Mama's Baked Chinese New Year's Cake

Nian Gao (年糕) is a homonym for “higher year.” This sticky rice New Year’s cake symbolizes progress in life year after year. There are both sweet and savory versions and various different ways to prepare it. Mama helped me translate her personal recipe for a baked nian gao filled with pecans, a little southern twist due to the abundance of pecan trees in Texas where I grew up. Instead of regular butter, I’ve used my Sous Weed cannabis-infused butter made with Pineapple Wonder from Moon Made Farms x Flow Kana. Each slice is a perfect low-dose serving to end an epic Lunar New Year feast. Wishing you all a higher New Year filled with love, blessings, and lots of success. 

Mama Lo’s Baked Nian Gao
Makes 1 9-inch cake

Ingredients
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 large eggs
• 1 lb sweet rice mochiko flour
• 3 Tbsp Sous Weed butter, melted
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3 cups whole milk or coconut milk
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup pecans, chopped
• 2 Tbsp sesame seeds, toasted

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Grease a 9-inch cake pan with vegetable oil.
2. Crack eggs in a large mixing bowl and lightly whisk.
3. Add mochiko flour, melted cannabis-infused butter, baking powder, milk, sugar, almond extract, and salt. Mix until the cake mixture is completely uniform.
4. Fill the greased cake pan with cake batter and bake for 30 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and top with chopped pecans and toasted sesame seeds. Bake for an additional 25 minutes until golden brown, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the center of the cake. If you’d like an extra golden and crispy crust, broil on high for 3 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and let rest for 15-20 minutes. Serve warm or at room-temperature.