Mujigae-tteok (Korean: 무지개떡) or Rainbow Rice Cake is a layered tteok (rice cake) of different colours resembling a rainbow.
It is used for special occasions such as a banquet, party, or feast like doljanchi (baby’s first birthday), hwangapjanchi (60th birthday).

The main ingredient for making this cake is “wet milled Short Grain Rice Flour” Mepssalgaru (Korean: 멥쌀가루) which in many places is very difficult to find.

In this recipe, I will show you how to mimic the texture of this rainbow cake by combining 3 kinds of basic flour (so you will be able to enjoy this beautiful rice cake wherever you are).

For the colouring, natural food colouring powder is commonly use for making this cake. The price is far more expensive compared to artificial food colouring powder but of course it is safer.

I highly recommend to use bamboo steamer for best result, it absorbs condensation and prevent the cakes from getting soggy (if you are using metal or plastic steamer, make sure that you cover the lid with a piece of cloth so the water condensation doesn’t drip onto your cake).

Using a scraper, spread each layer of the mixture evenly.
Please remember scrape the mixture lightly, DO NOT press or tamp the mixture (it will make the cake dense and not fluffy).

After 8 minutes of steaming time; don’t forget carefully remove the ring mould so that the sides can cook well.

🤗 These delicate and subtly sweet rice cake not only beautiful and colourful, it is also tender with a light chewy consistency, it’s not very sweet.

The perfect birthday cake for those who don’t have a sweet tooth.

Look at the colour 🥰 How pretty it is!
You can create your own colours according to your preferences !!

This cake is one of my favourite…. I really can finish it by myself 😳🤫 I hope you will give it a try and I’m sure you will like it! 😀

Watch How To Make “Korean Traditional Rainbow Rice Cake MUJIGAE-TTEOK 무지개떡”

recipe

RAINBOW RICE CAKE (MUJIGAE-TTEOK) 무지개떡
Yield: One 10 cm Heart Mould (3.5 cm tall) & One 16 cm Round Mould (7.5 cm tall)

INGREDIENTS
🌿 Basic Mixture  
2/3 tsp Salt  
275 g Water  
220 g Rice Flour
220 g Glutinous Rice Flour
110 g Potato Starch
195 g Caster Sugar
Natural Food Colouring Powder (Mugwort, Red Yeast, Butterfly Pea, Spinach)

🌿 Filling
10 g Brown/ Palm Sugar
1 tsp Cinnamon Powder

INSTRUCTIONS
Basic Mixture

1. Prepare the steamer
   Line bamboo steamer with a damp cotton cloth along reusable silicone sheet.
   Place the ring moulds on top (feel free to use any shape of mould according to your taste).
   Notes: If you are using metal or plastic steamer; make sure that you cover the lid with a piece of cloth so the water condensation doesn’t drip onto your cake.
2. Mix 2/3 tsp Salt with 275 g Water until the salt completely dissolved, set aside.
   * This step is important, otherwise you will taste grains of salt in your cake, which is NOT GOOD.
3. Then, in a large bowl combine 220 g Rice Flour with 220 g Glutinous Rice Flour and 110 g Potato Starch, mix well.
4. Add salted water that we made earlier to the flour mixture; mix roughly (you will see now that the dough has a lot of lumps).
5. Using your hands, press out any wet lumps by rubbing it gently between your palms for uniform mixing (by doing this, the moisture will be distributed evenly).
6. Then using the coarse mesh strainer sift the mixture (I don’t recommend using fine mesh because it will complicate the sifting process).
7. Every flours have different water needs, weather is another factor.
   After sifting this mixture once, you can test whether the water content in the dough is sufficient.
   Take a handful of dough and squeeze it; If it doesn’t break right away when you throw it, that’s means it’s good to go.
   * On the other hand if it breaks, that’s means you need to add more water (add 1 teaspoon at a time until the dough clumps up well).
   And then, you can sift the mixture again at least 2 times.
8. Once it’s done, pour in 195 g Caster Sugar, mix it really well and this basic white mixture is ready.
9. For the heart shape mould 10 cm (3.5 cm tall)
   Fill half of the mould with the basic white mixture.
   Using spatula, spread the mixture evenly
   Scrape the mixture lightly (DO NOT PRESS or TAMP the mixture, it will make the cake dense and not fluffy).
   Add some Cinnamon Brown Sugar filling in the center (10 g Brown/ Palm Sugar, 1 tsp Cinnamon Powder), then fill the rest with the mixture up to the top of the mould; Using a scraper level it.
   Place a small heart mould on top for the decorations; fill with a little bit of pink mixture and spread evenly.
10. For the big round mould 16 cm Round Mould (7.5 cm tall)
    Divide the remaining basic mixture into 4 equal portions.
    For the first layer; add Mugwort Powder to the first batch, mix it really well
    Put this dark green mixture into the ring mould and spread it evenly (remember do not press the mixture, scrape it lightly).
    * Continue with another layers; and in the meantime you can start preheat the water for steamer (it is better to fill the water a little over half; if you fill it up too much, the bottom of the rice cake will become stiff).
11. After all the colours is done; slide each ring (heart and round) up and down, left and right to give clearance so that the mould can be easily removed later.
    For more details please follow video instructions
12. When the water boils, place the steamer
    STEAMING METHOD & TIME
    (Please pay attention, you may need to add some water halfway through the steaming process; Don’t let your steamer burn)
    – First: Over HIGH HEAT for 8-10 Minutes; then carefully remove the ring moulds.
    – Second: After remove the ring moulds, back to the pot and continue steaming over HIGH HEAT for 25 Minutes.
    – Third: After 25 Minutes, turn OFF the heat and let it sit in the hot pot for another 5 Minutes.
13. After 5 minutes the rice cake is ready, carefully lift and flip the cake onto the plate. Place the pretty love shape rice cake on top and serve.
    * You can wrap this cake in a plastic packaging or an airtight cake box so it doesn’t dry out
    

NOTES

1. It taste best on the day they are made (they cannot be kept for long).
2. Freeze any leftover rice cake
   If you are unable to finish the cake, you can cut it into slices (wrap them individually with an airtight plastic wrap) and store the rice cakes in the freezer for 1-2 days.
3. To reheat
   By placing them in a steamer (over HIGH HEAT) for 5-10 minutes.
   * I don’t recommend to use microwave to reheat it because the texture of the cake will tend to become dry.