Royal Bibingka Recipe - The Unlikely Baker® (2024)

by Jolina | Published: February 20, 2024 | Last Updated: February 20, 2024| 2 Comments
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Royal bibingka (also known as bibingka Ilocano or Vigan bibingka) is a variety of Filipino rice cake made of glutinous rice flour, coconut milk, eggs and cheese. It’s chewy and sticky, not too sweet, delicious! Check out the authentic recipe below with lots of tips, FAQs and step-by-step photos for perfect royal bibingka every time.

(Another kind of Filipino sticky rice cake, bibingka malagkit has a delicious coconut caramel topping. Check it out!)

It’s really challenging to keep track of all the varieties of bibingka we Filipinos have.

Being a land of rice and coconut, every province has its own take on the popular Filipino delicacy, from Mindanao in the South to Ilocos in the North.

What we have today is royal bibingka, the pride of Ilocos Sur, specifically the beautiful town of Vigan.

It’s made of glutinous rice flour, coconut milk, evaporated milk, butter and eggs baked in molds lined with banana leaves. It’s then topped with more butter and sprinkled with cheese.

It’s wonderfully chewy, similar in consistency to cassava cake. But unlike cassava cake, royal bibigka is sweet and salty and has a crusty cheesy top.

It’s also usually served during the Christmas season and is a popular pasalubong among tourists. There’s no reason we can’t enjoy it all year though!

It’s easy to make and so good.

Why you’ll love making this type of Filipino rice cake

My mother-in-law is a true-blue Ilocana. She gave me tips when I was developing this recipe and I’m happy to report that the final product has her seal of approval!

I love making this and hope you do, too.

• Easy and fool-proof. The recipe is very simple to follow and very difficult to mess up. No special techniques or tools needed! Plus, you’ll only need 1 bowl for easy clean up and just 7 easy-to-find ingredients.

• Authentic. It’s also authentic with no unnecessary add-ins. This royal bibingka is also thinner than others; my mother-in-law insists it’s how it’s done and having visited Vigan many times, I remember them quite thin, too. However, if you like them thicker, all you need to do is use a smaller pan and adjust the baking time (see FAQs).

• Big batch. This recipe makes at least 16 and up to 24 servings, depending on how you slice them. Perfect for potlucks and other celebrations.

• Delicious. Last but most definitely not least, it’s delicious! Perfectly chewy, cheesy and not too sweet; just enough to make you come back for more.

How to make

See Also

Rice flour jam cookies | Thumbprint cookies | Gluten free recipe | KurryleavesRice flour jam cookies | Thumbprint cookies | Gluten free recipe | KurryleavesScottish Shortbread Recipe - Something Sweet Something SavouryCrispy Rice Paper Dumplings Recipe (with Dipping Sauce!)

To make this royal bibingka recipe, all you’ll need to do is mix everything in a bowl, bake, broil and serve.

Ingredient notes

You’ll need pantry staples like eggs, butter and granulated sugar. Also:

• Glutinous rice flour. Glutinous rice flour is also sometimes called sticky rice flour or sweet rice flour. Make sure to get the right kind. Using just rice flour will not result to the same chewy consistency.

• Coconut milk. Make sure you’re using coconut milk and not coconut cream.

• Evaporated milk. For best results, go for full fat evaporated milk.

• Grated or shredded cheese. I like using sharp cheddar cheese but you can use whatever you have on hand, even parmesan cheese if you’re feeling fancy! I just don’t recommend mozzarella or other subtle-flavored cheese.

Baking tools

We won’t need an electric mixer to make this recipe.Just a bowl, a whisk, and a baking pan.

Step-by-step photos

Preheat your oven to 350F. Line a 12×17 inch cookie sheet with parchment paper and (optionally), with washed and dried banana leaves.

Add all ingredients (except grated cheese) in a large bowl.

Whisk until smooth and incorporated.

Pour batter to your prepared pan, loosely cover with aluminum foil.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until set and the edges start to separate from the pan.

Carefully remove pan from the oven, remove the foil and drizzle with butter

Then sprinkle with cheese.

Broil uncovered on high for 3-5 minutes or until the cheese is nice and golden.

Allow to cool before serving.

Expert baking tips

Easy, right? Here are tips to make this Ilocano delicacy perfect every time.

• Banana leaves. If using banana leaves, make sure to thoroughly rinse and dry before using. To make them more pliable, pour boiling water over them (repeat a few times) or pass them over a small open flame (be careful because they will catch on fire or burn) until soft. I love using banana leaves because they lend a nice smokey flavor to the bibingka.

• Cheese. I don’t give the amount of cheese you need to put for the topping because this is entirely up to you! Put as much or as little as you want (I personally go for a lot). What’s important is you use a sharp and salty variety. I’m partial to cheddar.

• Baking time. Every oven is different so make sure to keep an eye on your bibingka. As soon as it looks set and the edges start separating from the edge of the pan, you can take it out and place your toppings.

• Broil time. It’s even more important to keep watch when it’s broiling. It can burn in a split second so as soon as your cheese melts and turns a nice golden color, you can take the pan out.

• Puffed up. Did your bibingka puff up during baking? Don’t worry, it will deflate as it cools. You don’t need to do anything.

Recipe FAQs

Other Filipino kakanin recipes

Want to explore the delicious world of Filipino kakanin? Here are some easy and tasty recipes to try:

Vigan royal bibingka is great for merienda or snack and even dessert. Enjoy!

Happy baking!

Did you make this royal bibingka Vigan recipe? I’d love to hear all about it!Leave a comment or a star rating below.You can also tag me onInstagramorFacebook. I’d love to see your creations!

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