• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer

Foxy Folksy logo

  • ALL Recipes
    • COOKING + BAKING TIPS
  • RECIPE by Category
    • By Course/Meal:
      • Appetizers
      • Bread
      • Breakfast Ideas
      • Dessert + Sweets
      • Salad Recipes
      • Soup Recipes
      • Drinks
    • By Main Ingredient:
      • Beef Recipes
      • Chicken + Poultry
      • Pork Recipes
      • Fish + Seafood Recipes
      • Pasta + Noodle Recipes
      • Vegetable Recipes
    • By Cuisine:
      • Asian Dishes
      • Meditteranean/ Mid. Eastern
  • Filipino Dishes
  • ABOUT
    • About the Recipes
    • Contact
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • ALL RECIPES
  • BY COURSE/MEAL:
    • Appetizers
    • Bread
    • Breakfast Ideas
    • Dessert + Sweets
    • Side Dishes
    • Soup Recipes
    • Sandwiches/Light Meals
    • Drinks
    • Sauces and Condiments
  • BY MAIN INGREDIENT:
    • Beef Recipes
    • Chicken + Poultry Recipes
    • Fish + Seafood Recipes
    • Pork Recipes
    • Pasta + Noodle Recipes
    • Rice and Grains Recipes
    • Fruits Recipes
    • Vegetable Recipes
  • BY CUISINE:
    • Asian Dishes
    • Mediterranean/Middle Eastern
    • Italian
  • FILIPINO RECIPES
  • ABOUT
    • About the Recipes
    • Contact
×
Home > Filipino Recipes

Biko Recipe (Filipino Sticky Rice Cake)

BY :Bebs | Published: 05/11/ 2020 | Updated:08/28/ 2020 | 187 Comments

RECIPE VIDEO PRINT
4.95 from 114 votes
Share Pin It Email

Get that perfect sticky chewiness all the time with this easy Biko recipe. Topped with delicious coconut caramel sauce or latik that will make you want for more.
Biko, a Filipino sticky rice cake with latik syrup topping

  • What is Biko?
  • What do you need to make Biko Kalamay?
  • How to make Biko?
  • Printable Recipe
  • Biko Recipe (Filipino Rice Cake)

What is Biko?

Biko (pronounced bee-koh), a rice cake,  is a native Filipino delicacy or 'kakanin' where glutinous rice is cooked with coconut milk and brown sugar then topped Latik.  The latik can be either in curd form or syrup. Traditionally, biko is served on a bilao, a round wooden bamboo tray, lined with coconut-oiled banana leaves, and is a popular dessert for every special occasion like birthdays, reunions and fiestas.

It is well-loved throughout the country and known different names. Bibingkang malagkit is one and it is Sinukmani to the Southern Tagalog regions. We grew up calling it simply kalamay.

3 basic ingredients for biko: glutinous rice, coconut milk, brown sugar

What do you need to make Biko Kalamay?

You will need only 4 basic ingredients to make this delicacy: glutinous rice, coconut milk, water, and brown sugar. You can either top it with latik curds or latik syrup, that is made by combining coconut and brown sugar.

The color of your biko will depend mainly on the brown sugar used. If you are trying to get that rich brown color then use a really dark brown sugar or muscovado.  Brown sugar also varies in sweetness so you might have to adjust according to your preference.

Adding pandan leaves while cooking the rice will give it nice aroma and flavor. I also added a bit of vanilla extract to the latik syrup to make it extra delicious. Believe me, it is spoon-licking good, I could eat it on its own.

malagkit na kalamay or biko served on a plate

 

How to make Biko?

I found that there are several ways to cook it.  The most common way is by cooking the glutinous rice first like you do regular rice. Then it will be added to the coconut caramel later.

There is also another way that an old friend taught me. He simply put the ingredients for the biko together in a rice cooker and that is it. Practical if you do not have time and just want a quick snack.

For this recipe I went with the more traditional way. But instead of just boiling the sticky rice in water, I boiled it in coconut milk with water and pandan leaves so it can absorb the flavors right from the beginning.

step-by-step photo on how to make sticky rice cake

Here are some tips to make a perfectly chewy biko with perfect latik topping

Making this sticky rice cake is really very easy. But one simple mistake and it can turn mushy or uncooked.

