Puto — steamed rice-flour cupcakes
Puto are small, soft, pale Filipino steamed rice-flour cupcakes — gently sweet, cooked in small cups in a bamboo steamer, sometimes topped with cheese or salted egg. They are eaten alongside savoury dishes (notably dinuguan) and on their own as breakfast.
i. Origin & history
Puto come from a shared rice-cake heritage across maritime Southeast Asia — related to the Indonesian kue apem and Malaysian putu. The Filipino version is associated particularly with Bulacan and Laguna provinces.
ii. Ingredients
Makes 12 servings · scroll the side panel to adjust
- 300 g rice flour
- 150 g sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- Pinch salt
- 300 ml coconut milk (or water)
- 2 eggs
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 60 g white cheese, cubed (optional, for topping)
iii. Method
- Whisk rice flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- Beat in eggs, coconut milk and butter to a smooth batter.
- Pour into small individual moulds, three-quarters full.
- Steam over high heat 18-20 min until set and just-springy.
- Top each with a cube of cheese (optional) and steam another 2 min. Cool slightly before turning out.
iv. Tips & common mistakes
- Use the freshest ingredients you can. The recipe relies on them.
- Read the method through first. Several steps must be ready in advance.
- Season patiently. Sweetness and salt are tuned at the end, not the start.
v. Variations
Puto bumbong is the purple bamboo-tube version. Puto kutsinta is the chewier brown variant. Cheese puto, ube puto, pandan puto are all common.
vi. Common questions
What is puto?
Puto is steamed rice-flour cupcakes, from filipino cuisine. They are eaten alongside savoury dishes (notably dinuguan) and on their own as breakfast
Where is puto from?
Puto is from the filipino dessert tradition; the recipe and history are detailed above.
How long does puto keep?
See the storage note in the Quick facts panel: 3 days at room temperature.