personally, I think this recipe is more of a modified biko. Its sticky texture may be difficult to work with at first, but you’ll end up with a delicious treat in the end.
- Royal bibingka is a type of bibingka from the Ilocos region. This one tastes a little bit more like a mix between cassava cake and espasol. Still, its chewy texture and sweet taste pairs great with a hot cup of coffee or cocoa.
- And if you want the original bibingka but in more bite-sized goodness? My bibingka muffin recipe gives you all the tastiness bibingka has to offer, but in cupcake sizes.
Whatever type of bibingka you prefer, any of the recipes mentioned can make it easy for you to enjoy them! What type of bibingka –– or even kakanin –– is your favorite?
How to cook bibingka
The first step to cooking bibingka is to preheat your oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Combine your dry ingredients together in one bowl: rice flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix them well, and set them aside.
Now it’s time to cream your butter. Creaming refers to the process of making a soft fat light and fluffy. To do this, beat your butter with a whisk while gradually adding in sugar. This gives your butter a creamier, almost whipped cream-like texture. The sweet smell of butter and sugar is impossible to resist!
Crack your 3 pieces of raw egg and whisk again, until you’ve incorporated all of the ingredients. Once done, it’s now time to combine them with your dry ingredients; add them to the same bowl, and keep mixing. Then, pour in your coconut milk and fresh milk. You need 1 cup of the former, while just ¼ cup of fresh milk will do. Whisk all of your ingredients together for a minute or two more.
It’s now time to prepare your bibingka for its first round in the oven. Arrange your pre-cut banana leaf on a cake or baking pan. The leaf should be wide enough to cover not only the bottom of the pan, but also the sides. Pour the mixture onto the leaf-coated pan and put it in the oven, letting it bake for 15 minutes.
Once your timer is up, remove your bibingka from the oven. Doesn’t that smell absolutely delicious? The use of a banana leaf also lends to the fragrant aroma. But at this point your bibingka isn’t quite ready to be eaten yet. Top your rice cake with sliced salted egg and grated cheese. At this point in time, your oven should still be kept on –– you’ll still need to use it!
With its new coat of toppings, put the bibingka back in the oven. Let it bake for another 15 to 20 minutes –– or, wait until the top of your rice cake turns a medium brown. Whichever comes first, remove it from the oven afterwards and let it cool.
Brush your bibingka with butter and sprinkle sugar on top. If you’re more of a coconut fan, you can opt to top it with that instead of sugar. And just like that, your bibingka is ready to be enjoyed!
Let us know what you think!
Bibingka Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup rice flour
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1/4 cup fresh milk
- 1 piece salted duck egg sliced
- 1/2 cup grated cheese
- 3 pieces raw eggs
- 1/4 cup grated coconut
- Pre-cut banana leaf
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Combine rice flour, baking powder, and salt then mix well. Set aside.
- Cream butter then gradually put-in sugar while whisking.
- Add the eggs then whisk until every ingredient is well incorporated.
- Gradually add the rice flour, salt, and baking powder mixture then continue mixing.
- Pour-in coconut milk and fresh milk then whisk some more for 1 to 2 minutes.
- Arrange the pre-cut banana leaf on a cake pan or baking pan.
- Pour the mixture on the pan.
- Bake for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven then top with sliced salted egg and grated cheese (do not turn the oven off).
- Put back in the oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until the color of the top turn medium brown.
- Remove from the oven and let cool.
- Brush with butter and top with grated coconut.
- Serve. Share and enjoy!
Panlasang Pinoy says
Not a problem, jenny. Do as you please.
divine says
uhmm im gonna make bibingka..but i dont like itlog na maalat can i replace it with just nilagang itlog instead?im not in philippines right now that’s why i decide to make it for the 1st time. it looks easy to make…
Jenn Romero says
I followed the recipe diligently and it comes out too sweet for my liking! One cup of sugar is a lot! I suggest just use half cup of sugar.. Thanks for the recipe though.
