Soft and Crispy Butter Mochi Cupcakes - Catherine Zhang (2024)

Soft, sweet and chewy mochi with a crisp exterior. These Hawaiian butter mochi cupcakes are the perfect combination of textures for a glutinous rice treat!

Butter mochi is one of my recent addictions and if you haven't heard of it you are missing out! I discovered butter mochi last year as I was scrolling through the many desserts of my instagram feed. I have always been a fan of anything made from glutinous rice, and so I noted to myself that I needed to give it a go. Fast forward to a few months later and I am a butter mochi addict. SPECIFICALLY to the edge pieces 😂

Background

Traditionally butter mochi is baked as large slabs and then cut into smaller pieces. I don't have anything against the soft and chewy centre pieces, but the slight crispiness and extra caramelisation of the edge and corner pieces make me weak.

Now here's the question. Why not make them ALL the edge pieces? Baking these as cupcakes increases their exposed surface area, making them crispy all around while still retaining the soft chewy centre. I even went as far as buttering a dusting the tins with rice flour to up the crunch and create an even crisper exterior. I am in love 😍

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does butter mochi last?

Butter mochi can last for up to three days left at room temperature. A week in the fridge, or if frozen up to a month. If you freeze the butter mochi to consume simply take them out and put them in the microwave for a minute to defrost.

Can you leave butter mochi out at room temperature?

Yes! You can leave it at room temperature for up to three days.

What is the difference between butter mochi and Japanese mochi?

Butter mochi originates from Hawaii and although it may have a similar texture to Japanese mochi, Korean chapssaltteok and Chinese nian gao it is completely different. The latter three Asian rice cakes are made from glutinous rice flour, however they are made from pounding steamed glutinous rice into a paste. Butter mochi takes is made by baking butter, egg, coconut milk and glutinous rice flour in a large slab. This creates a mochi with varying textures with a crisp exterior and a soft interior

Can I use glutinous rice flour instead of mochiko?

Yes! Mochiko is a Japanese variety of glutinous rice flour made from glutinous Japanese short-grain rice. On the other hand the glutinous rice flour commonly found in Asian grocery stores is made from glutinous Thai long-grain rice. These are very similar, but differ a little in terms of water absorbtion, etc. For the average home baker the difference will barely be noticeable and they both produce absolutely delicious butter mochi!

Tips

When I was creating this version I wanted to maximise the crisp and golden exterior while keeping the soft and chewy interior.

Greasing and flouring the tin

Due to the nature of glutinous rice flour it is easy for them to stick to the sides of the tin. Make sure to fully butter and flour your moulds

Using rice flour or semolina flour will help increase the crispiness of the exterior due to their coarse texture. However, if you do not have either on hand plain flour works fine too!

Careful mixing of batter

It is important to whisk the mixture well, but also to do so carefully in order to minimise air bubbles. Air bubbles in your batter can bake up to create large air pockets in your mochi.

If you do happen to create lots of air bubbles give your cupcake tray a couple of firm taps before placing it in the oven. This will pop the large air pockets.

No lumps in batter

When mixing the batter ensure there are no lumps of glutinous rice flour remaining

If you see that the batter is a little lumpy, but you have already whisked a lot, pour the batter through a fine mesh sieve. This will remove large chunks.

Filling the tray

These will rise a little, but not much compared to baking cupcakes or muffins. When filling the tray you can fill it close to the top with no problems, and you will have a beautiful cupcake with tall sides.

Let's Get Baking!

I've created a video and uploaded it to my Youtube Channel Catty Cakes to help you guys visually through the process, and so you can watch that dreamy mochi pull.

I can't wait for you to try these, I've been obsessed and I hope you'll all like my version of butter mochi.

If you liked this recipe make sure to leave me a comment and rating down below, I would love to know how you went.

Also, don't forget to tag me on Instagram@catherine.dessertsand hashtag #cattycakes so I can see and share your desserts. Follow me onFacebook,Pinterest,Youtube,andTikTokfor more of my baking creations and updates! Until next time... happy baking!

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