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Red Bean Sticky Rice Cake (Instant Pot)

February 14, 2018 by Jeanette 8 Comments

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Red Bean Sticky Rice Cake - celebrate Chinese New Year with this traditional steamed mochi-like cake. Pressure steam in an Instant Pot or steam on stovetop.
Red Bean Sticky Rice Cake - celebrate Chinese New Year with this traditional steamed mochi-like cake. Pressure steam in an Instant Pot or steam on stovetop.

Red Bean Sticky Rice Cake is a traditional sweet enjoyed during Chinese New Year. Adzuki beans add texture to this soft, sticky rice cake. This is one of many sticky rice recipes my mom has collected over the years. I have a black binder full of her favorite recipes, and I have sectioned off a tab with all her favorite sticky rice recipes. Sticky rice cake is especially enjoyed during Chinese New Year because it symbolizes family cohesiveness. Also, sticky rice cake is called “nian gao,” in Chinese, which symbolizes increasing prosperity every year. 
Red Bean Sticky Rice Cake - celebrate Chinese New Year with this traditional steamed mochi-like cake. Pressure steam in Instant Pot or steam on stovetop
The past several years, I have tried at least one new sticky rice recipe from my mom’s collection for Chinese New Year. This year, I made this Red Bean Sticky Rice Cake and my Auntie Florences’ Jujube Date Sticky Rice Cake. I sent a sample of each to my mom for Chinese New Year so she could sample them. She loves sticky rice cake but doesn’t cook anymore, so she was very happy to receive my package.

My mom used to send me care packages, so now that she no longer cooks, I send her care packages once in a while. Oftentimes, I send something I’ve made based on one of her recipes because I know she’ll appreciate it.

I believe this red bean sticky rice cake is a variation of a recipe my mom got from Auntie Florence. I found a copy of Auntie Florence’s recipe in my mom’s black binder of recipes, followed by another piece of paper with my mom’s version. My mom adds vanilla and dried longan to her red bean sticky rice cake.

I cooked my own adzuki beans, but you can also buy them precooked in the Asian grocery store. If you choose to cook adzuki beans, I suggest soaking them overnight first. This will reduce cooking time. Also, if you have a pressure cooker or Instant Pot, you can save substantial cooking time. The advantage of making your own adzuki beans is that you can use the cooking liquid in the batter instead of water for more color and flavor.

Red Bean Sticky Rice Cake - celebrate Chinese New Year with this traditional steamed mochi-like cake. Pressure steam in Instant Pot or steam on stovetop

The base is the traditional sticky rice batter, which consists of sweet rice flour, sugar, oil and water. My mom adds vanilla extract, adzuki beans and dried longan (I could not find these so I left them out – dried longan are chewy and sweet).

I used two smaller 6″ round pans lined with plastic wrap because I wanted to try steaming this cake in the Instant Pot.  The 6″ round pan fits inside a 6-quart Instant Pot. You can use an 8″ round pan if you plan on steaming this cake in a large steamer on top of the stove.

Red Bean Sticky Rice Cake - celebrate Chinese New Year with this traditional steamed mochi-like cake. Pressure steam in Instant Pot or steam on stovetop

Cover the top of the pan with foil and place inside the Instant Pot for a smoother top. I suggest spraying the foil with a little cooking oil to keep the sticky rice cake from sticking to the foil after cooking.

Red Bean Sticky Rice Cake - celebrate Chinese New Year with this traditional steamed mochi-like cake. Pressure steam in Instant Pot or steam on stovetop

This Red Bean Sticky Rice Cake is very soft and sticky. I also gave some to my sister, who suggested warming up extras briefly in a microwave.

Red Bean Sticky Rice Cake - celebrate Chinese New Year with this traditional steamed mochi-like cake. Pressure steam in Instant Pot or steam on stovetop

Red Bean Sticky Rice Cake - celebrate Chinese New Year with this traditional steamed mochi-like cake. Make in Instant Pot or steam.
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Mom's Red Bean Sticky Rice Cake (Instant Pot)

This is a very soft sticky rice cake. This recipe yields two 6" round sticky rice cakes or one 8" round cake. 

If you use an Instant Pot, you may want to halve the recipe and make just one 6" cake. Otherwise, you can stack two pans in the Instant Pot by either using two Instant Pot Steamer Baskets or try using a pair of chopsticks in between the two pans to create some separation.

Course Dessert
Cuisine Chinese
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Servings 20
Calories 237 kcal

Ingredients

  • 3 cups water or use cooking water from beans
  • 1 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 pound sweet rice flour
  • 1/2 cup oil flavorless
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 1/2 cups adzuki beans cooked
  • 1/2 cup dried longan optional

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, stir together water (or bean cooking liquid - see Notes) and sugar until dissolved. Gradually whisk in rice flour until well blended. Gradually whisk in oil until combined. Add vanilla, adzuki beans and longan, if using. Stir to combine.