  • When you steam the rice make sure that you do not add too much water. It is not supposed to be completely cooked at this point. Doing so may result in the grains to break when cooked later which will give you a paste-like consistency instead of chewy whole grains.
  • It is fine to give it a stir or two in the first part of cooking the rice to prevent the bottom from burning. However, avoid over stirring because, again, it will result in mushy rice.
  • When the rice is added to the latik syrup, gently fold the rice to coat them completely. Let the rice absorb the liquid while stirring from time to time. Do this until all grains are cooked and have expanded and very sticky.
  • The length of time to bake the biko depends on how thick the latik caramel topping is, it might take more than 20-30 minutes if it is a thick layer. Just wait that it turns bubbly and no longer gooey.

freshly cooked kalamay na malagkit

Printable Recipe

Print Review

Biko Recipe (Filipino Rice Cake)

4.95 from 114 votes
Get this easy Biko recipe, a Filipino rice cake made from glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk and brown sugar topped with caramelized coconut milk.
Prep Time: 5 minutes mins
Cook Time: 1 hour hr
Total Time: 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
Course :Dessert, Snack
Servings =9 squares
Print Recipe Rate this Recipe

Ingredients
 

TO COOK RICE

  • 2 cups glutinous rice - washed and drained
  • 1 cup canned coconut milk
  • 1 cup water
  • 2 pieces pandan leaves

LATIK SYRUP

  • 2 cups canned coconut milk
  • 1 cup dark brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla (optional)
  • vegetable or coconut oil - for greasing the pan

Instructions
 

  • Generously grease an 8x8-inch square baking pan and set aside.
  • In a large pot over medium heat, mix together the 1 cup coconut milk and 1cup water. Add the glutinous rice and pandan leaves. Bring to a simmer then turn heat to low and cover. Let it cook until all liquids are absorbed. The rice should only be almost cooked at this point.
  • While waiting, prepare the latik syrup by combining the 2 cups coconut milk and 1 cup dark brown sugar on a large pan or pot. Cook over medium heat while constantly stirring until the liquid thickens into a camarel.
  • Scoop and reserve ½ cup of the latik syrup for the topping later. Add the cooked rice without the pandan leaves to tha pan with the remaining latik syrup. Gently fold the sticky rice and the syrup until completely coated. Cook while stirring from time to time until the rice completely absorbs the syrup and the rice is fully cooked.
  • Transfer the rice into the greased pan and spread out evenly. Pour the reserved latik syrup on spread evenly on top of the rice. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F/180°C for 20-30 minutes or until the latik is reduced and becomes bubbly.
  • Remove from oven and let it cool down. Cut into squares and serve.

Nutrition

Calories: 455kcalCarbohydrates: 66gProtein: 5gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 18gSodium: 24mgPotassium: 291mgFiber: 3gSugar: 28gVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 2mg
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @foxyfolksy or tag #FoxyFolksyRecipes!

Biko, a rice cake, is a native Filipino delicacy where glutinous rice is cooked with coconut milk and brown sugar then topped with caramelized coconut milk. | www.foxyfolksy.com

This biko recipe was originally published on August 2016. Updated on May 2020 to include new photos and recipe video and improve the recipe itself.

More Filipino Recipes

  • Fresh calamansi juice being poured in a glass with ice, calamondin slices, and mint leaves.
    Calamansi Juice
  • Sinigang na bangus in a serving bowl.
    Sinigang na Bangus
  • Sizzling sisig in a cast iron pan.
    Authentic Sisig
  • Binatog in a bowl topped with grated mature coconut and brown sugar.
    Binatog

Latest Recipes

Fresh calamansi juice being poured in a glass with ice, calamondin slices, and mint leaves.

Calamansi Juice

Yang Chow fried rice in a serving platter loaded with shrimp, sausages, eggs, carrots, and green peas.

Yang Chow Fried Rice

Sizzling sisig in a cast iron pan.

Authentic Sisig

Crispy beer battered fish served with fries and lemon wedges.

Crispy Beer-Battered Fish

Binatog in a bowl topped with grated mature coconut and brown sugar.

Binatog

Tender beef slices and ampalaya stir-fried in a delicious brown sauce.

Ampalaya Con Carne

Sinantolan made with minced cotton fruit flesh (santol) with coconut cream, shrimp paste, and chili.

Sinantolan (Ginataang Santol)

A slice of avocado float topped with slices of avocado and crushed graham crackers.

Avocado Float

Reader Interactions

Comments

    4.95 from 114 votes (43 ratings without comment)

    What do you think? Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Rate this Recipe




  1. Vivian says

    June 29, 2024 at 2:06 pm

    5 stars
    Hey,
    This is soooooo good! Just a question, is it possible that the conversion to metric ist kinda wonky? For example, US customary says "1 cup of Coconut Milk" which becomes "2 cans (about 800 ml) in metric. But according to Google, 1 cup (American) = 240 ml. Same for the water. Could you give me a hint? I ended up using the cups measurements and putting everything into google for conversion because I was really unsure about the metric ones.
    Cheers,
    Vivian

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      July 10, 2024 at 6:05 pm

      Hi Vivian, yes I am going through the recipes because, I am not sure how, the app seems to mess up the conversions in some of them. Thanks you for the heads-up still.😘

      Reply
  2. ST says

    June 10, 2024 at 5:01 am

    Can you use pandan extract? If so, how much? Will fully cooking the grains in a rice cooker be acceptable?

