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This gluten free Indonesian Sticky Coconut Cake (Wingko Babat) is a coconut filled dessert snack that’s easy to make and so delicious! It’s simply a must make for coconut lovers.
This coconut cake is fudgy and chewy, with a great coconut flavor, and is popular throughout the island of Java. It’s considered a souvenir food to bring home when you visit one of the cities on the island.
The most popular wingko comes from the city of Babat in East Java, hence the name, Wingko Babat. But with this delicious and easy to make recipe for the little cakes, you can make it at home and share it with your family.
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Please let me know if you have any questions about this recipe. I read all the comments myself and I try to help as soon as I can. I have readers from all levels of comfort and experience in the kitchen on my site, and I’ve tried to answer some of your questions already in the post. But if I’ve missed anything, please feel free to leave a comment and ask.
Is this recipe authentic?
No, this recipe isn’t traditional, and that’s ok. I wanted the recipe to be accessible to people who live in the states, who may not have access to traditional or authentic ingredients. So, this recipe is based on authentic recipes, so that people can learn more about the foods and culture of Indonesia.
And, hopefully you like it so much that you want to try more, and maybe even seek out some traditional ingredients. Or, keep the recipe with simple store-bought ingredients.
Most importantly, this dessert is delicious! I mean, it’s amazing! So yummy that I would say that if you’re a coconut lover, you MUST try this recipe!
Traditionally, wingko babat is baked, and then cooked on a stove top using a special pancake-shaped pan, and giving it a charred look and a dry tough texture. My version, which is adapted from this recipe, is baked in an oven, and cut into smaller squares for serving, producing a nice soft moist chewy snack cake.
These cakes are traditionally made with fresh coconut and often with pandan leaf. Both of these ingredients are going to be difficult to find for many Americans, so I use shredded bagged coconut, and leave the pandan leaf out. Also, white granulated sugar isn’t as authentic, but it is readily available in the US.
glutinous rice flour
One traditional ingredient I leave in, and I think is very important in the texture, is the glutinous rice flour. That’s what gives the cake its wonderful texture. All-purpose flour just won’t work here. You can buy glutinous rice flour on Amazon with my affiliate link.
I’ve also made and shared these delicious Sweet Potato Rice Balls that are made with glutinous rice flour. And try my Ube Mochi Doughnuts Recipe for another fun treat with a different texture.
Egg tarts are an authentic dessert treat that you’ll love as well!
And for another fun Indonesian snack food, check out my delicious savory Fried Peanuts with Basil and Garlic.
Can I use Mochiko?
Yes, you can use Mochiko. That’s the Japanese sweet rice flour, or mochi flour, a glutinous rice flour that’s made of glutinous short-grain Japanese rice. Glutinous rice flour is the Thai version of the same basic ingredient.
What is wingko babat?
Wingko babat goes by many names: wingko, wiwingka, or bibika, wiwingka or bibika. It’s a traditional Indonesian bite sized pancake-like snack or dessert made from coconuts. This kind of Javanese cuisine snack is often called a kue in Indonesian.
It’s popular especially along the north coast of Java Island, and is often sold by vendors on trains or at bus or train stations.
Recipe tips
This cake is really easy to make, simply mix everything together and bake. But, here are a few tips to get the most out of the cake.
Also, please keep in mind that this cake is not the same texture as an American or French cake. It’s dense and chewy, sticky and delicious. Not light and fluffy or dry at all like a Costco cake or a box mix cake. It’s made from rice flour just like mochi – chewy and thick. They are just entirely different. If you’re looking for a more traditional American cake, you’ll want to check out my Coconut Guava Cake.
My husband has taken to calling it macaroon cake, because it tastes just like a coconut macaroon with lots of coconut flavor.
It bakes up into these delicious chewy layers with a golden crust.
You can mix up the coconut sticky rice cake batter with a mixer, or simply by hand in a mixing bowl.
Make sure your coconut milk is well shaken in the can
Coconut milk has a tendency to separate while it’s in the can. Take that can and shake it a bunch so the coconut cream and the coconut water are all mixed together in there.
If you shake and shake, and it’s still separated when open the can, you can simply pour it into a glass measuring cup and stir it with a fork or a small whisk to get it to come back together.
If it’s still lumpy, pop it in the microwave for a minute or so and it’ll all get melted together. Or, heat it on the stove in a small saucepan over medium-low heat until it all comes together.
Watch the cake when you put it under the broiler
After you bake the cake, you brush the egg yolk on top. Make sure you brush gently, as the top of the cake can tear if you use too much pressure. Then, pop the cake under the broiler to brown up the top and give it a nice crust (mimicking the crust that the Wingko would traditionally have).
Serving the cake
After the cake has been baked and refrigerated until it’s set it can be cut into 9 squares, simply by slicing the cake into thirds each direction. If you want smaller slices, cut each of those squares into triangles with a diagonal slice through the square.
I’ve even cut the triangles into smaller triangles for bite sized pieces. These small pieces are great for a potluck, and can be served in colorful cupcake liners.
This cake is perfect for a party or a holiday too because it can be made ahead and taken out of the fridge at the last minute.
It’s delicious as an afternoon treat with a Philz Mint Mojito Iced Coffee.
Kitchen items you may need for this recipe
Note: these are affiliate links
8 x 8-inch pan
glutinous rice flour
spatula for stirring
knife for cutting the squares
whisk
pastry brush
wire cooling rack
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Sticky Coconut Cake (Wingko Babat) Recipe
Sticky Coconut Cake
Ingredients
- 2 eggs separated
- 1¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2¼ cup full fat canned coconut milk
- 3 cups shredded sweetened coconut
- 1½ cup glutinous rice flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F.
