Pumpkin bingka is a moist, dense tray cake made mostly of steamed pumpkin and coconut milk, held together with eggs and just enough flour. It bakes up with a chewy, browned top and edges and a soft, almost custardy orange center. Makes 16 pieces in about 4 hr 55 min.
Prep20 min
Cook85 min
Cooling3 hr 10 min
Total
4 hr 55 min
Yield
16 pieces
Ingredients
Adjust yield
pieces
Scales from a half to a double batch; give a bigger batch a little more time.
1 ½ lb (650 g)pumpkin or kabocha squash, peeled, seeded and cut in 1 1/2-inch (4 cm) chunks
Steam the pumpkin chunks over boiling water until completely tender when pierced with a fork, 12 to 15 minutes. Drain well, mash or purée until smooth while warm; you should have about 450 g. Let it cool for 10 minutes.
Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line the pan with parchment.
In a large bowl, stir the mashed pumpkin with the sugar and light brown sugar until the sugars dissolve.
In another bowl, whisk the eggs until frothy, then whisk in the coconut milk and melted butter. Whisk this into the pumpkin mixture.
Sift the all-purpose flour and salt over the bowl and whisk just until no dry pockets remain, scraping the bottom. The batter will be thick; press it through a sieve if it is lumpy.
Pour into the pan, level the top, tap the pan on the counter a few times to release air bubbles and scatter the white sesame seeds over the surface.
Bake on the middle rack until the top is deep golden brown, the edges pull away from the pan and a toothpick in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, 60 to 70 minutes.
Cool completely in the pan on a rack, about 3 hours, so the center firms up, then lift out and cut into 16 squares with an oiled knife.
Tips
Drain the steamed pumpkin well; watery pumpkin gives a gummy bingka that will not set.
Kabocha or another dense, sweet orange pumpkin gives the best color and flavor.
Patience pays: cut too early and the custardy center smears instead of slicing cleanly.
Contains coconut; check with your doctor if you avoid tree nuts.
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How long does it take to make pumpkin bingka (baked pumpkin coconut cake)?
Plan on 20 minutes of prep and 1 hour 25 minutes of cooking, plus 3 hours 10 minutes to rest. The recipe makes 16 pieces.
How should I store pumpkin bingka (baked pumpkin coconut cake)?
Cover and keep at room temperature for up to 1 day, then refrigerate for up to 4 days; bring back to room temperature or warm briefly before serving.
Can I make pumpkin bingka (baked pumpkin coconut cake) ahead?
It is at its best the day it is made; prepare it a few hours before serving.
Bingka labu is a Malay and Indonesian baked kueh made in Singapore and Malaysia from mashed steamed pumpkin, coconut milk, eggs, sugar and a modest amount of flour, baked slowly in a tray until set and browned. Serve it with kopi or teh tarik.
Variations
Gula melaka bingka: replace the light brown sugar with 70 g (1/3 cup) finely grated gula melaka (palm sugar) for a smokier, darker cake; baking time unchanged.
Spiced bingka: whisk 1/2 tsp (1 g) ground cinnamon in with the flour; baking time unchanged.
Sweet potato bingka: use 650 g (1 lb 7 oz) orange sweet potato in place of the pumpkin, steamed 15 to 20 minutes; bake 55 to 65 minutes.
Estimated · per serving
Nutrition
Per serving = 1 of 16 servings this recipe makes.
143Calories / serving
5.9gFat
20.6gCarbs
2.7gProtein
10.4gSugar
Whole recipe (16 servings):
~2288 cal ·
94g fat ·
330g carbs ·
43g protein ·
166g sugar
Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.
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