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      June 16, 2024 at 10:26 pm

      You can use about 1 teaspoon pandan extract. The problem with cooking it fully is that it might turn mushy when you cook it further in latik syrup later-on. Cook it just a bit al dente so it can still absorb the latik syrup.

      Reply
  3. Tami Fox Sherman says

    February 05, 2024 at 9:54 am

    5 stars
    Delicious! I also used coconut sugar.

    Reply
  4. Mimosa Mey says

    November 26, 2023 at 1:40 am

    5 stars
    The sweetness and consistency were just right. My family finished Biko in one sitting ☺️

    Reply
  5. Eve Santiago says

    November 24, 2023 at 12:22 am

    5 stars
    I think the recipe is great! The taste is there but I will make some modifications my next batch. Definitely using dark brown sugar, cook Latik longer, use more latik sauce on top and maybe even add a little more sugar for extra sweetness, and use quality coconut milk (mine must’ve been in the cabinet for too long- solidified and super oily). Overall, the taste sure brought my husband back to his childhood and helped us remember how Lola’s tasted.

    Reply
  6. Aurora Lozada says

    November 21, 2023 at 10:49 pm

    Can I make the Biko the day before store in the fridge and bake it the day I want to serve it

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      December 17, 2023 at 2:01 pm

      I am not a big fan of refrigerating cooked rice, because it tends to dry up and harden but if covered properly and only overnight, I think it should be fine.

      Reply
  7. Anacleta Milani says

    October 25, 2023 at 12:37 am

    4 stars
    I almost make the same,going to try the Carmel version ‼️ We call this Kakanen 😋🤙😇

    Reply
  8. Yuu says

    June 04, 2023 at 4:36 am

    5 stars
    I always follow your recipes and try to make use of what I can access here in Germany. Thank you. I grew up in the Philippines and it takes me back home to make kakanin.

    Reply
« Older Comments

Primary Sidebar

Author photo

Good food does not have to be expensive or difficult to make. With our recipes, you can make budget-friendly and restaurant-worthy dishes in no time!

Learn more→

  • Yang Chow fried rice in a serving platter loaded with shrimp, sausages, eggs, carrots, and green peas.
    Yang Chow Fried Rice
  • Crispy beer battered fish served with fries and lemon wedges.
    Crispy Beer-Battered Fish
  • Tender beef slices and ampalaya stir-fried in a delicious brown sauce.
    Ampalaya Con Carne
  • Sinantolan made with minced cotton fruit flesh (santol) with coconut cream, shrimp paste, and chili.
    Sinantolan (Ginataang Santol)

Subscribe

Ebook
Receive new posts directly delivered to your inbox As a bonus, a FREE eCookbook and printable Recipe Cards upon subscription
  • Easy Garlic Mushroom and Baby Potatoes by Foxy Folky
    Pan Roasted Garlic Mushroom and Baby Potatoes

  • Hamondo Recipe
    Easy Pork Hamonado Recipe using Pork Belly

  • Phalaenopsis Orchid Care
    How to take care of orchids?

  • Chop Suey served in a plate.
    Easy Chop Suey Recipe

  • How to make Tapioca Pearls by Foxy Folksy
    How to make Black Tapioca Pearls for Bubble Tea (Milk Tea)

  • Baby Back Ribs in Oven | Foxy Folksy
    Fall-off-the-bone Baby Back Ribs in Oven

Footer

  • Spanish Bread showing the buttery sugar filling.
    Filipino Spanish Bread Recipe
  • Try this Chicken Sotanghon Soup. A tasty and immune-boosting Filipino chicken soup with slippy cellophane noodles. | www.foxyfolksy.com
    Chicken Sotanghon Soup
  • Yummy Coffee Jelly
    Coffee Jelly
  • Pichi Pichi Recipe
  • Homemade Japanese Cheesecake | Foxy Folksy
    Japanese Cheesecake
  • Cheesy Cauliflower
    Cauliflower Mac and Cheese

Footer

↑ back to top

FEATURE ICONS

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Copyright © 2014 - 2021 Foxy Folksy All Rights Reserved

HOME | ABOUT | CONTACT | RECIPE INDEX

PRIVACY POLICY| DISCLOSURE|COPYRIGHT POLICY

Rate This Recipe

Your vote:




A rating is required
A name is required
An email is required

Recipe Ratings without Comment

Something went wrong. Please try again.