- Whisk the egg whites and the sugar together in a medium bowl. Slowly mix in the coconut milk, shredded coconut, rice flour, and vanilla. Make sure that all the ingredients are well combined and that there are no lumps of coconut. The batter will be thin and liquidy.
- Pour the batter into an 8×8-inch baking pan and bake it in the preheated 350° F oven for 45 minutes.
- Carefully take out the pan and brush the egg yolks on top of the cake. Set the oven to broil and broil the cake for 5-10 minutes. Keep a close eye on it, as it will brown quickly, and take it out when the turns golden brown.
- Set the cake in the pan on a wire rack to cool completely to room temperature. Then, place the cake in the pan, covered with plastic wrap, in the fridge overnight or for 8 hours before cutting and serving, to ensure that the cake has set. Cut cake into squares or triangles, and serve cold from the fridge or at room temperature.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
Sandra Shaffer
I thought this might be complicated, but it’s so easy with your take on this wingko babat. We LOVE all things coconut, especially sweets. Thank you!
Jen
I’m so glad I got out of my comfort zone and decided to make this. It’s so good! It even won over my kids and they’re always hesitant with trying new things. Thank you for sharing.
Dorothy Reinhold
I am a HUGE fan of coconut. I love trying new dishes and new recipes! It was so good – I’m already eaten 3 pieces!
Krystle
I love coconut, and this was just divine!
Catalina
Coconut flavor is one of my favorite so I had to try this recipe!!! It was easy to make and I had all the ingredients in my kitchen. I love it!
Sharine Girigorie
Dear,
Is there no need to grease in the pan or use baking paper?
Debi
Sharine, no you don’t need to grease the pan or use parchment paper. The cake should release nicely from a clean glass pan. If your pan is very old and sticky, you may wish to line it with paper. If you prefer to line the pan with parchment paper you can, but it isn’t necessary.
Lori
Can you freeze this cake? Just the 2 of us and I usually have to freeze extra cake of any kind…
Debi
Lori, though I didn’t test freezing this cake, it seems to me that it would freeze really well. Other rice flour desserts freeze really well – think mochi – so I would expect it to last well that way. I’d wrap it in plastic wrap then in foil and place in a freezer safe container. It should last up to 3 months. Let me know if you try it; I’d love to hear.
DANNY LINGMAN
We’ve got pandan extract and coconut sugar – would you suggest using coconut sugar instead of white sugar, and if we add the pandan extract, how much?
Debi
Danny, Thanks for the questions. I don’t have much experience using pandan (extract or fresh); as I said, I like to make sure recipes are easy for people to make and many will shy away from pandan. That being said, I did a bit of research and found that pandan extract can be subbed in for vanilla extract in a 1:1 ratio. So, use 1 teaspoon pandan extract in this recipe (I think you could even use them both and it would probably be just fine – but that is a bit of an experiment). I feel pretty confident with the main source I read from King Arthur: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/blog/2021/08/20/baking-with-pandan-chiffon-cake if you want to read more about it. And for the sugar, yes, I think coconut sugar would be delicious in this – adding a little caramel flavor to it. And, I would use it in a 1:1 ratio as well, so 1 & 1/4 cups coconut sugar (same for palm sugar if you have that). I’d love to hear how it goes if you try it! Please let me know.
Marina
Good evening. What can I use instead of glutinous rice flour? I’ve never seen it here in Portugal. Best wishes, Marina
Debi
Marina,
The glutinous rice flour is what gives these cakes their great texture and a lightly sweet flavor. I highly recommend using it for this recipe. They sell it on amazon here in the states {affiliate link} https://amzn.to/44TdFyR . Maybe you can find it there as well.
If not, and you still want to try these cakes, here are some generally accepted substitutes for glutinous rice flour. Please note that each sub will change the flavor and texture a bit, and that I have not tested each of these in this recipe.
Rice flour is my first choice for a glutinous rice flour alternative. Use it 1:1.
Tapioca starch or tapioca flour is made from the cassava plant. Tapioca starch has a neutral flavor where glutinous rice flour has a light sweetness to it. Both are great options for binding ingredients and creating structure in baked goods. Use it in a 1:1 ratio.
Potato starch or flour is another swap you can use, and again in a 1:1 ratio.
Please let me know if you try any of these, and how they work. I’d love to hear.
Marina
oh great, I can get tapioca starch here without any problems. Thanks for the feedback. Best regards, Marina
Benita SUTHERLAND
Hey Debi.. Quick question: Can you cut in such a way as to serve from cupcake cups? And do you eat with your fingers? or a fork?
Thanks
Debi
Benita, You could totally cut it and serve it from cupcake cups. That would be a great way to serve a crowd! Cut it into smaller squares – probably 16 or 25 pieces from the whole square. You can check out this post where I did that same idea: https://lifecurrentsblog.com/baked-oatmeal-with-berries/ (in fact I even baked the two recipes in the same pan).
I’m a big fan of eating things with my fingers & would eat these with my fingers. They hold together really well, so won’t crumble apart on you as you eat them. You could eat these with a fork, but not necessary.
Jacklyn
When it says 2 eggs separated, we whisk the egg whites but do the yolks get added to the rest of the ingredients?
Debi
Jacklyn, you’re going to use the yolks in step 4. I added a little more details to the recipe in step 1 so maybe that will make it a little clearer. Thanks for the question.
P Snow
Can you substitute lite coconut milk for this recipe?
Debi
P Snow, I recommend full fat canned coconut milk for this recipe. It has better taste and texture than lite coconut milk.