Steamed Rice Cakes: Putong Ube, Muscovado, Queso and Pandan

As promised, here are the recipes for the steamed rice cakes.  I have had great success with these and I hope you all will too.  The procedure for each flavour is basically the same and is only listed in detail with the first recipe.  Variations, if any, are indicated in the succeeding recipes.

Make one or make all four flavours!

From top left, clockwise: putong ube, putong mascobado, putong pandan, and putong queso.

PUTONG UBE (makes about 30 - 36 mini muffin sized puto)

1  cup rice flour
1/2 cup cake flour
3 teaspoons double acting baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup + 2T evaporated milk
100 grams grated ube
1/2 teaspoon McCormick ube flavour
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
pinch of violet food powder (if desired), no more than 1/8 tsp. 

In a medium bowl, sift dry ingredients together.  Add in the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Do not overmix.  If you want a darker purple shade, add in the violet food powder to finish off.  

Heat water in bottom pan of steamer until water boils rapidly. Wrap steamer cover with a towel.  

Grease puto molds or mini muffin pans then scoop puto batter into molds,  3/4 full. Decrease heat to medium then steam puto for 20 minutes. Let cool slightly before removing from the molds.

PUTONG MASCOBADO

1  cup rice flour
1/2 cup cake flour
2 1/4 teaspoons double acting baking powder
1/2 cup packed muscovado sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup + 2T evaporated milk
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter

**Combine coconut milk, evaporated milk, and muscovado sugar in a small saucepan.  Place over low heat and mix gently until sugar is dissolved. Do not boil. Set aside to cool before using.  Alternatively, put liquids in a microwave-safe container.  Heat for about 45 seconds.  Stir in the muscovado sugar until it is dissolved.

PUTONG QUESO

1  cup rice flour
1/2  cup cake flour
2 1/4  teaspoons double acting baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup + 2T evaporated milk
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
Pinch of yellow food powder, if desired
Small chunks of or finely grated cheddar cheese

**After filling molds with batter, top with a few cheese chunks.  Do not put too much!

PUTONG PANDAN

1  cup rice flour
1/2 cup cake flour
2 1/4 teaspoons double acting baking powder
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cup + 2T evaporated milk
2 tablespoons melted unsalted butter
1/2 teaspoon pandan paste OR
1/2 teaspoon clear pandan extract and a pinch of green food powder

If you ever get to try these recipes, I would greatly appreciate some feedback.  Let me know if you liked it or not and if there is anything else I can do to improve on the recipes.  Thank you and enjoy!