Vanilla Bean Mochi Cake

Vanilla Bean Mochi Cake: From Weekofmenus 

adapted from Gourmet Magazine | May 2005

Makes one 9X13 pan, or 24 squares

1 lb box of mochiko flour (3 cups equivalent)

2 cups of sugar

2 teaspoons of baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 14 oz can regular coconut milk

1 14 oz can light coconut milk (readily found at Trader Joes)

5 large eggs

1/2 stick of butter (1/4 cup of butter) melted and slightly cooled

1 whole vanilla bean, split in half and beans scraped out

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9X13 baking pan.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mochiko flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate bowl or large measuring cup (4 cup capacity), beat eggs, then add coconut milk, melted butter and vanilla bean.

Carefully pour the wet ingredients over the mochiko flour mixture and whisk until mixture is smooth and uniform in texture.

Pour batter into greased 9X13 pan. Carefully smooth out the top.

Bake for 90 minutes, until top is golden brown and the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.

Allow cake to cool for about 30 minutes on a rack, and then carefully flip it out and cut into 24 squares, or the size of your choice. Can store mochi cake for three days, covered.

Blueberry Vanilla Bean Mochi Cake

Makes one 9X13 pan, or 24 squares

1 lb box of mochiko flour (3 cups equivalent)

2 1/2 cups of sugar

2 teaspoons of baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 14 oz cans of coconut milk - not lowfat (I used two cans of 13.5 oz)

4 large eggs

1/2 stick of butter (1/4 cup of butter) melted and slightly cooled

1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped out

2 cups of blueberries, washed and picked over

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9X13 baking pan.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together mochiko flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate bowl or large measuring cup (4 cup capacity), beat eggs, then add coconut milk, melted butter and vanilla bean. Mix together until vanilla bean is well distributed.

Carefully pour the wet ingredients over the mochiko flour mixture and whisk until mixture is smooth and uniform in texture.

Pour batter into greased 9X13 pan. Carefully smooth out the top. Sprinkle blueberries over entire surface.

Bake for 90 minutes, until top is golden brown and the cake begins to pull away from the sides of the pan.

Allow cake to cool for about 30 minutes on a rack, and then carefully flip it out and cut into 24 squares, or the size of your choice. Can store mochi cake for three days, covered.

Quick Vanilla Bean Tutorial 

Please excuse the photographs, as I had to shoot with my left hand while my right hand tried to demonstrate.  Hopefully you'll get a sense of what you need to do.

Carefully cut down the center of your whole vanilla bean and split it into two parts.

Starting at one end, with the back of your knife (not sharp side), scrape along the length of the vanilla bean.

You will have a knife tip covered with tiny gooey black dots.