Bibingka
Ingredients
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- 2 sheets banana leaves
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 cups rice flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs egg
- 14 ounces unsweetened coconut milk – well-stirred
- 1 egg salted duck egg – sliced
- 1/2 cup Edam cheese – coarsely grated
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter – melted (for brushing)
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- grated coconut – fresh (for serving)
Instructions
1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Place a baking stone or an inverted baking sheet on the middle rack to preheat along with the oven.
2. Rinse and pat dry the banana leaves, then pass them briefly over a gas flame or in the hot oven until pliable and aromatic, 10–20 seconds per side. Line a 9-inch round cake pan with banana leaves, leaving some overhang; reserve a piece to tent the top during the first 10 minutes of baking. Lightly brush the leaves with vegetable oil.
3. In a bowl, whisk rice flour, baking powder, and kosher salt until evenly combined.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk eggs with granulated sugar until pale and slightly thickened, 1–2 minutes. Whisk in unsweetened coconut milk.
5. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and whisk just until smooth. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and gently tap to level. Tent the top with the reserved sheet.
6. Set the pan on the preheated stone/baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the tent, scatter salted duck egg over the surface, and sprinkle Edam cheese evenly.
7. Continue baking until the edges are golden and the center is just set— a toothpick inserted near the center comes out with a few moist crumbs, 10–15 minutes more (20–25 minutes total). If needed, broil 1–2 minutes to lightly brown the top; watch closely.
8. Immediately brush the top with unsalted butter and sprinkle with the remaining granulated sugar. Cool in the pan for 5–10 minutes.
9. Lift out using the overhanging leaves, slice, and serve warm with grated coconut.
Bibingka is a tender Filipino rice cake baked in banana leaves, prized for its fragrant aroma, coconut-rich crumb, and a balance of sweet and savory toppers. The batter, made with rice flour, coconut milk, eggs, and sugar, bakes up softly set with lightly toasted edges. Traditional finishing touches include slices of salted duck egg and shavings of Edam cheese, brushed with butter and often dusted with a little sugar, then served warm with fresh grated coconut.
Historically sold outside churches during the Simbang Gabi novena leading up to Christmas, bibingka is a beloved merienda (snack) across the Philippines. It was traditionally cooked in a clay pot called a bibingkahan, with glowing coals above and below to create gentle top and bottom heat. Older versions used galapong—soaked, stone-ground rice—while modern home bakes commonly use rice flour and an oven, preserving the signature banana-leaf aroma and festive spirit.