Kitchen Recipe
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Sri Lankan Bibikkan
A dark, rich, incredibly moist traditional coconut cake packed with kithul jaggery, roasted semolina, dates, and warm spices.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 90 min
- Servings
- 12
- Difficulty
- medium
- Cuisine
- sri lankan
Ingredients
Scaled for 12 servings
- freshly grated coconut
- kithul jaggery
- roasted semolina
- plain flour
- baking powder
- dates
- cashew nuts
- cardamom
- cinnamon
- cloves
- vanilla
Equipment
- Oven
- Baking tin
- Saucepan
Instructions
- 1
Make Pani Pol
Melt jaggery with a little water in a pan. Add grated coconut, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. Cook until it forms a sweet, sticky mixture. Let cool.
- 2
Mix Dry Ingredients
In a bowl, mix roasted semolina, flour, and baking powder.
- 3
Combine
Mix the dry ingredients into the cooled coconut-jaggery mixture. Fold in chopped dates, cashew nuts, and vanilla.
- 4
Bake
Pour into a lined baking tin. Bake at 160°C (320°F) for 50-60 minutes until dark and firm.
Cooking Tips
- Bibikkan has no eggs or butter, relying entirely on the moisture from the jaggery and the fat from the fresh coconut.
- The semolina must be roasted first to give the cake its signature slightly grainy, crumbly texture.
Variations
- Fruity Bibikkan: Add candied winter melon (puhul dosi) and raisins.
Chef's Notes & Storage
- A coastal specialty, particularly famous in the southern regions of Sri Lanka.
Nutrition Estimate
310 calories · 4g protein · 45g carbs · 14g fat · 4g fiber per serving
