Steam-Baked Mochi Cake

Emily Farris
Emily Farris
September 6, 2023
I'm not really a dessert person, but if I see mochi on a menu, there's a 100% chance I will order it — whether it's filled with bean paste or served in cake form (my favorite). Unlike colorful, filled Japanese mochi balls, Hawaiian butter mochi cake is pretty straightforward in the most delightful way. It's dense and sticky on the inside, perfectly chewy on the outside, and not too sweet. And because it's made from rice flour, it's naturally gluten-free. Getting the right consistency can be tricky in a traditional oven since you don't want to overcook it and dry it out. But with the Anova Precision Oven's steam function, you can get perfect mochi cake in 45 minutes. The hardest part is waiting two hours after it comes out of the oven before cutting into it — this time is required no matter what kind of oven you use. Because it's not dry like traditional cake, mochi cake doesn't even need icing; you can eat it on its own, or top it with toasted coconut, sesame seeds, powdered sugar, or lemon curd. Note: Be sure to use glutinous sweet rice flour, such as Mochiko, for this recipe. If you can't find it at your local grocery store, it's easy to find online. Despite the name, it does not contain any gluten.
Serves
8
Prep Time
00:15
Cook Time
00:45
Steam-Baked Mochi Cake
5 (5)
555
Ingredients
3 cups (420g)
glutinous sweet rice flour, such as Mochiko (see note)
1.5 cups (300g)
sugar
1.5 tsp (7.5g)
baking powder
Pinch salt
3 large
eggs
1 (13.5-oz; 400g) can
full-fat coconut milk
1 (12-fl oz; 354mL) can
evaporated milk
7 Tbsp (98g)
unsalted butter, melted, plus softened butter for the pan
2 tsp
vanilla extract
Steps

1. Preheat the Oven and Prepare Pan

Rack
Thoroughly grease a 9-inch square baking dish with butter.
Sous Vide Mode: Off
Steam: 100%
Temp: 350°F
Heat: Rear

2. Prepare the Batter

Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a second large bowl, beat the eggs. Add the coconut milk, evaporated milk, butter, and vanilla and whisk until smooth. Add the flour mixture to the milk mixture and whisk to form a smooth batter.
Prepare the Batter

3. Bake

Rack
Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Transfer to the oven and bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes.
Bake
Sous Vide Mode: Off
Steam: 100%
Temp: 350°F
Heat: Rear
00:45 Timer

4. Cool and Serve

Transfer to a wire rack. Let the cake cool, in the pan, for at least 2 hours before slicing and serving.
Cool and Serve
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