Easy Special Bibingka Recipe - Today's Delight (2024)

Easy Special Bibingka Recipe is Today’s Delight, a Filipino baked rice cake made special with all the toppings. Bibingka is made by combining rice flour, egg, sugar and milk until smooth, then baked and topped with salted egg, cheese, butter and grated coconut. With only a few basic ingredients, you can make this easy bibingka recipe at the comfort of your home.

In the Philippines, bibingka is abundant during Christmas time. It is commonly served after attending an evening mass called Simbang Gabi during Christmas Eve. In the old days, the process of making this rice cake was tedious. It was cooked in clay pots lined with banana leaves and pre-heated coals were placed below and above the rice cake. Now, I can easily make bibingka in less than an hour in the oven.

With all the food preparations going on during the holidays, this is my go-to bibingka recipe, quick yet delicious. Some people are working till December 24th and with limited time it is hard to make everything from scratch. This rice cake is easily available in the Philippines, but if you live abroad it is not the case. You're lucky if you live around Filipino stores or restaurants that sells it. If not, you have to make it yourself.

Most Filipino or Asian stores here in the States carry White King Bibingka mix, so I assume it is also available in other countries. I love using this mix especially if I am press for time. I don’t have to measure anything like flour, baking powder etc. One packet makes 2 regular pie size bibingka. You can elevate the taste of this mix by substituting water with milk and adding all the toppings you like. My mom taught me this. I was going through her recipes and she has a special bibingka recipe. Maybe one of these days, I’ll make it but for now I’ll make what I’m used to.

If you plan to take this to a gathering or potluck, you can use a baking pan or pyrex lined with banana leaves. I always make it with banana leaves as it gives extra flavor and the feel of an authentic bibingka. You can also use cup cake molds but that is too much work to line with banana leaves.

If you have never used this bibingka mix, try it and you might like it. Not much preparation involved and it is done in an hour.

Tips in Making this Easy Special Bibingka Recipe

1. White King’s recipe uses water, instead use milk.
2. If melting butter in the microwave, make sure to cover it with saran wrap with a little bit of opening. Microwave for 10 seconds at a time until melted. Melt at a lower power setting so it doesn't explode.
3. Batter should be well blended until smooth with pancake consistency. I don’t strain it, if you like you could.
4. Frozen banana leaves doesn’t have to be run through heat. Once you defrost the leaves they go limp. Wash and pat dry.
5. Use ½ teaspoon of butter and grease both pan and banana leaves. Before placing banana leaves in pan, grease it first.
6. Once you have banana leaves in pan, patch areas where there is a tear.
7. I used a toaster oven and added 10 minutes more to baking time.
8. Add toppings while batter top is still soft about 5 minutes into baking. Time can vary depending on your oven. Here’s an image showing toppings that did not settle into the batter, top was already hard, on the other hand if batter is too soft toppings can settle at the bottom. I made this on purpose so you can see what happens.

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