Filipino Coconut Rice Cake (Bibingka-Inspired)

Preheat the oven to 200°C (180°C fan / 400°F). If using banana leaves, wipe them clean with a damp cloth. Pass each piece briefly over a gas flame or hold over an electric hob on medium heat for 5–10 seconds per side until the leaf turns a slightly deeper, more vibrant green and becomes pliable — this softens the leaf so it bends without cracking and releases its characteristic faint smoky, grassy fragrance into the cake as it bakes. Cut the leaves into rounds slightly larger than your tin. Lightly grease a 20–22cm round cake tin or cast-iron skillet with coconut oil, then press the banana leaf rounds into the base and up the sides as far as they will go, overlapping if needed. The banana leaf is not just decorative — it imparts a subtle, irreplaceable flavour to the base and edges of the cake. If banana leaves are unavailable, line the tin with baking parchment; the cake will be equally delicious, just without that faint smoky note.

In a large bowl, whisk together the glutinous rice flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, and fine salt until evenly combined. Pour in the full tin of coconut milk and the pandan extract. Whisk until a smooth, thick batter forms with no dry flour pockets remaining. The batter will be noticeably thicker than a standard cake batter — closer to a very thick pancake batter — because glutinous rice flour absorbs liquid differently from wheat flour. This is correct. Glutinous rice flour is the non-negotiable ingredient here; it is what gives bibingka its signature chewy, mochi-like interior that is completely unlike any wheat-flour cake. Regular rice flour produces a dry, crumbly result; plain wheat flour produces a completely different texture. The batter should be pourable but hold a ribbon briefly when lifted with the whisk.

Pour the batter into the prepared banana-leaf-lined tin and smooth the surface level with a spatula. Bake in the preheated oven for 20 minutes, until the cake is set around the edges and the surface is just firm to a light touch in the centre — it should not wobble when the tin is gently shaken. Remove from the oven. Spoon the coconut cream evenly over the entire surface of the cake, spreading it to the edges with the back of a spoon. Scatter the 2 tablespoons of coconut sugar evenly over the coconut cream layer, then scatter the desiccated coconut over the top if using. Return to the oven and bake for a further 8–10 minutes until the top is golden, the coconut sugar has caramelised into a thin, glossy, slightly sticky crust, and the edges of the cake have pulled away very slightly from the banana leaf. The finished cake should be deeply golden on top, pale and soft underneath, and the banana leaf base should have a few lightly charred spots — this is exactly right and is the hallmark of a properly baked bibingka.

Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes — it will be very soft and fragile when hot and needs this brief rest to firm up enough to slice cleanly. Bibingka is traditionally served warm, not cold; the chewy, yielding texture is at its best when the cake is still slightly warm from the oven. Lift the cake from the tin using the banana leaf as a handle and transfer to a board or serving plate, banana leaf still attached underneath. Slice into wedges at the table. The banana leaf is not eaten but is left on as a serving base — it keeps the base of the cake moist and continues to release its fragrance as the cake sits. Serve as it is, or with a small bowl of extra coconut cream on the side for drizzling. Bibingka is best eaten the day it is made; the texture stiffens overnight as the glutinous rice flour sets further on cooling.