Mochi cake, or 年糕 in Mandarin is traditionally sweet, and eaten during Chinese New Year. I change the flavor by adding tangy apple filling. Tired of the same old flavor 年糕? Try out this refreshing version.
Baked New Year (MOchi) Cake-- Apple flavor
Baked Apple Glutinous Rice Cake ‘Nian Gao’ (makes one 9 x 13 inch pan)
Ingredients:
for apple filling:
4 large golden delicious apples
lemon juice of 1 lemon
5 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
for cake batter:
1 stick (4 oz) unsalted butter
5 tbsp sugar
1 can condensed milk (small)
2 cups whole milk
4 eggs– beaten
1 pack (1 lb) + 1 cup glutinous rice flour
Method:
Prepare apple filling:
- Peel, core and cut apples into 5cm thick wedges. Leave in a bowl and sprinkle lemon juice. Toss apples to coat well. Let it sit for 15 minutes.
- In a sauce pan, cook apples, brown sugar and cinnamon on medium heat until apples turn caramel color and tender, and the liquid dries out. Set aside to cool down. Filling can be prepared ahead of time and kept in the fridge until ready to use.
Prepare cake batter:
- In a pot add butter, sugar, condensed milk and milk. Turn heat to medium low and whisk until butter melted and sugar dissolves. The milk should be warm at this point. Remove from heat.
- Slowly pour in beaten eggs while whisking at the same time. Gradually pour in glutinous rice flour and whisking at the same time, until the batter is smooth.
- Pour half of batter into a 9″ x 13″ greased glass pan, bake at preheated 350°F oven for 15 minutes. Remove from oven but maintain oven temperature.
- Spread apple filling to the top evenly. Pour in remaining half of the batter, cover all the apples. Return to the oven and continue baking for 1 hour, until the skewer inserted into the cake comes out clean. Turn around the cake half way through baking for even browning if necessary.
Baked New Year (MOchi) Cake-- Apple flavor
Queen of the Chennaults 