I’m going to introduce a beautiful Korean rice cake today. It’s called mujigae-tteok (무지개떡). Mujigae means rainbow, so my ancestors must have got the idea for the name from a rainbow! I love it! This is an example of how they incorporated natural beauty into their everyday life. Even though the name of the rice cake is “rainbow rice cake,” it is usually made with only 3-5 different colored layers. That’s why this rice cake is sometimes called “colorful rice cake” (색떡, saektteok).
In this recipe, I am using 5 different colors from bottom to top: brown, green, yellow, pink, and white.
This rice cake is made on special occasions like a baby’s 1 year old birthday, or a wedding. As you see in this video, making this rice cake takes a lot of effort and time, even though the ingredients are comparatively simple. However, if you make this rice cake for someone very special in your life, you wouldn’t care much about time and effort. : ) You may wish this while you’re rubbing the rice flour with your palms:
“I wish my baby becomes healthy, smart, and a good, warm-hearted person!”
“I wish my parents have healthy and long life!”
“To show my love for my lovely husband (or wife) !”
Leave a comment and let me know what you wish when you make this!
A note about short grain rice flour
: the flour you buy at your local store or the flour you make may have more or less moisture in it than the rice flour I use in this recipe. This is because of many different things like how long it’s been in the freezer in the store, or the atmospheric conditions where you live. You may need to steam more or less, depending on how dry or wet your short grain rice flour is.
Cooking time: 1.5 hours
Ingredients
A 2 pound package of frozen rice flour (or make it at home), sugar, kosher salt, water, liquid food coloring (green, pink, and yellow), lemon, mugwort powder (ssukgaru 쑥가루), cocoa powder.
Cooking utensils:
Steamer, sifter, 8 inch (20 cm) ring or springform.
Directions
- Thaw out frozen rice flour package and put it into a large bowl.
- Sift the rice flour.
- Add 10 cups of water in the bottom of a steamer, and place a wet cloth over the rack.
- Place the 8 inch cake ring in the center of the rack.
Brown layer (the bottom layer):
- Place 1 cup of rice flour in a medium sized bowl. Add 1 ts cocoa powder, a pinch of salt, 2 tbs of white sugar, and 4 ts of water.
- Mix it all up and press out any wet lumps by rubbing the lumps gently between your palms.
- Put the mixture into a sifter and sift into the center of the ring.
- Flatten out the mixture so it sits level in the ring.
*tip: a business card works well
Green layer:
- Place 1½ cup of rice flour in a medium sized bowl. Add a pinch of salt, 2 tbs sugar, and 1 ts mugwort powder (ssukgaru).
*tip: you can replace mugwort powder with green tea powder
- Put 2 tbs of water and 1 drop of green liquid food coloring into a small bowl and mix well.
*tip: Use a chopstick to get a very little amount of the food coloring - Add the green water to the rice cake mixture and mix it all up. Press out any wet lumps by rubbing the lumps gently between your palms.
- Put the mixture into a sifter and sift into the center of the ring.
- Flatten out the mixture so it sits level in the ring.
Yellow layer:
- Place 1½ cup of rice flour in a medium sized bowl. Add a pinch of salt and 2 tbs sugar.
- Put 1tbs lemon juice, 1 tbs water, and 1 drop of yellow liquid food coloring into a small bowl and mix well.
- Add the yellow water to the rice cake mixture and mix it all up. Press out any wet lumps by rubbing the lumps gently between your palms.
- Put the mixture into a sifter and sift into the center of the ring.
- Flatten out the mixture so it sits level in the ring.
Pink layer:
- Place 1½ cup of rice flour in a medium sized bowl. Add a pinch of salt and 2 tbs sugar.
- Put 2 tbs water and 1 drop of hot pink (fuchsia) liquid food coloring into a small bowl and mix well.
- Add the pink water to the rice cake mixture and mix it all up. Press out any wet lumps by rubbing the lumps gently between your palms.
- Put the mixture into a sifter and sift into the center of the ring.
- Flatten out the mixture so it sits level in the ring.
White layer (the top layer):
- Place 1 cup of rice flour in a medium sized bowl. Add a pinch of salt, 2 tbs white sugar, and 4 ts water.
- Mix it up and press out any wet lumps by rubbing the lumps gently between your palms.
- Put the mixture into a sifter and sift into the center of the ring.
- Flatten out the mixture so it sits level in the ring.
Now let’s garnish!
- On the top of the cake place 5 dried cranberries to make flower petals. Put a few pine nuts in the center.
- Cut a dried apricot into a thin strip, and place it as a flower stem.
