Matcha Coconut Mochi Cake [Revisited]

I've made this matcha coconut mochi cake for a a couple potlucks now. The full recipe makes a 9 x 13" pan, and it's great for cutting into squares and sharing!

Since I have some left over evaporated milk from making egg tarts and coconut milk from black glutinous rice pudding, the first thing that came to my mind are these matcha mochi cake squares. The recipe is easily halved and baked into a 8 x 8" square pan.

Find recipe here.

Only difference I made this time is lowered from 130g sugar to 80g (40g white + 40g coconut sugar). Next time, I will definitely double the matcha to 2 Tbsp (20g).

Butter Mochi Cake Muffins

Oh my! These mochi cake muffins may be my favorite thing that I've baked lately. The crisped buttery shell and the soft/ dense chewy interior together are absolutely dreamy. I baked these in a mini muffin pan to maximize the crispy crust and topped them with coconut to further highlight the coconut aroma.

The textural combination, the coconut aroma, and the perfect balance of sweetness made these irresistible. The husband ate 5 when they've cooled just enough fresh from the oven.

For more mochi goodness, check these out too:
Matcha Coconut Mochi Cake - I love making this one for potlucks!
Matcha Mochi Waffles
Chocolate Mochi Cakes
Green Tea Mochi Cakes
Baked Honey Mochi Donuts
Mango Mochi

Butter Mochi Cake Muffins
recipe adapted from Snixy Kitchen
makes 18 mini muffins

1/8 cup (1 oz) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for greasing pans
1 cup (160 g) sweet rice flour
60g brown sugar*
10g coconut sugar*
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 of a 13.5-13.66-ounce can full-fat coconut milk
1 large egg, room temperature
3/4 tsp vanilla extract
shredded coconut, to top

*increase sugar to 100g if you want things sweeter!

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and generously grease the sides and top muffin tin with soft butter or avocado oil spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together sweet rice flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
3. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment or a large mixing bowl, whisk together melted butter, coconut milk, eggs, and vanilla extract.
4. With the mixer on low speed, slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until completely combined.
5. Divide batter among the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup all the way to the top.
6. Sprinkle the tops with shredded coconut.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the top is brown and crispy and the muffin springs back when poked with a finger.
8. Let cool for 10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Enjoy fresh or store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Pop back in the oven for a few minutes to crisp them up.

salt

Taste: 5 stars out of 5
Perfect as is for the general public; but personally I would decrease sugar a little tad more.
Texture: 5 stars out of 5
What more can I say? These have all the texture you want in a mochi cake muffin.

Matcha Coconut Pudding

With half a can of coconut milk leftover from last bake (and half a can of evaporated milk which my parents used up), I initially planned on making a Coconut Milk Pound Cake.. But hey, it's the new year and I should probably stay on the healthy track.. away from sweets on the indulgence buttery end.  

I instantly bookmarked this simple, no bake coconut pudding (similar to the ones you get from Dimsum) after a long-winding search for a light non cake coconut milk recipe. Everything is done on the stove top, no oven needed. I halved the original recipe and added matcha powder because the flavors of matcha and coconut work well together and matcha is healthy!

Matcha Coconut Pudding
recipe adapted from Thirsty for Tea
makes about 8 2-oz ramekins

1 Tbsp powdered gelatin
1/2 cup coconut water
1/2 can (6.75oz) coconut milk
1/2 cup half and half*
1/3 cup sugar
2 tsp matcha powder

Double coconut!

Sprinkle gelatin over coconut water. Set aside.

Over low heat..

stir together coconut milk, half & half and sugar.

Whisk in matcha powder.

Whisk in bloomed gelatin into matcha mixture.

Strain through sieve into a easy to pour cup.

1. Bloom gelatin with water.
2. In pot over low, stir together milk, half and half, and sugar until mixture comes just under a boil and sugar dissolves completely. Turn off heat, then add in bloomed gelatin, mixing to make sure gelatin dissolves completely.
3. Strain through sieve and spoon mixture into molds. Chill for at least 4 hours. 

*I used milk since I did not have half and half nor cream on hand. Note: 1/2 cup half and half = 3/8 cup milk + 1/8 cup heavy cream

Taste: 4 stars out of 5

Fragrant coconut aroma with a hint of bitterness from matcha.

Texture: 5 stars out of 5

Smooth, light and springy!

The roses stuck a bit to the mold ):

Matcha Coconut Mochi Cake

Baked myself a yummy treat on NYE because I am officially a quarter of a century too old to go countdown. Thank you Fatty for making it at 11:56pm to ring in 2016 together!

May twenty sixteen continue to bring happiness, good health, and good eats!

Matcha Coconut Mochi Cake
recipe adapted from Food52
makes one 8" square pan (16 small squares)

1/4 cup (1/2 stick/ 56.7g) butter, softened*
2 eggs
half of one 12-oz can (6oz) evaporated milk
half of one 13.5-oz can (6.75oz) coconut milk
3/4 tsp (1/2 tsp  + 1/4 tsp) vanilla extract
1 1/2 cup (306g) glutinous rice flour
130g sugar
1 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp matcha powder

Left: brighter, fresher matcha, Right: dull and less fresh matcha.

Mix together dry ingredients.

Set aside.

Lumpy butter and egg mixture.
*Make sure to let butter softened before whisking.

Mix in milks and vanilla extract.

Combine dry into wet mixture.

Fold until combined. Still lumpy from the butter :/

Pour batter into lined pan.

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In large bowl, beat butter and eggs together with whisk until smooth.
3. Add milks and vanilla, stirring to combine.
4. In separate bowl, mix together rice flour, sugar, baking powder, and matcha.
5. Add dry mixture to wet, and mix until combined. The consistency of the batter should be thick and resembles pancake batter.
6. Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 60 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.
7. Allow to cool slightly before removing from pan. Cut and enjoy!

Puffy crackly top fresh from the oven.

My first bite.

Although the batter was lumpy from my not-so-softened butter, the final result still turned out amazing. The texture is wonderful- the tougher chew and crisp on the crust and the softer wet center. Be warned, these mochi cake squares are quite addicting and hard to walk away from!

The corner ones are the best!

Best enjoy when fresh from the oven or simply reheat them the next day- just as lovely!

Taste: 4.9 stars out of 5

Perfect sweetness and nice coconut aroma. Matcha flavor can be stronger.

Texture: 5 stars out of 5

Chewy gooey texture and toasty crisp crust!

Check out these other mochi posts:
Mini Baked Honey Mochi Donuts
Mango Mochi
Mini Green Tea Mochi Cakes
Mini Chocolate Mochi Cakes