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

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.