cupcake project | 08: bibingka cupcakes.

I have been quiet (in my blog, at least) for quite some time, yes?

It’s one of those times where in I have a lot to do, and so little time to do them all. That kind of sucks the life out of me, really. But I’ve recently learned to give myself a break from time to time – and break, I did – from blogging. Heh.

Let me give you a rundown of what happened during my so-called “hiatus.”

• I have finally baked my own brazo de mercedes.
• I road-tested my first batch of dark chocolate truffles through a road trip up north. Hee.
• I turned 26 and baked the day away because I had a few orders that came in.
• I have made my first ricotta cheese to go with my first ever lasagna – and loved them!

Those are just a few stuff…

Today, in the spirit of Christmas, I’ve made bibingka – a rice cake very popular here in the Philippines. It’s traditionally made of glutinous rice or rice flour and cooked over “live” coals. My version was more like bibingka cupcakes made with all-purpose flour.

It tasted so much like the traditional bibingka. I loved it, but I could use some changes in the recipe. It lacked the smokiness of the traditional bibingka, and I didn’t have coconut and salted eggs on hand. But despite the hitches, it definitely cured my cravings.
 

Bibingka Cupcakes, version 1 

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 cup sugar
75 ml milk (You can also use coconut milk) 

For the topping:
1/4 cup sugar
4 tbsp butter, softened
1/4 cup cheese, grated
1 salted egg, sliced
1/4 cup fresh coconut, grated 

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line muffin pan with paper liners. Lightly grease paper liners. 

Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. 

In another bowl, beat eggs until light and creamy. Gradually add sugar and beat until combined. 

Add flour mixture, alternating with the milk. Mix until just combined. 

Spoon mixture into prepared pan, up to 2/3 full. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and top with two small cubes of softened butter (you can also use melted butter and brush over the tops), sprinkle 1/4 tsp of sugar and a few teaspoons of grated cheese. If you have salted eggs, top with salted eggs and return to oven and bake for another 10-15 minutes. 

Remove from oven and let cool in pan for 5 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool some more. 

Sprinkle with grated coconut before serving.