    Red Bean Sticky Rice Cake - celebrate Chinese New Year with this traditional steamed mochi-like cake. Make in Instant Pot or steam.
  2. Divide batter between two plastic wrap lined 6" round cake pans, or one 8" round pan. Spray one side of oil with cooking oil. Place foil, oiled side down, over cake pan and cover loosely.

    Red Bean Sticky Rice Cake - celebrate Chinese New Year with this traditional steamed mochi-like cake. Make in Instant Pot or steam.

Instant Pot Pressure Cooking Method

  1. This works for 6" round cake pan only. Place steam trivet in bottom of Instant Pot. Add 1 cup water. Place cake pan on trivet. Cover and cook at high pressure for 30 minutes. Let natural release 10 minutes, then quick release pressure.

    Jujube Date Sticky Rice Cake - traditional Chinese New Year sticky rice cake made with jujube date jam

Steaming Method

  1. Set up Chinese steamer. Use two tiers to steam 6" round cake pans or one tier to steam 8" round cake pan. Steam for 1 hour.

    Red Bean Sticky Rice Cake - celebrate Chinese New Year with this traditional steamed mochi-like cake. Make in Instant Pot or steam.

Recipe Notes

To cook adzuki beans, soak 1 cup dried adzuki beans overnight. Then place drained beans in Instant Pot or pressure cooker; add enough water to cover by 1" for 5-7 minutes. Drain beans, reserving cooking liquid. Measure out 3 cups of cooking liquid. Add 1 3/4 cup sugar to cooking liquid and stir to dissolve. Use this in place of the water and sugar in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts
Mom's Red Bean Sticky Rice Cake (Instant Pot)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 237 Calories from Fat 45
% Daily Value*
Fat 5g8%
Sodium 4mg0%
Potassium 170mg5%
Carbohydrates 42g14%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 17g19%
Protein 3g6%
Calcium 11mg1%
Iron 0.6mg3%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

If you like this Red Bean Sticky Rice Cake recipe, you might also like:

Jujube Date Sticky Rice Cake

Jujube Date Sticky Rice Cake - traditional Chinese New Year sticky rice cake made with jujube date jam

 

Florence Lin’s Baked Coconut Sticky Rice Cake

Chinese Coconut Almond Sticky Rice Cake © Jeanette's Healthy Living

 

Mom’s Baked Coconut Sticky Rice Cake with Red Bean Paste

My Mom's Chinese Baked Sticky Rice Red Bean Paste Cake - celebrate Chinese New Year with this sticky rice cake that includes a sweet red bean paste filling

 

Mom’s Baked Coconut Walnut Sweet Rice Cake

Baked Coconut Sweet Rice Walnut Cake - this Chinese sticky rice cake is easy to make, not too sweet and perfect for Chinese New Year

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Filed Under: Asian, Chinese New Year, dairy-free, gluten-free, Instant Pot, vegan, vegetarian Tagged With: Chinese New Year recipe, Chinese sticky rice, Lunar New Year recipe, Mom's recipe, symbolic foods for Chinese New Year

« Chinese Jujube Date Sticky Rice Cake Recipe
Instant Pot Chinese Barbecue Spareribs »

Comments

  1. Angie@Angie's Recipes says

    February 15, 2018 at 1:16 am

    So gooey so good! Wish I could have a slice for the breakfast now! Happy Chinese New Year, Jeanette.

    Reply
    • Jeanette says

      February 15, 2018 at 9:51 pm

      Thanks Angie – Happy Chinese New Year to you too!

      Reply
      • Jane says

        February 8, 2021 at 3:38 pm

        Help. Would like to try TRBR Cake…
        What methods to reheat Taiwanese Red Bean Rice Cake? ..just bought from market.

        Reply
        • Jeanette says

          February 8, 2021 at 4:28 pm

          My mom used to cut cold sticky rice cake into slices, dip in beaten egg and pan fry in some oil. The sticky rice should soften up.

          Reply
  2. Jessica says

    February 1, 2021 at 1:45 am

    Would you suggest white sugar or brown sugar or chinese brown sugar?

    Reply
    • Jeanette says

      February 8, 2021 at 1:56 pm

      I used white sugar, but I think brown sugar should work fine

      Reply
  3. Regina says

    February 15, 2021 at 4:34 pm

    Can I use canned red beans instead if I’m running short on time?

    Reply
    • Jeanette says

      February 15, 2021 at 5:33 pm

      Yes – just be sure to use adzuki beans, not regular red beans

      Reply

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