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Three purple puto bumbong logs on a banana leaf with melted butter, brown sugar and shredded coconut

Easy Steamed Puto Bumbong: Filipino Purple Rice Cakes

Ube-tinted glutinous rice logs steamed for 18 minutes and finished with butter, muscovado sugar, and coconut. Makes 12 logs to serve 4.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 48 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Filipino
Calories: 560
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Purple rice dough
  • 250 g glutinous rice flour also sold as sweet rice flour or mochiko
  • 50 g regular rice flour
  • 2 tbsp granulated sugar (25 g)
  • 1/4 tsp fine salt
  • 2 tsp ube extract (10 ml)
  • 230 ml warm water plus a few extra teaspoons if needed
  • 1 tbsp neutral oil for greasing hands and steamer
  • banana leaf or perforated parchment to line the steamer; optional
Toppings
  • 60 g unsalted butter (4 tbsp); softened
  • 60 g muscovado sugar (1/4 cup)
  • 100 g freshly grated coconut (1 cup); or frozen, thawed and patted dry

Method
 

  1. Whisk the glutinous rice flour, rice flour, sugar, and salt in a mixing bowl. Stir the ube extract into the warm water, pour it in, and mix, then knead for 3 minutes until the dough is smooth and soft like play dough. If the edges crack, knead in extra water 1 tsp at a time. Cover with a damp towel and rest for 10 minutes.
  2. While the dough rests, pour 5 cm / 2 inches of water into a 28 cm / 11-inch wok or pot and bring it to a boil. Line both tiers of the 26 cm / 10-inch bamboo steamer with banana leaf or perforated parchment and brush lightly with oil.
  3. Oil your hands and divide the dough into 12 portions of about 45 g each. Roll each into a log about 8 cm / 3 inches long and 2.5 cm / 1 inch thick. Set 6 logs on each tier in two rows of three, 2 cm / 3/4 inch apart.
  4. Stack the tiers over the boiling water and wrap the lid in a clean kitchen towel. Steam over medium-high heat for 18 minutes, until the logs are deep purple, glossy, and spring back when pressed.
  5. Move the hot logs to a platter and brush each with the softened butter so it melts into the surface. Sprinkle with muscovado sugar and top with the coconut. Serve within 15 minutes.

Notes

  • Rest the dough 10 minutes so the flour hydrates fully and rolls without cracking.
  • Space the logs 2 cm apart on the steamer tier so they don't fuse.
  • Steam from a full boil, and keep the water topped up if the wok runs low.
  • Serve within 15 minutes of steaming, while the logs are soft and chewy.