\tWhile traditional Nian Gao is steamed and does not contain butter, eggs or other ingredients normally found in a cake batter, this is a baked version that is good "if you don’t like standing over the stove worrying about the steamer boiling dry, if you don’t want to pan fry lots of pieces, or if you want to share with non-Asians who might be used to a more…cake-like cake." The recipe comes from Frances Kai-Hwa Wang, who adds that the "sweet, cake-like Nian Gao has a slightly sticky texture or bite to it."<\/p>\n
\tPrep Time: 5 minutes
\tCook Time: 50 minutes
\tTotal Time: 55 minutes
\tIngredients:<\/p>\n
\t16 oz. Mochiko sweet rice flour (glutinous rice flour), plus a bit extra for sprinkling on the baking dish
\t1 stick of butter or 3\/4 cup of vegetable oil
\t3 eggs
\t2 1\/2 cups milk
\t1 to 1 3\/4 cup sugar–depending on if you like it sweeter
\t1 Tb baking soda
\tOne can of red azuki beans<\/p>\n
\tPreparation:
\tMix everything but the beans with an electric mixer at medium speed for 2 minutes. Beat for 2 more minutes at high speed.
\tSprinkle Mochiko flour over a 9"x13" baking dish that has been oiled or sprayed with Pam.
\tSpread half of the batter on the bottom of the baking pan Spread the red azuki beans (you can mix some batter into the beans if they are too thick to spread).
\tSpread the other half of the batter over the red azuki beans. Bake in oven at 350 degrees for 40 to 50 minutes.
\tTest for doneness by inserting a chopstick (this is Chinese New Year’s Cake after all)—if it comes out clean, it is done.<\/p>\n