This soft and chewy Strawberry Mochi Cake (also called Nian Gao in China) is a delightful treat that combines the sweetness of ripe strawberries with the unique texture of glutinous rice flour. Made with care and simple ingredients, it's a delightful dessert or snack that's sure to please everyone.
I love to serve the Strawberry Mochi Cake as a light snack or dessert. Garnish each slice with a fresh strawberry or a dusting of powdered sugar for an extra touch of elegance.
Ingredients Used to Make Strawberry Mochi Cake (Baked 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!!!
- Sugar of choice – you can use granulated white, or raw cane sugar in this recipe. You can also use sugar-free substitutes such as monk fruit sweetener in this recipe for a slightly lower-sugar / lower-carb option.
- Strawberries - I used fresh strawberries in this recipe, but thawed frozen strawberries work just as well.
- Coconut Oil - You can use regular coconut oil, or refined coconut oil, like this one, which has a neutral scent and flavor (this is great for people who do not like the distinct smell and flavor of coconut. You can also use other oils in this recipe such as light olive oil, avocado oil, or regular canola oil. You can also use plant-based, dairy-free butter or regular butter instead.
- Milk of Choice – I used unsweetened almond milk, but any milk (dairy or dairy free) works in this recipe.
More Strawberry Mochi Recipes
Step-by-Step Guide
How to Make Strawberry Mochi Cake (Nian Gao)
STEP 1
If using fresh strawberries, wash and remove the stems. Blend the strawberries in a food processor or blender. Set aside.
(You can also use a fork to mash the strawberries. Some chunks are ok.)
STEP 2
In a clean bowl, mix glutinous rice flour (also called sweet rice flour or mochiko flour) with sugar.
STEP 3
Pour the strawberry puree and almond milk into the flour mixture and use a whisk to mix well.
STEP 4
Stir the melted coconut oil into the batter
STEP 5
Pour batter into a well greased or parchment-lined cake pan or an oven-safe dish. For reference, I used a 8.75'' x 6.75'' (Pyrex rectangular glass dish) pan.
STEP 6
bake in oven 350F for 45-60 minutes, or until the middle is set and the edges are crispy.
STEP 7
Let cool completely before serving, or cool the cakes in the freezer for 2-3 hours which helps to get clean slices of cakes.
STEP 8
Enjoy!
Recipe Variations and Optional Add Ins:
- The add in options for this baked mochi cake recipe are pretty much unlimited and you can easily customize the flavor and texture to fit your own tastes! Here are some awesome ways you can make this sweet rice cake your own
- 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. 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 Strawberry Mochi Cake
- Mochi cakes can be kept covered at room temperature for up to 24 hours. Enjoy them fresh within this time for the best taste and texture.
- While it's possible to refrigerate mochi cakes, rice flour desserts like mochi tend to develop a waxy hard texture when stored in the fridge for more than 1-2 days.
- If your mochi cakes lose their soft and chewy texture after refrigeration, you can re-steam or pan-fry them until hot and completely translucent to revive their original texture.
- For longer storage, consider wrapping the sweet rice cakes completely in plastic wrap or a Ziploc bag and freezing them. When ready to enjoy, defrost the frozen mochi cakes at room temperature. Frozen mochi cakes do not require re-steaming.
Final Tips & Reminders
- Glutinous rice flour is known by several names. In Asian grocery stores, you'll find it labeled as Glutinous Rice Flour or Mochiko Flour, but sometimes it's called Sweet White Rice Flour. Be sure not to confuse glutinous rice flour from regular white rice flour or brown rice flour, as they are not interchangeable!
- 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.
Deliciously Soft & Chewy Baked Strawberry Mochi Cake (Nian Gao)
Ingredients
Mochi Batter
- 2 cup mochiko flour, sweet rice or glutinous rice flour (175g), read notes*
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar of choice (67g), use monk fruit sweetener for a lower sugar option
- 8 oz strawberries (226g), fresh or thawed from frozen. 8 oz yields about 1 cup of strawberry puree
- ½ cup almond milk, regular milk or water (114g), room temperature
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil (54 g), or light olive oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease a 8 x 8 inch square cake (I used a Pyrex glass dish) with some oil (spray oil works fine, too).
- If using fresh strawberries, wash and remove the stems. Blend the strawberries in a food processor or blender. Set aside.(You can also use a fork to mash the strawberries. Some chunks are ok.)
- In a clean bowl, mix glutinous rice flour (mochiko flour) with sugar.
- Pour the strawberry puree and almond milk into the flour mixture and use a whisk to mix well.
- Stir the melted coconut oil into the batter
- Pour batter into the greased cake pan or oven safe pan, and bake in oven 350F for 50-60 minutes , or until the middle is set and the edges are crispy.
- For softer texture, you can also steam the mochi batter on medium heat for 45-60 mins, or until the center of the mochi cake is set.
- Let cool completely before serving, or cool the cakes in the freezer for 2-3 hours which helps to get clean slices of cakes.
- Enjoy!
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