Finally, let’s steam it:
- Close the lid of the steamer and bring to a boil for 30 minutes over high heat.
- Turn down the heat and simmer another 5 minutes.
- Take out the rice cake and let it cool down. Serve with tea or coffee.
Maangchi's Amazon picks for this recipe
It's always best to buy Korean items at your local Korean grocery store, but I know that's not always possible so I chose these products on Amazon that are good quality. See more about how these items were chosen.
Hi Maangchi,
I tried making this cake last night. When I transferred the cake from the towel to the serving plate it cracked. Does it mean it was too dry and not moist enough? What is the best way to prevent the cake from cracking?
Hi Maangchi!
I can’t fount here frozen rice flour. Is it possible to self made the frozen rice flour?
Maangchi~
SUPER help please!
My son Isaac’s Dol is tomorrow! His party is on Friday and I *have* to make this beauitful cake!
My question is: I don’t have a steamer! Can I just add water to a stock pot and put the springform pan in that?
Or can I bake it like a cheesecake? (Put the springform pan in a “water bath” in the oven?)
Or can I make it in my rice cooker? I have a Zojirushi one that has a “cake” setting on it… but then I’m not sure how I would get the cake out.
Must I have a steamer? I’m not sure where I can find a cheaper one on short notice.. :(
hmm, I’m sorry to say that you have to get a good steamer to make this rice cake. Otherwise,the rice cake won’t be cooked properly. By the way, congratulations on your Baby Isaac’s 1st birthday!
Your flour shifter looks cute, where can I get it here in Singapore?
And also where can I get the cotton cloth?
I don’t think we have a privilege where we can bring such small quantity of wet rice to a miller to grind it. But yet I want to do it this way from the short grain rice because it is cheaper. Do you have any suggestion how to grind the wet short grain rice? Can I use a normal food processor?
Thank you.
Hey!
You can find them at Phoon Huat store.
Hardware shop should have em too.
You can try many places like Giant and Carrefour.
:-)
Lovely rice flour cake. I would like to add flavor into the pink color section that can gives the color as well if possible. Do you have any suggestion what kind of fruit flavor I can put in and to also give the pink color.
Thank you
do you have to use a swifter?? can we use something else..
Hello!
How tall do you recommend the springform to be? I don’t wan to buy one that is too short :(
Thanks!
can i use different colors? or is it better to use the traditional mujigae ddeok colors for wishing somebody luck ? :O
omgoshie it looks soo good! since the brown and the white are on the outsides, and the get in touch with the mist, is that why you added less water to the brown and white layers? let me know as soon as you can!
~Justine :)
Justine,
yes, you could use different colors.
for brown and white layer, 1 cup rice flour is used and the other layers use 1.5 cup rice flour, so that’s why the amount of water is different.
Yum, your rice cake looks delicious! My mouth is watering….
: )
annyeong unni!
i was just wondering, by looking at the photo, is the texture fluffy like sponge cakes?
the cake looks beautiful by the way! (:
Maangchi,
I just realized my steamer is half the size of your’s – it only holds about 5 cups of water. Do I just steam it for 15 minutes then add another 5 cups and steam for another 15 minutes plus 5 minutes on low?
Thanks,
Anna
Anna,
I don’t know the answer, but if I were you, I would still steam it for 30 minutes. Let me know the result.
My steamer is the same (holds about 5-6 cups) and I let it steam for 30 mins as Maangchi said and the 5 mins after and it turned out great!
I just made mine (minus the green layer),there’s room for improvement for next time ^^ but for the first time its good.
I’m going to make more frozen rice flour as soon as i have some time :D
Gamsahamnida for the wonderful recipe Maangchi 언니 ^^!
yay! you made it! I’m glad to hear that!
5 dried cranberries , few pine nuts , dried apricot . Are there any substitutes i can use ?
Check this out. She decorated it with strawberries.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/25668526@N07/4155587360/in/pool-maangchi
Yum! Maybe next time I make this, I will use those!!! : )
Good morning Maangchi,
I have 3 questions:
1) Why the brown and white layers you use 4tsp water for 1 cup of flour? But the other layers you use 2 tsp water for 1 cup and a half of flour?
2)If I want my cake is more sweet, can I add some more sugar? I’m afraid more sugar might change the texture of the cake.
3) Why my cake turn out so dense? it was not fluffy as yours. Thanks.
Hi,
Here are my answers:
1) Why the brown and white layers you use 4tsp water for 1 cup of flour? But the other layers you use 2 tsp water for 1 cup and a half of flour?
