Bibingka

Bibingka is most popular during Christmas Season. While it is also enjoyed during breakfast or merienda on any occasion, but it is especially associated with Philippine Christmas. This can be seen being sold outside of churches during simbang gabi along with puto bumbong. This classic Filipino rice cake is the ultimate Christmas treat!

The shared origins of bibingka from the Philippines and Indonesia is widely acknowledged. Especially given that the Indonesian bibingka is from Eastern Indonesia, the regions closest to the Philippines with the most closely related cultures.

The name “bibingka” is similar to the Indian dessert bebinca from the state of Goa. The latter is made with flour, coconut milk, sugar, egg yolks, ghee or clarified butter and almonds. Aside from Goa, the bebinca is also common in Macau and East Timor, all of which, like Goa, were Portuguese colonies. Some authors believe that the Portuguese may have introduced it to Southeast Asia from Goa. But this is unlikely, given that the Philippines, where bibingka is most widely known, was never a colony of Portugal. The preparation of Goan dessert is different from that of bibingka.

Bibingka is a cake made from rice flour (galapong), coconut milk, sugar, eggs, and baking powder. The batter is poured into a container lined with banana leaves. It is traditionally baked on live coals in a clay oven, though a regular oven may also be used. It may have toppings of native white cheese and sliced salted duck eggs, and is typically served with butter or margarine and sprinkled with grated coconut and sometimes sugar. Bibingka is best served when hot. It has a soft spongy texture. I prefer to have it with Kapeng Barako, a very strong coffee. I also love to eat bibingka during late night as there are some locals that serves hot bibingka during late nights.