Royal Bibingka is it the Mother of Butter Mochi?

Royal Bibingka is made with ground sweet rice flour, coconut milk and eggs. It's similarity to butter mochi is uncanny. So is it one and the same? Let's investigate.

Where does Royal Bibingka come from?

Royal Bibingka has roots in Vigan, Ilocos Sur in the Philippines. Traditionally it is made in small portions like a cupcake and made with ground sweet sticky rice, coconut milk and eggs. Then it is topped with butter and a sprinkle of cheese. Much like a cassava cake.

It has a more soft and sticky bite than a traditional Bibingka and more heavy and richer, which is probably why it is baked in smaller portions.

What is the Hawaii Connection?

Labour was needed in Hawaii to work in the sugar and pineapple plantations. The first Filipino Farm Laborers arrived in December 1906 from Candon, Illocos Sur and kept coming. Currently 85% of Filipinos in Hawaii are Illocano. Which is how I believe Royal Bibingka became Butter Mochi and uniquely Hawaiian.

So Who Invented Butter Mochi?

As with most Hawaiian food, it's origins start at a potluck. So there is not one person we can pinpoint too. I have a vintage butter mochi cookbook and they mention that many of the recipes are from friends and family who contributed to the book and they shared it because everyone loved it at the potluck.

My theory is that an Illocano kept bringing Royal Bibingka to family parties and shared the recipe because it was so good. Eventually the word Bibingka got replaced with Mochi because Filipino's love to assimilate like that. Then the cheese got removed as well. Ah, imagine if that didn't happen and everyone instead was making Royal Bibingka recipes that are all over the place now??

Ingredients for Royal Bibingka

Sweet Rice Flour - In this recipe we like using Mochiko Sweet Rice Flour from Koda Farms.

Coconut Milk - This gives the Royal Bibingka a sweet and slight coconut flavor.

Butter - We don't use so much in this recipe but it's good to add for additional fat and flavor.

Condensed Milk - This combines the addition of more milk and the sugar.

Eggs - The eggs give the lift to the bibingka.

How to Make it

You can either mix it in a blender or in a bowl. The blender is the easiest as it doesn't take as long to mix and it ensures that everything is mixed properly.

All you need to do is toss everything in the blender and blend on high for 2-3 minutes. Then divide the batter in a 12 cup muffin tin that has been sprayed with coconut oil. Bake for 15 minutes at 350F.

If you want to do it in a bowl, place everything in a large bowl and whisk well until the better is smooth.

Toppings

In the middle of baking you take out the Royal Bibingka and brush it with butter and top it with cheese and put it back in the oven and bake for a further 10 minutes.

When you initially take them out of the oven to put on the toppings they might be slightly puffy. Don't worry just wait a minute or two and they will deflate.

Cooling Down Royal Bibingka

Once the cheese has melted and the bibingka is nice and golden take the muffin tin out of the oven and leave them to rest for 10 minutes. Then use a small knife to run against the side of the muffins to help take them out.

They are best to be eaten when they are fully cooled down. I find that if you eat them right away they are still a bit mushy in the middle and they don't have the chewiness yet.

Royal Bibingka is best eaten when it is at room temperature and fully set.

Storing

If you are taking them to a potluck, they should be gone in a flash. However if you do have some leftover you can leave them in a cake dome covered for a day or two. Longer than that I would store them in a sealed container in the fridge for a week. To re-heat just pop them in the microwave for 15 seconds.

When you do bring them to a potluck, don't forget to tell them it's Royal Bibingka thank you very much and it's Filipino.

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