Mochi cake Niangao

Joy Huang | The Cooking of Joy

 Ingredients

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature

3 cups milk, warmed to a little hotter than a fever

1 1/4 cups sugar

3 large eggs, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 pound glutinous rice flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/3 cup red bean paste or sweetened red beans (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Grease a 9"x13" inch baking pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, warm milk, sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract.

In a large bowl, whisk together the glutinous rice flour and baking powder. Add the liquid mixture to the dry mixture in 5-7 increments, stirring well after each addition to prevent lumps from forming. Pour the batter into the prepared pan.

Drop red bean paste by scant teaspoonfuls onto the top of the cake. If spoonfuls are too big, the filling will sink to the bottom.

Bake for 1 hour and 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until cake springs back when lightly touched. It should be golden and crusty. Let cool completely before serving.

For extra decadence, you can slice the niangao into thin slices, dip them in beaten egg, and pan-fry for Cantonese-style niangao.