Mochi Cake

I'm so excited to share this recipe with you! What is mochi cake you ask? It is a cake because it has all the typically ingredients you find in a cake but the only difference is the flour. Mochi is made with glutinous rice flour which gives its products a chewy texture. For all the chewy texture food fans like myself, you'll love this recipe because glutinous rice flour is used instead of all purpose flour. The cake comes out chewy and has an eggy flavor comparable to a sponge cake. One thing I love about this recipe is the brown crust that forms on the bottom and top of the cake. It is crumbly goodness in the mouth that really gives the cake a rich flavor. This cake is versatile in terms of flavor: chocolate, green tea, blueberry, strawberry, etc. - the list can goes on. In this version, coconut milk gives the cake good flavor and I like it even more because I used light coconut milk. You know what that means, less guilt!

I first discovered mochi cake at a Thanksgiving gathering two years ago. I am notorious for being a mochi freak so my cousin made a cake at this Thanksgiving gathering and she asked me if it tasted like anything I had before. I remember saying, "It kinda taste like mochi...?" She started laughing and told me that it was mochi...mochi cake that is. Initially, I was confused about the idea but then it made so much sense. I thought it was such a brilliant idea but have been forgetting to make it!

Since I have braces now, eating mochi would be a living nightmare to get out of my braces so I have been thinking of ways to get my mochi fix. Then, the brilliant idea struck...mochi cake! Voila, that is what inspired to finally look up a recipe and make it. There are many variations out there but I opted for the standard mochi cake for my first try. I can get fancy after that!

Mochi Cake
adapted from Gourmet Magazine (May 2005)

Ingredients
1 pound glutinous rice flour (Mochiko is a popular brand)
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
14 ounces light coconut milk
14 ounces evaporated milk (if you can only find a 12 oz can, add 2 oz milk)
5 large eggs
1/2 stick (or 1/4 cup) melted butter, slightly cooled
1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350F.
2. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl.
3. In a separate bowl, beat eggs. Add coconut milk, evaporated milk, melted butter, and vanilla.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and whisk until mixture is smooth and uniform in texture.
5. Pout batter in a greased 9x13 pan or slightly bigger. Do not use anything smaller because the batter goes to the brim of the pan!
6. Bake for 90 minutes or until top is golden brown and the edges begin to pull away from pan.
7. Let cake cool on a rack for 30 minutes.

Yield: 24 servings
Cake can be stored for 3 days in a covered container.