Oven Baked Bibingka Malagkit

Bibingka malagkit is a Filipino rice cake made of glutinous rice glazed with caramelized sugar-coconut syrup on top. This sweet and sticky cake is a favorite holiday dessert eaten on Christmas and New Year.

Here you will learn how to make a homemade version using simple ingredients that you probably already have in your Filipino pantry.

Bibingka Malagkit vs Biko

“Isn’t bibingka malagkit the same with biko?” is the question I often get when talking about sticky rice cakes. And, my answer has always been inconclusively, yes, and no.

You see, the ingredients and process of making both rice cakes are so similar. Both are sticky and sweet with rich coconut flavor. The rice in the bibingka is sweetened with white or light brown sugar while biko primarily uses dark or brown sugar.

What differentiates bibingka malagkit with biko is the topping–bibingka malagkit is glazed with latik syrup while biko, the “traditional biko” that is, is topped with latik curds.

However, many biko recipes nowadays include latik syrup. Call it “modern-day” biko, if you will. There’s definitely nothing wrong with that. It’s really a matter of personal choice.

Bibingka Malagkit Recipe

To make bibingka malagkit, you will only need five ingredients.

• Glutinous rice – also known as sweet rice or sticky rice. You can find this in many Asian supermarkets and popular online stores.
• Coconut milk – to make it simpler, I used coconut milk for both the rice and the latik. For the latik, coconut cream is recommended. Use that, if available.
• White Sugar – is what I used for the rice to make lighter in color.
• Muscovado sugar – or dark brown sugar is highly recommended. It’s rich in natural molasses, makes the syrup darker in color and nuttier in flavor.
• Salt – vital ingredient in any sweet dessert recipe. It gives balance to the latik and makes it not cloyingly sweet. In short, “pangtanggal umay”.

Tips on making your bibingka at home

Making bibingka malagkit is not complicated. A little bit time-consuming, yes, but nothing you can’t handle.

Here are a few tips that will help the cooking process as smooth as possible.

• Use a rice cooker to cook the glutinous rice. It’s convenient and so much easier. But if you want the “dukot” (burnt/ scorched) texture, use a regular stainless pot.
• Cook the latik syrup in low heat to achieve the caramel consistency. This takes time. You’ll need patience and occasional stirring. Don’t try to increase the temperature as it could burn the sugar and make coconut milk produced too much oil.
• Line the baking pan with banana leaves – even if your bibingka is not cooked in charcoal or clay pot, it will have that familiar “bibingka kakanin” smell and flavor.

Storage and Shelf life

Store leftovers in an airtight container and keep refrigerated. It should last for 3 to 5 days if properly stored. To reheat, microwave for 30 to 40 seconds per piece.

Frequently asked questions

Watch the video on how to make it

Love Filipino snacks and kakanin? Try these recipes!

• Cassava Cake
• Whole Eggs Leche Flan
• Ginataang Bilo-Bilo
• Puto Flan
• Buko Pandan
• Turon with Dulce de Leche
• Special Palitaw

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