Name: Bánh bò thốt nốt — An Giang palm-sugar honeycomb cakes
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 185 min
Cuisine: Vietnam
Ingredients: 140 g rice flour, sifted; 20 g tapioca starch, sifted with the rice flour; 2 g fine salt; 5 g active dry yeast; 5 g granulated sugar, for the yeast; 30 ml warm water at 35–38°C / 95–100°F; 200 ml unsweetened coconut water, divided: 150 ml for the batter and 50 ml for the syrup; 100 g thốt nốt palm sugar, finely grated or chopped; 10 ml coconut oil, for the batter; 5 ml neutral oil, for brushing the moulds; 120 ml coconut cream, optional; warm gently to serve; 10 g toasted sesame seeds, optional

A woven tray of amber rice cakes sits on the right side of a wooden table; cut pieces show the airy crumb, with palms and hills behind. — Wide table view of An Giang bánh bò thốt nốt beside a Seven Mountains landscape.

Yield 8 small cakes

Cook 20 minutes

Passive 140 minutes for fermentation and a short rest

Total 185 minutes

Calories per serving about 290 kcal, without optional toppings

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Bánh bò thốt nốt — An Giang palm-sugar honeycomb cakes

Bánh bò thốt nốt is a palm-sugar version of Vietnam’s family of soft, fermented rice cakes. In An Giang, the cake is linked to thốt nốt sugar and the Khmer communities of the Seven Mountains region. The local tourism authority describes palm sugar as a Khmer craft and bánh bò as one of the steamed cakes that takes on its characteristic flavor from that sugar. This recipe is one measured home version, not a claim that every family makes it the same way.

Yeast creates the small tunnels in the crumb, while rice flour keeps the cake tender and a little tapioca starch adds a gentle chew. Dissolving the palm sugar into coconut water makes a smooth amber syrup that disperses evenly through the batter. Serve the cakes warm on their own, or add a little warmed coconut cream and toasted sesame.

Practical

Tips for successUse unsweetened coconut water and finely grated thốt nốt palm sugar so the batter hydrates evenly. The yeast should foam before mixing. If it stays flat after 10 minutes, the yeast may be inactive or the water too hot; start again with fresh yeast. Let the batter rise until visibly bubbly and expanded. Fermentation speed varies with room temperature, so use the visual cues as well as the clock.

Ingredients

Fermented cake batter

140 g rice flour, sifted
20 g tapioca starch, sifted with the rice flour
2 g fine salt
5 g active dry yeast
5 g granulated sugar, for the yeast
30 ml warm water at 35–38°C / 95–100°F
200 ml unsweetened coconut water, divided: 150 ml for the batter and 50 ml for the syrup
100 g thốt nốt palm sugar, finely grated or chopped
10 ml coconut oil, for the batter

Moulds and optional serving

5 ml neutral oil, for brushing the moulds
120 ml coconut cream, optional; warm gently to serve
10 g toasted sesame seeds, optional

Method

Stir the yeast and granulated sugar into 30 ml warm water (35–38°C / 95–100°F). Leave for 10 minutes until foamy. If it does not foam, replace the yeast and begin again.
Sift together the rice flour, tapioca starch and salt. Whisk in 150 ml coconut water until smooth and pourable, then whisk in the foamy yeast mixture. Cover and leave in a warm, draft-free place for about 45 minutes, until expanded and visibly bubbly.
Meanwhile, heat the palm sugar with the remaining 50 ml coconut water in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until fully dissolved. Remove from the heat and cool the syrup below 35°C / 95°F. Whisk the syrup and coconut oil into the risen batter. Cover and leave for about 90 minutes, until bubbly and noticeably expanded.
Bring water to a vigorous boil in a steamer. Wrap the lid with a clean kitchen towel to catch condensation. Brush eight 90 ml heatproof moulds with the neutral oil and warm the empty moulds in the steamer for 2 minutes.
Stir the batter gently once to redistribute the bubbles without beating it flat. Fill each warm mould about two-thirds full. Steam over vigorous boiling water for 7–10 minutes, keeping the lid closed for at least the first 7 minutes. Steam in batches if needed, leaving room for the steam to circulate.
Test a cake in the centre with a clean wooden skewer; it should come out without wet batter, and the top should spring back lightly. Steam 1–2 minutes longer if needed. Rest the cakes in their moulds for 5 minutes, then unmould onto a rack. Serve warm, plain or with optional warmed coconut cream and toasted sesame.

Practical

Practical guidance

Keep the yeast water warm but not hot, and let the palm-sugar syrup cool before it meets the batter. If the room is cool, the rises may take longer; the batter should look aerated rather than merely rested. Do not fill the moulds to the rim because the cakes rise as they steam. Keep the steamer boiling steadily and avoid opening the lid during the first 7 minutes, when the crumb is setting. Cool leftover cakes promptly and refrigerate them in a covered container at or below 4°C / 40°F within 2 hours. Use within 2 days. Reheat by steaming until hot throughout and 74°C / 165°F at the centre. Refrigerate optional coconut cream separately and follow its package instructions.

Troubleshooting

The cakes are dense: the yeast may not have activated or the batter may need more time to rise. Wait for visible bubbles and expansion before steaming. The crumb is wet in the middle: steam for another 1–2 minutes and check again with a clean skewer; keep the water boiling.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use brown sugar instead of thốt nốt? You can make a sweet rice cake with it, but the palm-sugar aroma and amber flavor will be different. Use finely grated or chopped thốt nốt when available. How do I get the honeycomb holes? Give the yeast time to aerate the batter, preheat the steamer and moulds, then keep the lid closed while the cakes begin to set.

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

Serving size2 small cakes, about 120 g, without optional toppings
Calories290 kcal
Carbohydrate61 g
Protein3 g
Fat4 g
Fibre1 g
Sodium200 mg

Allergens and food safety

Contains coconut. The optional sesame topping contains sesame. There are no wheat ingredients in this recipe, but packaged products may have cross-contact; check labels if you need to avoid gluten. Do not serve coconut or sesame to anyone with a relevant allergy. Refrigerate the moist cakes within 2 hours at or below 4°C / 40°F, use within 2 days, and reheat leftovers to 74°C / 165°F.

To finish

Serve the cakes warm so the crumb feels soft and springy.
Offer coconut cream and toasted sesame on the side, letting each person add as much as they like.

Bánh bò thốt nốt — An Giang palm-sugar honeycomb cakes

Practical

Ingredients

Fermented cake batter

Moulds and optional serving

Method

Practical

Practical guidance

Troubleshooting

Frequently asked questions

Nutrition per serving (estimate)

Allergens and food safety

To finish

Vietnamese National Dishes

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Xôi vùng cao — Hà Giang five-colour sticky rice