Bibingka

Bibingka(/bɪˈbiːŋkɑː/;bi-BEENG-kah) is a type ofbakedrice cakeinFilipino cuisinethat is cooked in a terracotta oven lined with banana leaves and is usually eaten for breakfast or asmerienda(mid-afternoon snack), especially during theChristmasseason. It is also known asbingkain theVisayasandMindanaoislands.
Bibingka can also be various other Filipino baked rice cakes, for example, those made withcassavaflour (bibingkang cassava / bibingkang kamoteng kahoy), glutinous rice (bibingkang malagkit), orplain flour.
The origin of the name is unknown. The linguistRobert Blusthypothesizes that it was originally aloanword, likely fromMalay[kue] bingka. However, the consistent partialreduplicationof the word (bibingka) in mostPhilippine languages, is unexplained.InMacauandPortuguese Goa, there exist also a cake calledBebinca.
Bibingkais the name used for the dish in most languages of the Philippines, includingTagalog,Ilocano,Kapampangan,Pangasinan,Bikol,Maranao, andMansaka. It is also known asbingkainCebuanoandHiligaynon,bingkaorbingkahinAklanon, andvivingkainIvatan.
Bibingkais a traditionalChristmasfood inPhilippine cuisine. It is usually eaten along withputo bumbóngas a snack after attending the nine-daySimbang Gabi('Night mass', the Filipino version ofMisa de Gallo).
In 2007 the town ofDingras, Ilocos Norte in thePhilippinessoughtGuinness World Recordscertification after baking a kilometer-long cassavabibingkamade from 1,000 kilos ofcassavaand eaten by 1,000 residents.
The 82-year-old "Ferino’s Bibingka" is Philippines heritagerice cakefounded by Ceferino and  Cristina Francisco in October 1938 at their rented apartment in Juan Luna Street, Pritil,Tondo, Manila. From its 3clay ovens, the couple opened aManila Hotelcomplex restaurant in 1957. In 1970,J. Amado Aranetainvited Francisco to open a branch at the oldFiesta Carnival. 1938 Francisco Food Specialties, Inc.'s President, Sonny Emmanuel V. Francisco and wife Anne, one of the seven children, revealed his father, Alfredo,  who died in 2001, revived Ferino’s Bibingka in 1981, in front of theBaclaran Churchafter Ferino's 1975 death. Using the traditional ‘kalan de uling,’ the  company sells frozenready-to-eatbibingka, minibibingka, extra super, super, special, bibingcute variants and toasted bibingka at its biggestKalayaan Avenuestore.
In the traditional recipe forbibingkaglutinous riceis soaked in water overnight intapayanjars to ferment with wild yeast calledbubodortubapalm wine, then ground with amillstoneorgilingang batointo a  batter calledgalapong. The fermentation provide a faint aftertaste to the product. To save time, modern versions sometimes use regularrice flouror Japanesemochikoflour in place ofgalapong. Other ingredients can also vary greatly, but the most common secondary ingredients are eggs and milk.
Bibingka is cooked over coals in a shallowbanana leaf-linedterra cottabowl into which the rice flour mixture is poured. 
It is topped with sliced duck egg and cheese, covered with more banana leaf,and then with a metal sheet holding more coals. The result is a soft and spongy large flat cake that is slightly charred on both surfaces and infused with the aroma of toasted banana leaves. Additional toppings are then added, such as butter, sugar, cheese, or grated coconut.
More modern preparation of the dessert makes use of metal cake pans and purpose-built multi-tiered standing electric ovens. Mass-producedbibingkain Philippine bakeries are also made using tin molds that give them a crenulated edge similar to largeputoorputo mamon(cupcakes).
Bibingkais also used as a general term for desserts made withflourand baked in the same manner. The term can be loosely translated to "[rice] cake". It originally referred primarily tobibingka galapong, the most common type ofbibingkamade with rice flour. Other native Philippine cakes have also sometimes been calledbibingka. These may use other kinds of flour, such ascorn flour,cassavaflour, orplain flour, and are usually considered separate dishes altogether.Some variations ofbibingkadiffer only from the type of toppings they use. The common types ofbibingkaare listed below:
Bibingkaorbingkais also popular inIndonesia, particularly among Christian-majority areas in northernSulawesiand theMaluku Islands, both of which were former colonies of thePortuguese Empireand are geographically close to the southern Philippines. It is prepared almost identically to Philippinebibingka. In the provinces ofNorth SulawesiandGorontalo,bibingkais usually made with rice or cassava flour and coconut milk with shredded coconut baked inside. In theMaluku Islands,bibingkais spiced and sweetened withbrown sugaror sweetmeat floss. It is also traditionally cooked in clay pots lined with banana,pandan, ornipaleaves. As in the Philippines, it is also usually eaten during the Christmas season.
A pancake-like variant ofbibingkawas introduced to theChinese Indonesiancommunities ofEast Javaduring theDutch colonial period. Known aswingko,wiwingka, orbibika, it became popular throughout the island ofJava.