Upside-Down Cantaloupe Mochi Sake Butter Cake

If you’ve ever had mochi ice cream, you know the magic of that chewy bite, but mochi isn’t the only way glutinous rice shows off its texture. Across Asia, sticky rice takes center stage in everything from Thai mango sticky rice to Chinese New Year cakes. This recipe is my playful twist on that tradition: an Upside-Down Cantaloupe Mochi Sake Butter Cake. It’s rich with brown butter, lightened by coconut milk, naturally chewy from glutinous rice flour, and layered with caramelized cantaloupe kissed with junmai sake. Think of it as mochi’s buttery cousin, flipped upside down to surprise you with a juicy, chewy, and fragrant finish.

Notes

  • Using Khao Wisut brown sticky rice flour gives the coconut milk depth and extra chew(more fiber!), but any glutinous rice flour will work.
  • The sake caramel sauce adds fragrance and complexity. A good junmai makes a big difference.
  • Best enjoyed the day it’s baked, when the cantaloupe is juicy and the mochi crumb is bouncy.

 

Upside-Down Cantaloupe Mochi Sake Butter Cake

Ingredients

- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 cups cantaloupes (1 cup for mashing, 3 cups of scooped meat for topping)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups glutinous rice flour (I used freshly ground Khao Wisut brown sticky rice flour to compliment the floral notes of cantaloupe)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt

Sauce
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup junmai sake
- 1/4 cup of butter

Instrcutions

Directions
1. Brown the Butter
In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir frequently as it foams and bubbles. When golden brown specks form and it smells nutty (about 3–5 minutes), remove from heat. Transfer to a heatproof bowl to cool.

2. Prep the Cantaloupe
Roughly chop and mash about 1 cups of ripe cantaloupe (this will be folded into the batter).
Then scoop another 3 cups worth of cantaloupe for topping.

3. Make the Batter
In a large bowl, whisk together the brown butter, mashed cantaloupe, eggs, coconut milk, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla until smooth.
In another bowl, whisk together glutinous rice flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Gradually add the dry mix into the wet mix, whisking until smooth and lump-free.

4. Assemble the Cake
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease a baking pan generously.
Arrange the sliced cantaloupe on the bottom of the pan in rows or any design you like.
In a small saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter and junmai sake. Cook over medium heat, stirring until smooth and bubbling, about 1 minute. Pour this sauce evenly over the sliced cantaloupe.
Pour the batter on top of the fruit and sauce.

5. Bake
Bake for about 60 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

6. Flip and Cool
Let the cake rest for 15–20 minutes until the pan is warm but not scalding. Place a cutting board or plate on top of the pan, flip it upside down, and gently tap to release the cake.
Let cool another 15 minutes to allow the mochi texture to set before slicing.

FROM THE THAI HEIRLOOM KITCHEN

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