Sticky Rice Cake with Chinese Jujube (Date) — Traditional Recipe

Chinese Jujube Date Sticky Rice Cake is a traditional sweet served during Chinese New Year. It has a sticky, taffy-like texture and a warm, roasted sweetness from jujube date jam made with dried jujube dates. Over the years I’ve tested many sticky rice cake recipes from my mother’s collection and from my aunt Florence Lin’s cookbooks. Variations are plentiful, and each yields a slightly different texture and flavor.

This year I made my aunt Florence’s Jujube Date Sticky Rice Cake. Her recipe calls for jujube date jam, which can be hard to find, so I prepared my own puree. Dried jujube dates offer a delicate roasted aroma and a flavor reminiscent of roasted chestnuts — subtle but noticeable in the finished cake.

If you prefer not to make jujube date jam, Auntie Florence recommends using dark brown sugar as a substitute. Brown sugar will sweeten and darken the cake but won’t reproduce the distinctive roasted fragrance of dried jujube dates. Many modern brown sticky rice cakes use brown sugar because it’s more accessible, but recipes using authentic ingredients like jujube dates produce a uniquely traditional flavor.

When I first spoke with Auntie Florence about her baked coconut sticky rice cake, she suggested Mochiko brand sweet rice flour. It’s finely milled and widely available in Asian groceries; it yields a smoother batter and better texture.

The batter for this cake is thick, almost pudding-like, and requires gentle mixing to achieve a smooth consistency without overworking the rice flour.

This sticky rice cake is steamed. You can steam it on the stovetop for about an hour, or use a pressure cooker or Instant Pot to steam for 30 minutes. If using an Instant Pot, a small cake pan (I used a 6″ pan) fits best. The recipe yields two 6″ cakes, so an Instant Pot is most convenient when making half the batch. I tested both methods — one cake in the Instant Pot and one in a conventional steamer — and both turned out well.

Insert a trivet in the bottom of the Instant Pot, add a cup of water, and cover the cake before pressure steaming.

This jujube date sticky rice cake was delicious — rich, fragrant, and satisfying. I shared pieces with my mother and sister; a small slice is quite filling because of the cake’s dense, chewy texture.

Serve the cake fresh or the next day — it firms up slightly as it cools. If refrigerated it will harden more; to return it to a softer texture, warm slices briefly in a toaster oven or microwave. Another popular serving method is to pan-fry slices after dipping them in a beaten egg for a crisp exterior and tender interior.