1 cup rice flour (brown layer and white layer): 4 tsp
1.5 cup rice flour (the other layers): 2 tbs (6 tsp)
2)If I want my cake is more sweet, can I add some more sugar? I’m afraid more sugar might change the texture of the cake.
Yes, you can add more sugar, no problem
3) Why my cake turn out so dense? it was not fluffy as yours.
Sift the rice flour as I did even though it will be hard, then you will have fluffy rice cake.
I hope your next batch of mujigaeddeok turns out great!
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안녕하세요 Maangchi 언니!
I discovered your precious website last year and it has been an absolute treasure! ^^ I regularly make kimchi now! Can’t live without it hehe ^^
Just a question about the texture of the frozen rice flour. I tried to make some of the flour yesterday and when i ground it, the texture is very very fine tiny grains. Is it supposed to be completely powdered or is it alright like that?
This is such a beautiful cake, can’t wait to try it!:)
Thank you very much! ^_^
“when i ground it, the texture is very very fine tiny grains”
I hope you soaked the rice before grinding. Yes, it should be ground as finely as you can. I wish you good luck with making delicious mujigaeddeok!
Thank you for your prompt reply! Yes, i soaked it overnight, i think it was around 12- 13 hrs. Now I’m definitely making this next weekend ^_^
is glutinous rice flour ok too?
because today i bought it thinking it was the right one ;_;
no, this rice cake is not made with glutinous rice flour. Find the right ingredient.
Hey Maangchi! I had my aunt buy me some tteok from CA when she visited, when I tried it…It was not sweet. Then after, you posted this video and I saw that no sugar is added. If I want to make it sweet is it OK to add sugar? Would I have to lessen the water I use then? Thank you a lot. :)
Check the recipe again please. “Place 1½ cup of rice flour in a medium sized bowl. Add a pinch of salt, 2 tbs sugar,..”
Oops! Sorry! *blush
: ) no problem!
hi maangchi,
i really like your receipes alot. may i know if it is okay for me to freeze normal rice flour to get frozen rice flour? i can’t seem to find forzen ones in singapore.
thanks alot.
Hi, I’m copying and pasting my answer made for another reader a few days ago.
“You have to use rice flour which is soaked overnight and ground finely. Normal rice flour (dried)won’t be cooked properly even though you steam it for hours and hours.
The package of frozen rice flour sold at a Korean grocery store in North America is pre-soaked and ground.The rice flour is wet, so it has to be kept in the freezer. Otherwise it will go bad easily.
So if you want, make your own wet rice flour! “
hi maangchi,
thanks for your reply.
when you say soaked rice flour, how do i soak it?
Hello Maangchi
I was just wondering, since they do not sell the pre frozen rice flour in Australia:S, is a nut grinder okay to grind the rice with? Coffee grinders are just so expensive! Or should I try with a food processor?:S
Haha i tried making with just rice flour but it didnt turn out well, but must keep trying! I hope to make one just like yours:D
I can’t give you the right answer because I have never tried home made rice flour, but that’s the way of making rice flour to make rice cake. Whatever you use, the soaked rice should be ground very finely.
Wow the cake looks very fluffy- I would like to try make it for my mother-in-law’s birthday.
Is this the same as pakseolgi?
I saw on KBS how the ladies dried persimmon skin, ground it to a fine powder then layer it between layers of rice flour before steaming. But that rice cake looked chewy, not fluffy- were they making pakseolgi instead of dduk?
Hey Maangchi i love your show. I was wondering if it would be alright to use rice flour instead of frozen rice flour? Would it make a difference?
no, right ingredients are very important to make rice cake. You have to use rice flour which is soaked overnight and ground finely. Normal rice flour (dried)won’t be cooked properly even though you steam it for hours and hours.
The package of frozen rice flour sold at a Korean grocery store in North America is pre-soaked and ground.The rice flour is wet, so it has to be kept in the freezer. Otherwise it will go bad easily.
So if you want, make your own wet rice flour!
Maangchi! i think ive just found out what ive done wrong! i bought the Japanese brand sweet rice flour that was dry!!! no wonder it came out powdery! i will buy the FROZEN rice flour and will let you know what happens…! i thought i had everything right then again, im dumbfounded with what i have just found out! Wish me luck!
Yes, of course I wish you good luck!
동영상만 보더라도 쉽게 요리를 할수 있을것 같아요 거창하지 않으면서도 먹음직스런
무지개떡.. 집에서 떡을 만든다는게 부담스러웠는데 저도 한번 도전해 보려해요
영어는 못하지만 앞으로 종종 방문해서 배워야 겠어요 감사해요
I followed your recipe and it looked exactly like yours before steaming it. Right after I steamed it, it was really flat (~1/2 inch), hard, and chewy (not fluffy at all). Any ideas on what happened?
