by Valerie Tort

Bibingka is one of the local terms used to describe Filipino rice cakes. The Filipino specialty can be eaten for breakfast or for merienda. Bibingka Royale is a soft, fluffy, and cake-like dessert with a slight sticky texture unlike the traditional bibingka made from glutinous rice topped with coco jam.

During Christmas season, bibingka is usually sold near the parish so churchgoers can buy the native delicacy after mass. Bibingka associated with Christmas is made from flour, eggs, and sugar cooked in charcoal or clay oven.

No need to wait for the Christmas songs to play and the well-lit lanterns to be displayed in front of the village houses to have a taste of Bibingka Royale. Even beginners can prepare and cook Bibingka Royale at the comfort of their homes without the hassle.

Bibingka Royale Recipe:

Ingredients:

3 pcs. whole eggs
1 ½ c sugar
1 ¼ c coconut milk
2 c flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. salt
melted margarine

For toppings:

grated cheese
slices of itlog na maalat
grated coconut

Extra Materials Needed:

2 round pans
oven
spatula or brush
grater
cookie sheet or pan liners
scissors

Procedures for lining the pans:

This is an important procedure in baking the bibingka. Baking pan liners keep the baked delicacy from sticking to the regular surface pans. It also prevents excess grease to be added to the food. Bibingka comes out easier when the pan is turned upside down, without ruining the appearance of the baked delicacy. Plus, it would not burn even in high temperature.

A. Bottom of the round pan:

Trace the bottom of the round pan to the cookie sheet. Cut the circular shape from the cookie sheet. Brush a small amount of margarine on the inner edges of the baking pan so the lining would stick to it. Put the circular lining in place.

B. Sides of the round pan:

To line the sides of the round pan, measure the height of the baking utensil. Cut a strip of cookie sheet with a width equal to the height of the baking pan. Lightly brush margarine on the inner side edges of the baking pan. Place the cookie sheet strip inside the pan and cut off the excess lining.

How to Cook Bibingka Royale:

Beat eggs until light and creamy. Dissolve the 1 ½ cups sugar in half of the coconut milk. Mix all dry ingredients. Sift them together. Add spoonfuls of the sifted dry ingredients to the mixture of sugar and coconut milk alternately. Add the rest of the coconut milk to the sifted dry ingredients gradually.

Homemade baked bibingka rice cakes

Fold in well beaten eggs. Do not stir the beaten eggs into the mixture because the flour, sugar and coconut milk mixture is thicker than the eggs. The eggs might not be evenly distributed to the batter if it is stirred.

Pour the mixture into the round pans, leaving about two inches of space from the rim of the pan in order to give space for the rising of the bibingka. Bake in the oven at a moderate temperature (300 to 350 degrees Fahrenheit) for 20 to 25 minutes.

Test the bibingka if it is cooked by inserting a toothpick at the center and in the sides of the sweet treat. If the toothpick comes out clean (without any crumbles of bibingka sticked to the toothpick), then it is already cooked.

Top it with melted margarine using a spatula. Add your desired toppings: grated cheese, itlog na maalat, or grated coconut.

This recipe can be done by anyone. No need for chef-like skills to produce a quality homemade Bibingka Royale to serve your family and your guests whenever you wanted to.

Tags: Bibingka Recipe, Philippine Food Recipe, Philippine Rice Cake