Butter Mochi

By Genevieve Ko

Published June 30, 2021

Butter Mochi
Christopher Simpson for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Total Time
2 hours, plus cooling
Rating
4(2,598)
Comments
Read comments

Tender and chewy, this big-batch dessert — as comforting as cake and as fun as bar cookies — is always a hit at parties. Mochiko, sweet rice flour, not only gives it its distinctive marshmallow-like softness, but it also lends a natural sweetness. This version of butter mochi uses only coconut milk for its richness and subtle nutty taste, but you can substitute equivalent amounts of whole milk, evaporated milk or a combination of those liquids. Butter mochi develops a crackly top that stays crunchy the day it’s baked, making it a delicious dessert to eat without adornment. But, if you’d like more crunch, you can sprinkle dried shredded coconut evenly over the top before baking, or, for a tangy, colorful top, you can coat it with the passion fruit glaze below. (Watch the video of Genevieve Ko making butter mochi here.)

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Ingredients

Yield:1 (9-by-13-inch) cake

    For the Mochi

    • 6tablespoons/84 grams unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for greasing the pan
    • 3cups/453 grams mochiko (sweet rice flour), like Blue Star brand
    • 2teaspoons baking powder
    • ½teaspoon fine sea salt
    • 4large eggs
    • 2cups/416 grams granulated sugar
    • 2(13.5-ounce) cans unsweetened coconut milk (scant 3½ cups)
    • 1tablespoon pure vanilla extract

    For the Passion Fruit Glaze (optional)

    • 1½packed cups/219 grams confectioners’ sugar
    • 2 to 4tablespoons passion fruit pulp or purée (see Tip)
    • Pink or red food coloring (optional)
Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the mochi: Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 9-by-13-inch cake pan, then line the bottom and sides with parchment paper.

  2. Step 2

    Whisk the mochiko, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Prepare the batter in a stand mixer or in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer or whisk: Whisk the eggs and sugar until pale yellow and thick. Continue whisking while pouring in the coconut milk, then the butter and vanilla. Continue whisking while gradually adding the mochiko mixture. Whisk until the batter is completely smooth. Pour into the prepared pan, then tap it against the counter to get rid of any air bubbles.

  3. Step 3

    Bake until golden brown and crackly, 1 hour 15 minutes to 1½ hours. When you press the center, it should bounce back but not indent at all. Cool completely in the pan on a wire rack. Use the parchment paper to slide the cooled mochi out of the pan.

  4. Step 4

    The mochi is delicious plain, but you can add a glaze if you’d like: Mix the confectioners’ sugar with 2 tablespoons passion fruit pulp until smooth. It should be thick but drippy. If needed, add another 1 to 2 tablespoons pulp. If you’d like to create an ombré or sunset effect, scrape some into another bowl or multiple bowls and tint with food coloring. Spread the glaze evenly over the mochi, in stripes if you’d like, and let stand until set.

  5. Step 5

    Cut the mochi into squares or bars. Serve immediately, or keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Tip
  • You can buy pure passion fruit purée from specialty markets and some grocery stores in the frozen fruit section. If you can’t find the fruit or purée, you can substitute passion fruit juice or nectar, but it will be much sweeter. To prepare passion fruit pulp from fresh fruit, halve 2 fruits and scrape the pulp into a small microwave-safe bowl or saucepan. Warm by microwaving for 15 seconds or heating on low until loose and runny. Press through a sieve to extract the pulp from the seeds.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
2,598 user ratings
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Comments

jill

Halved recipe, but with only 3/4 c sugar, added a tsp of coconut extract and un-toasted unsweetened shredded coconut on top and it is AMAZING!! Took 1 hr in an 8x8” metal pan. Covered it loosely with foil halfway thru to keep from getting too brown.

Zalo

You can find seedless passion fruit pieces in the frozen section of Whole Foods Market.

suzyk

I wonder whether there could be another fruit for the glaze?

Taylor

The cake is absolutely divine. Not too sweet and the chewiness is everything that I love in mochi. The glaze was harder than expected. You definitely have to cut off the corners and level the cake so that it’s completely flat and the glaze will stay where you put it. Next time, I would dry it on a cooling rack and then glaze it on that same rack after leveling and cutting off the corners. Otherwise, the glaze gets literally everywhere. The passionfruit flavoring is completely unexpected and makes this cake something different. But like the other comment stated, the cake is perfectly tasty on its own.

Jeremy

I’ve made this several times, it’s super easy and always a big hit. This is a true 5 star recipe.

Tess

I’m 1/4 the recipe how long should I bake it for

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