Pumpkin Mochi (Baked, Gluten-Free)
A chewy, naturally gluten-free baked mochi made with mochiko, pumpkin puree, and warm spice. One bowl, no mixer needed.
Equipment
- 9x13-inch baking pan
- Large mixing bowl
- Whisk
Ingredients
- 16 oz mochiko (sweet rice flour)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 15 oz pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 12 oz evaporated milk
- 13.5 oz coconut milk full-fat
- 3 large eggs
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a 9x13-inch baking pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the mochiko, sugar, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
- Add the pumpkin puree, evaporated milk, coconut milk, eggs, melted butter, and vanilla extract to the dry ingredients.
- Whisk until the batter is smooth and no dry streaks of mochiko remain. The batter will be thin and pourable — this is correct.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Bake for 55–65 minutes, until the top is deep golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, without wet batter clinging to it. A few moist crumbs are fine.
- Let the mochi cool completely in the pan, about 1 hour, before slicing. It firms up significantly as it cools and is much easier to cut into clean squares once fully cooled.
Notes
The batter is thin and pourable, closer to pancake batter than cake batter — this is expected and should not be thickened with extra mochiko. Let the mochi cool completely before cutting, or it will be soft and sticky and tear rather than slice cleanly. A greased knife or plastic-style blade helps prevent sticking. Bake until the top is deeply golden, not just set, since color is a more reliable doneness cue here than with typical cake batters. Store covered at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; bring chilled pieces back to room temperature before serving.