Steamed Pumpkin Mochi Cake / Nian Gao Recipe for Chinese New Year

This delicious pumpkin mochi cake made with pumpkin puree, walnuts, raisins, and diced candied ginger is a delightful twist on the classic Chinese New Year nian gao (红糖年糕), or “year cake,” to celebrate the upcoming new year. By the way, there’s a lot to like about this rice cake, from the soft, chewy texture that comes from the glutinous rice flour and tapioca flour, as well as the warm, spicy flavors of fall and winter that comes from the addition of pumpkin, raisins and ginger. It's just a joy to have a slice served with a glass of hot oolong tea. The recipe can be easily prepared ahead of time for large gatherings and keeps well in the fridge for up to 2-3 days, which means more time for you to relax during the busy holidays.

Ingredients Used to Make Pumpkin Mochi Cake / Nian Gao

_{**I've linked some of these ingredients to amazon.com to give you an idea of what they are, but you should also be able to find them in your local grocery store (usually, the natural & organic food section). They are also affiliate links, which means that I earn a commission as an Amazon Associate if you decide to purchase the items. The price will be the same for you, link or no link 🙂}

• Glutinous Rice Flour - this goes by many names. You'll see Glutinous Rice Flour and Mochiko Flour (my favorite brand) in Asian grocery stores, and Sweet White Rice Flour in most other stores. ***Please note that regular white rice flour or brown rice flour is NOT the same thing as glutinous rice flour!!!

• Tapioca flour (flour but also called tapioca starch) - Arrowroot starch and Potato starch can also be used instead. I DO NOT recommend using cornstarch for this recipe.

• Sugar of Choice – I used dark brown sugar in this recipe, but many traditional nian gao recipes use Chinese Rock Sugar (also called Slab Sugar) which you can typically find in Asian grocery stores or buy online, here. Raw cane sugar, coconut, date, and maple sugars are also great substitutes if you have them at home, and if you want you can also use sugar-free substitutes such as monk fruit sweetener in this recipe for a slightly lower-sugar / lower-carb option.

• Pumpkin puree - I used canned pumpkin puree, which you can find in the baking aisle.

• Heavy Cream - the heavy cream replaces butter and oil and gives the mochi a silky and velvety mouthfeel. You can also use half-and-half, or use full fat coconut milk for a similar result.

• Milk of Choice – I used unsweetened almond milk, but any milk (dairy or dairy free) works in this recipe.

Add Ins

• Walnuts, Chopped Dates and Candied Ginger – I love the chew and extra nutrition nuts and dried fruits provide to the mochi cake, and you're welcome to use other fruits or nuts instead of the ones I listed. For example, you can use cranberries (I recommend the lower sugar kind) or chopped  dried figs if you don’t have raisins. You can use pecans if you don’t have walnuts.

More Recipes Using Glutinous Rice Flour (HERE)

Step-by-Step Guide

Recipe Variations and Optional Add Ins:

• The add in options for this nian gao recipe are pretty much unlimited and you can easily customize the flavor and texture of this nian gao recipe to fit your own tastes! Here are some awesome ways you can make this sweet rice cake your own 
  • Add more flavor! Add up to 1 Tbsp of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice to bring out the fall flavors of this recipe. You can also add cocoa, ginger powder, cardamom powder, or a teaspoon of vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. They're not typically added to a traditional recipe, but you're welcome to experiment!
  • Add more texture! Adding chopped nuts, seeds, or dried fruits or oats is a fantastic way to increase the nutrition and flavor in rice cakes. If you’re feeling indulgent, you can also add chocolate chips.
  • Turn them into muffins – instead of baking this recipe in a round pan, divide the batter into muffin pans and steam/bake. You’ll have to adjust the baking time (about 20-25 minutes).
  • Change up the liquid. For a more authentic flavor, try using full fat coconut milk instead of almond milk. The fat in the coconut milk will translate to a silky, glossy rice cake that is more decadent than just almond milk.

How to Store Pumpkin Mochi Cake / Nian Gao

• The nian gao (mochi cake) can be kept covered at room temperature for up to 24 hours, or in the fridge for 5 days.
• Rice flour desserts like mochi and nian gao usually tend to develop a weird, waxy hard texture when stored in the fridge for more than 1-2 days. To revive the nian gao to its original soft and chewy texture, you'll need to re-steam or pan-fry the rice cake until hot and completely translucent.
• For the best texture (and longer storage), I would wrap the sweet rice cake completely in a plastic wrap or Ziploc bag and freeze it and then defrost it at room temperature when ready to eat. Frozen nian gao does not have to be re-steamed, which is why I usually freeze all my leftover nian gao and mochi recipes.

Final Tips & Reminders

• Glutinous rice flour goes by many names. You'll see Glutinous Rice Flour and Mochiko Flour (my favorite brand) in Asian grocery stores, and Sweet White Rice Flour in most other stores. Please note that regular white rice flour or brown rice flour is NOT the same thing as glutinous rice flour!!!
• When using liquid ingredients in mochi recipes like this one, it's best if the liquid is hot (but not boiling). The heat of the liquid helps the mochi / glutinous flour become even more chewy and also makes the final product develop a glossy sheen.

More Dessert Recipes You'll Love (HERE)