Wingko Babat – Gluten Free Coconut Cake
This post may contain affiliate links.Wingko Babat is Indonesia’s irresistible traditional snack with crunchy texture on the outside and soft, fluffy inside. Made with grated coconut and glutinous rice flour, this Javanese delight is pan-fried to golden brownish color. It’s a simple treat with exotic flavor!
What is Wingko Babat?
Wingko Babat is a traditional Javanese gluten-free coconut cake made from shredded coconut, coconut milk, and glutinous rice flour, pan-fried to golden brown. Originating in Babat, East Java, during Dutch colonial times (1904), it was initially called wiwingka or bibika.
Originally sold near bus/train stations in Central Java as souvenir, this round, flat cake is wrapped in paper.
While authentic Wingko Babat tends to be hard and overly sweet, my version adds egg and cheese for a softer, fluffier texture with balanced sweetness. A pinch of salt cuts the sugar, making it irresistible!
Once you try this upgraded recipe, you’ll crave more!
Indonesia’s coconut-based sweets play around with texture and flavor: Bugis Mandi (sticky rice balls oozing with coconut filling), Ongol-ongol (jelly-like pandan treats rolled in coconut), and Kuih Kosui (springy tapioca cakes topped with fragrant coconut). Every bite is a coconut lover’s dream!
Recipe Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
Grated Coconut – Try to get freshly grated coconut as much as you can. You can use dessicated coconut, if you can’t find the freshly shredded ones. But the taste will be different. The freshly shredded coconut creates a moist texture in the coconut cake.
How to Make Wingko Babat
STEP 1. Steam the freshly shredded coconut with 2 pandan leaves with high heat for 15-20 minutes (Image 1). Pour the coconut milk in a pot with pandan leaves (Image 2). Put in the sugar and salt (Image 3). Stir well until the sugar dissolves. Let it simmer (Image 4).
STEP 2. In a big bowl, pour in the coconut milk, steamed coconut, glutinous rice flour, and vanilla extract (Images 5, 6, 7, 8). Mix well using a spatula thoroughly.
STEP 3. Put in egg and grated cheese (Images 9, 10). Mix well and the batter is ready (Image 11). Brush some oil or butter on each holes of the dorayaki pan (Image 12). Preheat the pan on medium heat.
STEP 4. Pour 1-2 tablespoon of the dough into the hole, try to fill it to the brim (Image 13). Put on the lid (Image 14). Fry for about 6 minutes, or until the bottom is dry and firm enough to flip (Images 15, 16). Cooking time may vary depending on pan thickness—adjust heat as needed and check both sides. Watch closely to prevent burning.
STEP 5. Flip the cake until both sides are thoroughly cooked. You may brush some butter on each sides.
STEP 6. Take them off the pan and leave them on a cooling rack. Let them cool down completely. They are ready to eat.
Pro Tips
- The mixing process of the whole ingredients are not strict. You can mix all ingredients all at once and stir them all with a spatula. Just make sure when you put in the egg, the batter is not too hot.
- Do not forget to brush some butter in each hole of the pan. And brush some butter on each side of the cake. You can use salted butter or unsalted butter.
- If you don’t have dorayaki pan, you can always use a regular pan, shape the batter round using a ring.
- Do not leave the frying process unattended. Flip to check if the coconut cake is golden brown enough or not. This is to your liking. If you like it a little bit crusty, you can leave it longer on each side.
Great Pairing
Crunchy Wingko Babat pairs well alongside Indonesia’s other exotic cakes:
- Lapis Legit (Spiced Layer Cake) – Buttery, aromatic layers balance Wingko’s rustic simplicity.
- Klepon or Ondeh-Ondeh (Pandan Coconut Balls) – Chewy rice cakes with coconut with bursts of liquid coconut sugar inside.
- Bolu Tape (Fermented Cassava Cake) – A moist, slightly tangy sponge cake with a delicate crumb.
- Bika Ambon – A fragrant, springy cake with distinct honeycomb texture, infused with pandan or coconut milk. Its crispy edges and chewy center make every bite irresistible.
Pro Tip: Serve with Lemongrass Tea, Butterfly Pea Flower Tea, or Red Ginger Drink to cleanse the palate! Add a spread of Coconut Kaya Jam on top of the crunchy, sticky cake.
FAQs about Wingko Babat
This snack is vegetarian-friendly. For a vegan version, simply omit the egg—the cake will still turn out delicious, though slightly firmer in texture.
Wingko Babat is different from the regular coconut cake found globally. This is a simple rich coconut cake with glutinous rice flour.
For best results, use fresh coconut—it gives a wonderfully moist texture. If substituting with desiccated coconut, lightly spray it with water and steam briefly to rehydrate before use.
Storage and Reheating
If there are some leftover, you can store them in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Make sure each piece is wrapped individually.
Reheating is very easy. You can heat it in a microwave or on a pan for a few minutes.
Wingko – Indonesian Traditional Coconut Cake
Ingredients
- 330 gr shredded coconut
- 2 pcs pandan leaves
Coconut milk mixture
- 150 gr coconut milk
- 2 gr salt
- 1 pcs pandan leaf
- 100 gr sugar
Other ingredients
- 150 gr glutinous flour
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract optional
- 100 gr cheddar cheese grated
Instructions
- Steam freshely shredded coconut with 2 pandan leaves for 15 minutes. (high heat)
- Pour coconut milk and 1 pandan leaf into a pot and cook until simmer.
- Pour in sugar and salt. Stir while it is still hot and let the sugar dissolve thoroughly.
- Put the steamed shredded coconut in a big bowl. Put in egg, glutinous flour, vanilla extract and coconut mixture. Mix well thoroughly.
- Preheat the pancake pan, brush some oil or butter.
- Spoon the dough into the each hole, filling the hole to the brim.
- Cover with the lid. Let them cook for 10 minutes or until you can see the bottom is no longer wet and you can turn it upside down.
- Fry the cake until both sides are golden brown. You can brush both sides with butter or salted butter.
- Once they are done, let them cool completely on a cooling rack. Pack each one of them with a plastic bag. Enjoy!
If you are a coconut lover, you definitely have to try this! Its salty and sweet combination in a soft texture with crispy edge will make you fall in love!