Gluten-Free Coconut Cakes: Breakfast Bibingka
Bibingka for breakfast anyone? These gluten-free coconut cakes are inspired by a Christmas treat from the Philippines. They’re called bibingka and are really simple to make. They’re both filling and not too sweet, so are just right for a quick breakfast on the go.
Bibingka (Filipino Rice Cakes)
Bibinka is a baked rice cake from the Philippines. It’s generally consumed for breakfast during the festive period and topped with grated coconut, sugar or cheese. The main ingredient in traditional bakes is fermented glutinous rice which gives a slight sour taste. The rice is mixed with coconut milk prior to baking.
Traditionally, the cakes are cooked in banana leaves over coals which gives them an additional smoky banana flavour. These days, it’s more common to use rice flour and baking tins.
Gluten-Free Coconut Cakes
I haven’t cooked my gluten-free coconut cakes in banana leaves nor have I used rice. And to think I’m one of those people who shouts at the telly when a favourite novel is massacred in the name of adaptation.
No, I used Free From Fairy’s gluten-free flour, which is my favourite gluten-free flour for baking. It performs well, but also fits right into my whole food ethos as it’s a mixture of wholegrain teff, sorghum and buckwheat with potato and tapioca starches thrown in for good measure. For the coconut element, I used coconut flour.
I substituted kefir for the coconut milk which gives the requisite fermented sour notes. If you don’t have copious amounts of homemade kefir about the place, as I do, you can use buttermilk or watered down yoghurt instead.
The method is an easy one. Mostly, you just need to add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and stir. There are a couple of additional steps you need to take though. You’ll need to melt the butter and also whisk the sugar with the eggs vigorously to remove any lumps in the sugar. In my experience brown sugar always has lumps in it.
The cakes are the right side of dense and not at all stodgy. They are quite filling though. That didn’t stop CT from wolfing two down as soon as he got home from work. The brown sugar gives them a slight caramel tone, but they’re not overly sweet. In fact I had a couple for my breakfast this morning and enjoyed them; I’m not usually one for sweet stuff first thing.
Do have a go at making these gluten-free coconut cakes, they are so very easy. Bake a batch and you’ll have a ready-to-eat breakfast that will last over several days. Plus, did I mention, they’re very satisfying.
Other Coconut Cake Recipes You Might Like
- Caramelised banana, coconut, chocolate peanut butter cake
- Coconut & ground cherry blondies
- Coconut milk layer cake
- Double delight bundt cake
- Fudgy coconut brownies
- Ginger & coconut cake pops
- Lemon coconut cakes
- Lime, coconut & cardamom loaf cake
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make this recipe for gluten-free coconut cakes, I’d love to hear about it in the comments. And do please rate the recipe. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on your preferred social media site and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
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Choclette x
Gluten-Free Coconut Cakes. PIN IT.
Gluten-Free Coconut Cakes – The Recipe
Gluten-Free Coconut Cakes
Ingredients
- 120 g gluten-free flour I used Free From Fairy’s
- 80 g coconut flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- pinch sea salt I used Himalayan pink rock salt
- 3 eggs
- 150 g light muscovado sugar
- 75 g butter melted
- 300 ml kefir, buttermilk, sour milk or watered down yoghurt
- desiccated coconut for sprinkling
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180℃ (350℉, Gas 4).
- Sieve the flours, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Make a well in the centre.
- Whisk the eggs and sugar together, in another bowl, until there are no lumps of sugar left. Pour into the flour well along with the butter and stir from the inside out. Gradually add the kefir as you go until everything is well mixed.
- Line 12 holes of a muffin tin with paper cases and divide the mixture between them.
- Bake in the centre of the oven for 25-30 minutes or until the cakes are risen and golden on top.
- Sprinkle with a little desiccated coconut and leave on a rack to cool.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Sharing
I’m sharing these simple gluten-free coconut cakes with Apply to Face Blog for #BakingCrumbs. They also go to JibbeJabberUK for Love Cake and Mummy Mishaps for #BakeOfTheWeek.
I’m totally onside with the concept of cake for breakfast! They look really good for taking out and getting on the go as well.
Yes to both of these, though there aren’t many cakes I think I could actually manage for breakfast.
I love the idea that you used kefir in the recipe. I never remember to do this!
Kefir is ingrained in my psyche Heidi. I’ve been using it for over 20 years.
I love eating my baking for breakfast. I see it as the cooks perks! These sound fabulous and exotic. I love the whole idea of them. Trouble is I think I could sink at least 5 for breakfast! Thanks so much for sharing with #BakingCrumbs
Hahaha Jenny. They’re actually quite substantial, so I very much doubt you’d be able to sink five, even if you really wanted to.
Thanks for sharing! What a great breakfast meal prep idea for the whole family!
It’s certainly a really useful breafast for eating on the go.
These look so good! I’ve never used kefir in a recipe. What is the benefit?
Kefir works wonderfully well in baking. It reacts with the raising agents and helps with the rise. But it also has lots of health benefits. You can find out a bit more about it in this post.
Those look gorgeous! I could eat at least three of them just now! Sharing this now : )
Thanks Jac. They are very good, though not what you’d expect from an ordinary cake.
Anything with coconut in is always fine with me! These sound delicious!
Yes coconut is a fantabulous ingredient and very popular in this household too.
These sound lovely and I like the fact that they are not overly sweet! Coconut flavour is a huge bonus too! Delicious! 🙂 Thank you for sharing with #BakingCrumbs 🙂
I’ve been having them for breakfast most days this week and I wouldn’t be doing that if they were overly sweet.
This recipe sounds very interesting, I love using kefir in bakes too. Thank you for bringing it to #CookBlogShare
Good to hear Monika. If I didn’t use the kefir in bakes, we’d be completely overrun with it 😀
Gluten free is a win and we love coconut around here. Would be so good with some tea or latte.
Definitely good with both tea and latte Angela, especially a matcha latte.
These look utterly delicious, and so light and fluffy for being gluten free! I’ve never heard of this recipe before, but I’m keen to try it.
Thanks Elizabeth. I think light and fluffy is a bit of an overstatement, but they do have a nice texture.
I love anything coconut. This sounds very interesting and super delicious. Need to try these.
They’re a great gluten-free bake but also a nice change to more traditional cakes.
I’m a big coconut fan so I’m sure I would love these cakes – they look delicious!
Thanks Nikki. They aren’t the sweetest or lightest of cakes, but we’ve been enjoying them and they last well too.
Very tropical! Coco-nuts for coconut recipes! Love that you used Free from fairy’s flour, so useful for anyone who is gluten free
Coco-nuts indeed. Free from Fairy’s flour is definitely my favourite gluten-free flour – not that I’m an expert.
So interesting to learn about this recipe. I am a coconut lover so these would be a delightful breakfast treat.
Coconut is such a fine ingredient. I really like it too.
Have only had Bibibingka once and never thought to make at home. These look really great, and a really nice idea for an unusual breakfast.
Oh, I’m super impressed you’ve had one Kavey. What was it like?
These do make a perfectly healthy and yummy treat for the breakfast, or afternoon snack.
Thanks Angie. I shall be having them for breakfast again today 😀