Maybe the rice flour was too wet?
I found the problem of this maangchi….
May I excuse me to answer this…
umm…
dear yunie…
maybe you used the sweet rice flour or glutinous rice flour..
I have mistaken made this cake using sweet rice flour and the result is the cake comes out flat, the sponge went off, the cake is really flat and unbelieveably chewy….
you should try using Frozen Rice Flour or make your own rice flour…
thank you..
I’m sorry If I was so rude to answer this question mangchi, but I foun out many people misjudged Frozen rice flour as Sweet rice flour or frozen sweet rice flour…
hi,can i replace steamer with oven???? can rite ..i think
no, you have to steam it. Happy New Year!
thank u so much for your reply ..=) happy new yr…and this is the first time ever for me to make a cake …hehe…but i think i will be quit in trouble to find the Ingredients…haihz..because i am now oversea, in moscow ,russia..studying…
wow, you are in Moscow!
Eat well and study hard! : )
Happy cookng!
Hello Maangchi, I was wondering if I don’t eat all the cake how do I store it for later? In the refrigerator or in a glass cake case to keep it fresh?
Keep the leftover rice cake in the freezer. When you eat it later, you can thaw it out at room temperature, reheat it in the microwave oven, or steam it again.
Maangchi! this is was so wonderful! i made it this afternoon and it took me 2 hours to make + a half an hour to cook! it’s takes so long to sift the flour but it the end it’s all worth it because it is so delicious. thank you so much for the recipe!
oh, my! Excellent! yes, it takes time and effort, but it’s worth it!
If you make it again soon, don’t forget to take a photo and email me, so I can put your photo on my website. Many people will be encouraged to make their own mujigaeddeok (rainbow rice cake) when they see the photo.
hello:)
I was just wondering…once you make the rice flour, how long can it be kept in the freezer to use later?:)
Thank you for all your delicious recipes! Can’t wait to try them all ^^
It won’t go bad up to 1 month as long as you keep it in the freezer.
What a beautiful cake, it must taste delightful too. I hope I can find the right ingredients to make this. How lovely for special occasions :)
Yes, if you make it, don’t forget to update me, please.
OMG, this cake is so so adorable and cute, it´s a pity for me is so difficult to get a good rice flour, I really want to make this cake, also looks very delicious. ^^
I soooo want to make this one but can’t find the frozen rice flour package here. :(
Hi Maangchi! Thanks so much for all of your recipes. I am a vegan so I have to veganize some of them but I have made many including the rainbow cake. It came out gorgeous even though a lot of work. I didn’t have pine nuts so I used raw shelled sunflower seeds which worked great. I like to resteam it by the slice before I eat it and have it with tea or coffee. Thanks again and keep the recipes coming.
You must be a very talented cook! Don’t forget to email me the photo if you make it again later. Making rainbow rice cake must be kinda challenge for many people. Using sunflower seeds is a brilliant idea!
Hi,
can i use normal rice flour, instead of frozen rice flour?
because i cant find frozen rice flour here..
pls reply asap. Thank you!
btw,
do you have the recipe of the rice cakes that is normally sold in ‘jilsiru’ ? when i went to korea in the beginning of the year, i had tried the rice cake there , and i find it very delicious.
i have been searching for the recipes online but i just couldn’t find it. if you have, can you please share it with me? Thank you!
Maangchi,
This cake looks delicious! I’m thinking of making it sometime soon, but i was wondering if the rice flour has to be the frozen kind? I found 쌀가루 at the market, but it wasn’t the frozen kind, can i use that?
Hello Maangchi,
I made the rice cake and it was lovely. I have a question, my cake turned out too dried, is it because I left it cooking past the recommended 30 minutes? After steaming, I left it out unwrapped for 7 hours. When I sliced it, it was hard and not fluffy. I did used the frozen rice flour that I purchased from the korean market. Please help. Thank you. I hope you will provide more rice cake recipes.
oh, Be Be Be! : )
I think the rice cake should be kept in a plastic bag right after it’s cooled down which takes about 30 minutes and 1 hour. 7 hours is too long.
Hey maangchi. I made the cake but mine came out chewy instead of soft. Is it supposed to be chewy? when I tried sifting the frozen rice flour after I added the water it became a big clump of dough instead so I had to sift really hard. But it came out pretty =]
yes, rice cake should be chewy. I think you made good rice cake!
I’m glad to see it’s supposed to be chewy!! Hahaha, I was like “this looks right, but why is it chewy!?”