Baked Sticky Rice Cake

Today was a good day to mess around in the kitchen so I decided to go with dessert (only ingredients I had >.<). I usually make steamed rice cake with the basic Japanese mochi recipe but today I decided to make it differently. I popped it in the oven! two different kinds came out, one with a caramel coating and a denser non sugary version. Both seem to me to be successful but for the one I baked without a cover and no sugar topping I'd recommend paring it with fruit or some nice green tea to add flavor. Of course the sugar topped one that i covered my baking pan while cooking came out sweet and light and has no need for accompaniment.

Caramel Like Topping(easier than making caramel sauce)

• 3 tbsp light corn syrup
• 3 tbsp malt corn syrup (can find in asian market)
• combine both in bottom of cake pan before adding batter to pan as if making flan(custard)
• cover cake with foil or a pyrex plate(foil will make a more evenly risen cake)
• bake for 15 minutes less than uncovered version of cake.

Sticky Rice Cake Mix

• 2 cups gloutinous rice flour
• 1 cup plain rice flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 1.5 cups sugar

wet items

• 2 cups Milk
• 2 large eggs
• 1-2 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 325 degrees and make sure oven rack is in center

Combine dry ingredients while sifting into a large bowl;add 'wet' ingredients and combine slowly as to not make flour mixture fly out of bowl (has mind of its own); now whisk batter for about 5 minutes, you want it to be a smooth consistency no lumps; spray pam or coat pan with a cooking oil before pouring batter in; make sure you don't pass the half way point of the pan since cake will spill over; place pan in center of oven rack and set timer for 40 minutes, around 30 minutes into baking check your cake since oven temp may vary.

I use a small 6 in pan to bake my cakes in so that when cut you get cute small slices to accompany tea and fruit. This rice cake is heavy and no more than one or two pieces are needed to satisfy your sweet tooth...if you find yourself eating a whole small cake I do warn you that these are not low in calories ^-^

Any uneaten portion can be placed in a freezer ziplock bag and frozen for up to 2 weeks. In order to serve again let thaw and steam for about 3 minutes (best warm)