Vigan Royal Bibingka

The Vigan Royal Bibingka is not the usual puffy bibingka that everybody is familiar with. It is a sticky rice cake closer to a cross of tikoy and cassava cake. Long before the commercialization by the bibingka bakers of Vigan, bibingka then were baked in circular clay pot lined with banana leaf under flaming charcoals and covered with sheet iron on top with flaming charcoal for even cooking. Click here to see the royal bibingka recipe.

Vigan Royal Bibingka Original Recipe by Overseas Pinoy Cooking

When I was a kid I used to help my grandma prepare and cook homemade bibingka in our backyard during Christmas and other special occasions. The batter is made up of glutinous rice flour with egg, sugar, milk, and margarine. It is then topped with finely grated cheddar cheese during the last few minutes of cooking but this was an option. Now the commercialized versions are baked in gas ovens using modern baking materials and packaging.

To my knowledge Tongson’s was the first to commercialize it. I still remember their bibingka were baked lined with banana leaves the size of big plate. Their packaging was just a simple white wax coated paper. Today it has evolved to a more sophisticated packaging. They are now baked the size of cup cakes and in bake cups and they are packed in attractive red box which make it ideal for pasalubong.

At present the most popular is Marsha’s Delicacies located in the immediate neighboring town of Bantay. Then there are The Sister’s and other smaller bibingka makers like; Sikatuna, Mom’s and other less known.

If you are from Metro Manila, Tongson’s has a Manila branch located at Quezon City near EDSA opposite SM City North Ave.

Vigan Royal Bibingka is truly another unique delicacy of Ilocos Sur, Vigan in particular. I strongly recommend to every one who wishes to visit Vigan, they are great pasalubong as well.

See other related post of royal bibingka;

Royal Bibingka
Royal Bibingka, Empanada and Longganisa. Second Stop Vigan City.