It is prudent to preface this recipe with a warning: May lead to repeated urges to go back for more! This is my seasonal spin on the iconic Hawaiian butter mochi, a treat made primarily with glutinous rice flour and coconut milk which yields an addictively gooey yet chewy texture with crisp edges. This idea came to me in early summer when the arrival of fresh, local corn was still a (highly-anticipated) few weeks away. Now in peak corn season, I can confirm this is the best thing I have made with corn all summer.
Fresh corn kernels are blended right into the batter of this cake until smooth. The result is a mochi cake that showcases corn at its peak, adding a nuanced dimension that layers oh-so-well with the flavours of coconut milk, vanilla and butter. Did I mention how low-effort this is? Everything goes into the blender to make the batter. Honestly, the hardest part is waiting for the cake to cool before tearing into it.
Related: 18 Fresh Corn Recipes That Are the Perfect Late-Summer Dinner
Like Sonia’s mochi cake? Try her Japanese-inspired rolled omelette next!
ingredients
directions
Mochi cakes in general are notably less chewy with the passage of time, so be sure to eat it fresh for maximum texture.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease baking pan with butter. You can use any of the following pans: 8” x 8” or 9” x 9” square baking pan, 8” or 9” round baking pan or similarly-sized cast iron skillet.
Place corn kernels and coconut milk in a high-speed blender. Blend until very smooth. Place remaining ingredients and blend again until smooth.
If you don’t have a high-speed blender, use an immersion blender or food processor to blend the corn and coconut milk until smooth. Then, in a medium bowl, whisk the “corn milk” with melted butter, sugar, eggs and vanilla until smooth. In a separate large bowl, whisk glutinous rice flour, baking powder and salt. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients. Whisk until very smooth and no streaks of white remain. There is no gluten in “glutinous rice flour” so you don’t need to worry about over-mixing this batter.
Pour batter into greased baking pan. Give the pan a few hard taps on the counter to knock out air bubbles. Bake for about 60 minutes, or until center is set but bounces back when pushed, and edges are golden brown.
Set pan on a wire rack to cool fully to room temperature. If you can’t wait until it cools to room temperature, the mochi cake will be more custardy and gooey but not yet its maximum chewiness. Store in an air-tight container at room temperature up to one day or in the fridge for longer periods.
