Baked Pumpkin Mochi
This tender baked pumpkin mochi has a chewy rice-flour texture, warm spice, and a lightly crisp top. Pumpkin puree and coconut milk make the squares rich and fragrant, perfect for a simple autumn dessert or snack.
This recipe is japanese style, dessert, scaled for 8 servings, with 15 min prep and 50 min cook.
Prep: 15 min · Cook: 50 min · Total: 65 min · Serves: 8
Quick cooking notes
- Core ingredients include large eggs, fine sea salt, baking powder, granulated sugar.
- Follow all 13 steps in order for the intended texture and doneness.
- Ingredient quantities listed below are for 8 servings.
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 0.5 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 0.75 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp neutral vegetable oil (plus more for greasing)
- 1 cup canned full-fat coconut milk (well shaken)
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 tbsp white sesame seeds
- 0.5 tsp ground ginger
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups glutinous rice flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) for at least 10 minutes so the heat is steady before baking.
- Brush an 8-inch square metal baking pan with a thin layer of neutral vegetable oil, line the bottom and two sides with parchment paper, and brush the parchment lightly with oil so the sticky mochi releases cleanly.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk 2 cups glutinous rice flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 0.5 tsp ground ginger, and 0.5 tsp fine sea salt for 30 seconds, until the leavening and spices are evenly distributed and no spice streaks remain.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1 cup well-shaken canned full-fat coconut milk, 0.75 cup granulated sugar, 2 room-temperature large eggs, 3 tbsp neutral vegetable oil, and 1 tsp vanilla extract for 1 to 2 minutes, until smooth and glossy.
- Pour the pumpkin mixture into the bowl with the rice flour mixture and whisk for 1 to 2 minutes, scraping the sides with a silicone spatula, until the batter is thick, smooth, and free of dry flour pockets.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared 8-inch square pan with the silicone spatula, then tap the pan firmly on the counter 3 to 4 times to level the batter and release large air bubbles.
- Sprinkle 1 tbsp white sesame seeds evenly over the surface, keeping most of the seeds away from the very edges so they do not scorch against the pan.
- Bake the mochi on the center rack at 350°F (175°C) for 45 to 50 minutes, until the top is set and lightly golden, the edges pull slightly from the pan, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few sticky crumbs but no wet batter.
- Transfer the pan to a wire rack and cool the mochi in the pan for 20 minutes, until the pan is comfortable to handle and the center has firmed enough to lift without tearing.
- Run a thin offset spatula or butter knife around the unlined sides of the pan, then use the parchment overhang to lift the mochi slab onto the wire rack.
- Let the mochi cool on the rack for 20 to 30 minutes longer, until just warm or room temperature; cutting too early will make the chewy center compress and stick to the knife.
- Lightly oil a sharp chef's knife, cut the slab into 8 rectangles or 16 smaller squares on a cutting board, wiping and re-oiling the knife between cuts for clean edges.
- Serve the pumpkin mochi at room temperature, or store the pieces in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 2 days; the texture should be chewy, tender, and slightly crisp on the top the day it is baked.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories: 310
- Protein: 5 g
- Fat: 11 g
- Carbohydrates: 50 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Sugar: 21 g
- Sodium: 230 mg
Nutrition values are estimates based on stored ingredient totals and serving size.