Ingredients
- Sweet Rice Flour (Mochiko Flour): 3 cups (360g). The star ingredient, providing the signature chewy texture of mochi cake. Ensure you use sweet rice flour, also known as glutinous rice flour or Mochiko, and not regular rice flour.
- Granulated Sugar: 2 cups (400g). Adds sweetness and helps with browning. Adjust to your preference if you prefer a less sweet cake.
- Baking Powder: 2 teaspoons. A leavening agent that helps the cake rise and become light and airy while retaining its chewiness.
- Salt: ½ teaspoon. Enhances the sweetness and balances the flavors of the cake.
- Eggs: 4 large. Provide structure, richness, and moisture to the cake. Use large eggs at room temperature for best results.
- Whole Milk: 1 ½ cups (360ml). Adds moisture and richness, contributing to the cake’s tender crumb. You can substitute with other milk alternatives like almond milk or oat milk, but whole milk provides the best flavor and texture.
- Melted Unsalted Butter: 1 cup (225g). The key to the “buttery” in Buttery & Chewy Mochi Cake. It adds a rich, decadent flavor and tenderizes the cake. Ensure the butter is unsalted to control the overall salt level. Melt and cool slightly before adding to the batter.
- Vanilla Extract: 2 teaspoons. Enhances the overall flavor profile, adding a warm and comforting note. Use pure vanilla extract for the best taste.
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). While the oven is heating, prepare your baking pan. For this recipe, a 9×13 inch baking pan works perfectly. Grease the pan thoroughly with butter or cooking spray. For extra insurance against sticking, you can line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides to easily lift the baked cake out later. This step is crucial for ensuring the cake releases cleanly and beautifully after baking.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. This includes the sweet rice flour (Mochiko flour), granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk these ingredients together thoroughly for at least a minute. This step is important to evenly distribute the baking powder and salt throughout the flour mixture, which ensures consistent leavening and flavor in the final cake. Breaking up any clumps of flour or sugar at this stage will also contribute to a smoother batter.
- Whisk Wet Ingredients: In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients. This includes the eggs, whole milk, melted unsalted butter, and vanilla extract. Whisk these ingredients until they are well combined and the mixture is homogenous. Ensure the melted butter has cooled slightly before adding to the eggs to prevent cooking them. Room temperature eggs will incorporate more easily into the mixture, creating a smoother batter. The vanilla extract should be evenly dispersed to flavor the entire cake.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients. Using a spatula or a whisk, gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the batter. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the sweet rice flour (even though it’s gluten-free, overmixing can still toughen the texture slightly), resulting in a less tender cake. Mix until you no longer see streaks of dry flour, but don’t worry if the batter is slightly lumpy at this stage – a few lumps are perfectly acceptable. The batter will be quite liquid, which is normal for mochi cake.
- Pour Batter into Prepared Pan: Pour the prepared batter into the greased and (optionally) parchment-lined baking pan. Spread the batter evenly across the pan using a spatula to ensure a uniform thickness, which will promote even baking. Gently tap the pan on the countertop a few times to release any trapped air bubbles within the batter. This step helps create a smoother surface on the baked cake.
- Bake in Preheated Oven: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. The baking time may vary slightly depending on your oven, so it’s important to check for doneness. The top of the cake should be golden brown and slightly springy to the touch. If the top is browning too quickly, you can loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil for the last 15-20 minutes of baking to prevent it from over-browning while ensuring the inside is fully cooked.
- Cool Completely: Once the cake is baked, remove it from the oven and place it on a wire rack to cool completely in the pan. Allow the cake to cool fully before cutting and serving. This is crucial for the texture of mochi cake. As it cools, the cake will set and become chewier. Cutting into it while it’s still warm can result in a slightly gummy texture. Cooling allows the cake to firm up and develop its signature chewy texture. For the best texture, you can even chill the cake in the refrigerator for a couple of hours after it has cooled to room temperature. This will enhance the chewiness even further.
- Cut and Serve: Once the mochi cake is completely cooled, it’s ready to cut and serve. If you lined the pan with parchment paper, lift the cake out of the pan using the parchment paper overhang. Cut the cake into squares or rectangles using a sharp knife. For clean cuts, you can wipe the knife clean between slices, especially if the cake is slightly sticky. Mochi cake is delicious served at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: one normal portion
- Calories: 400
- Fat: 20g