Vanjo Merano says
I appreciate the feedback, Jen. I understand that we all have a preference in terms of the level of sweetness. What you did was the right thing to do in your case. Most people like their bibingka sweet and the 1 cup of sugar in the recipe is the standard amount for that result.
gerlie says
I really appreciate you for making this filipino recipes. I don’t know much about cooking but through your webssite I can cook filipino dishes now. My husband is american and he loves the filipino food especially anything that has gata/coconut milk.
I tried most of the recipes here with gata and its great my husband love it. Thanks.
I just want to ask where do you buy your lye water for making kutsinta? I want to try kutsinta but could hardly find lye water. Most of the asian stores we have here in kansas does not have it and does not know what is lye water. Is there any alternative for that? Thanks again . God bless you.
gerlie
lastog says
i like karioka cruncy outside soft inside ahhhhhhhh sweet nothing
Panlasang Pinoy says
amichelle, kindly check the ingredient list. I believe that its two and a half teaspoon. As for the salt, do as you please. Hope this helps.
Panlasang Pinoy says
sure, you may use any oven safe container amichelle.
Lanie says
Hello kuya,I tried this bibingka twice already. One with salted duck eggs,and my second one is loaded with quickmelt cheese! I really love it! Thanks and always happy cooking! Aloha!
lanie says
thank you for this…this is the next in line for me to do!
bell says
Hi! what kind of cheese can i use for this recipe? thnx..
PG says
Thanks for this recipe. It was the closest thing to the “street bibingka” we had in the Philippines.
Please confirm if the quantity of the sugar is really 1 cup. It looks less than that in your video.
What type of cheese did you use? The cheddar cheese I used browned way before the cake top browned. This created a very “un-appetizing” look on the bibingka
Panlasang Pinoy says
Hi PG, yes its 1 cup of sugar. I used sharp cheddar cheese for this recipe. Try using any quickmelt cheese so that it won’t turn brown.
mylene says
kuya can i request sapin sapin please..thanks po.. i’m one of ur million fans
Panlasang Pinoy says
Andrea, I used sharp cheddar cheese for this recipe.
melisa aguilar says
i tried making this yesterday for a mid afternoon snack. It was really good!
Thanks1 Panlasang Pinoy!!!!
Aileen says
Hi! Thanks for the recipe. I have eaten a bibingka in the philippines that were cupcake-size. Will it be the same oven temperature and how much time do you suggest I can cook it for? Thanks.
Panlasang Pinoy says
Hi Aileen, use the same temp and you’ll know that its done when the top starts to brown.
Aileen says
Thanks. I’ll try to do it right away. Plenty of time to practise for xmas (planning to give it as gifts!).
Conichiwa73 says
Hello!thanks po d2 sa recipe na to i try this one…tnx po uli!
Panlasang Pinoy says
Welcome Conichiwa73
Panlasang Pinoy says
Steaming is not intended for this recipe. You can use oven toaster if it can reach up to 370F, Camille.
Hope this helps.
brenda regino says
good morning chef: i posted your dinuguan recipe on my fb account.my husband and i will try it this weekend.i wish magaya namin.thank you very much.
lhil batallones says
thanks po ulit for this delicious recipe..keep on posting more pinoy foods..God bless
ky says
thank you for this recipe..can’t wait to try it!
Panlasang Pinoy says
Since this is traditionally cooked in clay pots, banana leaves are needed to hold the mixture and prevent it from catching dirt. You can cook bibingka without banana leaf and salted eggs.
Claire says
Cool! Thank you!
aubrey says
Hi PP,
Did you ever manage to post the recipe using all-purpose flour? 🙂
Panlasang Pinoy says
You can also use all-purpose flour in Bibingka although you cannot substitute it using this recipe. We’ll post another bibingka recipe soon using all-purpose flour.
Rosario says
Bakit lumulutang sa ibabaw ang dahon ng saging,