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Home > Dessert + Sweets

Puto Bumbong

BY :Bebs | Published: 12/22/ 2020 | Updated:12/27/ 2020 | 5 Comments

RECIPE VIDEO PRINT
5 from 3 votes
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Puto Bumbong is a steamed purple rice cake that is commonly sold during the Christmas season in the Philippines. They are slathered with butter, topped with grated coconut, muscovado, and sometimes, grated cheese or roasted sesame seeds, then wrapped in banana leaves.

Steamed purple rice cake with grated coconut and muscovado

You know that it's Christmas in the Philippines when you see food stalls near churches selling bibingka and puto bumbong. The aroma of these two well-loved delicacies being cooked wafts the air meters away to lure people in!

I remember my siblings and I would beg our parents to get us some after attended Simbang Gabi (Night Mass) and Misa de Gallo when we were kids! Something that we still do even now, sharing bibingka and puto bumbong with the family.

While the bibingka are baked in individual clay ovens heated with charcoal at the bottom and top, you could instantly recognize puto bumbong being cooked in special steamers shooting out steams from attached bamboo tubes that house the sticky rice cakes. A whistling sound comes out of it to signify that it is cooked! And of course, because of its signature purple color.

  • What is Puto Bumbong?
  • How to make Puto Bumbong at home
  • Foxy Tips when making Puto Bumbong
  • Printable Recipe
  • Puto Bumbong

What is Puto Bumbong?

"Puto" is the ubiquitous Tagalog term for steamed rice cakes and "Bumbong" means Bamboo tubes or cylinders. Traditionally, Puto Bumbong is made from a unique type of glutinous rice called "Pirurutong" combined with white glutinous rice. Pirurutong is deep purple or almost black in color and becomes soft, sticky, and aromatic once cooked.

The mixture is placed inside greased bamboo tubes/flutes and steamed. After steaming, the cylindrical rice cakes are placed on banana leaves, brushed with coconut oil, butter, or margarine, and topped with grated coconut, muscovado or brown sugar, and sometimes, toasted sesame seeds and grated cheese.

ingredients for homemade puto bumbong

How to make Puto Bumbong at home

I really wanted to try making this at home, but there is an ingredient and tool that are difficult to get: the Pirurutong and the Lansungan. So these are the alternatives I found:

Pirurutong- as mentioned earlier, this is a unique kind of sticky rice. If you can find it, then you are one of the lucky ones. But as a substitute, you can simply use glutinous rice mixed with violet food color.

Lansungan- is a special steamer with metal cylinders protruding to hold the bamboo tubes. These are actually sold online, so feel free to buy some if you want. However, I find it impractical to do so if I would hardly use them. Unless you are planning to make it for business. So I use aluminum foil shaped into long, thin containers and a regular steamer instead.

step by step photos  to make puto bumbong

Foxy Tips when making Puto Bumbong

  • Make sure to break any clumps in your mixture using your hands before steaming. The mixture should be crumbly with tiny grainy pieces to prevent uneven cooking and some lumpy areas after steaming.
  • Brush the foil containers generously with butter or margarine to prevent them from sticking later on.

If you are looking for more Christmas treats, try these as well:

Cristmas Fruitcake
This classic dark Fruitcake is dense with glazed fruits and nuts with added dried fruits and dates. Enjoy it freshly baked or aged for some weeks or months.
Cathedral Window Dessert with fruits in the background.
Also known as Stained Glass or Broken Glass Jello or Christmas Jello, is a festive, soft, and creamy gelatin dessert popularly served during holidays.
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies served on a plate
Chocolate crinkles are one of the best treats to give or to receive for Christmas. They are so easy to make that required just a few simple ingredients. 
Puto Bumbong -Filipino PurpleRice Cake

Printable Recipe

Homemade Puto Bumbong
Print Review

Puto Bumbong

5 from 3 votes
Puto Bumbong is a Filipino steamed rice cake that is commonly sold during the Christmas season. They are slathered with butter, topped with grated coconut muscovado and grated cheese, then wrapped in banana leaves.
Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
Cook Time: 15 minutes mins
Total Time: 35 minutes mins
Course :Dessert, Snack
Servings =2
Print Recipe Rate this Recipe

Ingredients
 

  • 1 cup glutinous rice flour
  • 6 tablespoon water
  • ¼ teaspoon violet liquid food color
  • ½ cup grated coconut
  • 1 tablespoon Butter or margarine for brushing
  • 3 tablespoon Brown sugar or muscovado
  • Grated cheese optional

Instructions
 

  • Shape cuts of foil into thin long containers, about 4 inches long and ¾ inch thick and high. Make about 8-10.
  • In a small bowl, combine water and food color and mix.
  • Place glutinous rice flour on a separate bowl. Add colored water 2 tablespoon at a time and mix it well using a spoon after every addition.
  • Once all liquid is added, mix using hand while breaking clumps with your fingers into tiny crumbs or grains.
  • Brush the shaped foils with butter or margarine generously. Fill each container with the glutinous rice mix.
  • Steam for 10-15 minutes. Turn off heat and let them cool down a bit.
  • Invert each piece on a banana leaf brushed with butter or margarine upto 4-5 logs per leaf.
  • Brush the top and sides with butter or margarine, then top with grated coconut and brown sugar or muscovado. Add grated cheese or roasted sesame seeds if desired.

Notes

This recipe makes 8-10 small logs. A pack (or serving) normally has 4-5 logs, thus, making 2 servings.   

Nutrition

Calories: 343kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 3gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 15mgSodium: 69mgPotassium: 139mgFiber: 4gSugar: 19gVitamin A: 175IUCalcium: 20mgIron: 1mg
Have you tried this recipe?Mention @foxyfolksy or tag #FoxyFolksyRecipes!

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Reader Interactions

Comments

    5 from 3 votes (1 rating without comment)

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  1. art says

    January 22, 2023 at 5:38 pm

    5 stars
    i will try this . . .

    Reply
  2. Vangie says

    December 22, 2021 at 8:18 pm

    Hi:
    I have been dying to make this. But can I use the ube flavoring instead of the violet coloring?
    I’ve enjoyed using your other recipes as well.
    Thanks

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      December 17, 2023 at 4:49 pm

      Sure you can.

      Reply
  3. Vernette says

    February 09, 2021 at 12:42 am

    5 stars
    I think I have the privilege to be the first one to comment😉

    Puto Bumbong is my favorite and i thought there’s no chance that I can make it at home. Then i tried your recipe and OMG it’s sooo good!!! Thank you very much... Cravings satisfied, it brings me close to home😊

    Liebe Grüße aus 🇩🇪
    Vernette

    Reply
    • Bebs says

      February 10, 2021 at 12:45 am

      Hallo Vernette, I am happy that you like our puto bumbong recipe and that it gave you a piece of our home. Und vielen Dank für die 5 Sterne!

      Reply

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