Kababayan Bread - Filipino Muffins

Kababayan bread is the Filipino equivalent of muffins. You won't find this bread as a boxed mix, and you must make it from scratch. The good news is this recipe is straightforward and simple, except for one thing. You must do something you usually don't do with other muffins. Continue reading to find out what it is!

Update Disclosure: This post has been updated for one or more of the following reasons: easier reading, updated photos, clearer instructions, and just plain ol' improvements to the recipe (as noted).

Jump to:

• What is Kababayan Bread
• Ingredients
• Substitutes
• Tips for Making Kababayan Bread
• How to Make Kababayan Bread
• Ways to Enjoy
• Kababayan Bread - Filipino Muffins Recipe
• Have You Tried This Recipe?

What is Kababayan Bread

Kababayan in Tagalog means "fellow countrymen". The bread is shaped in a specific way to resemble a salakot. The salakot is a wide-brimmed traditional hat used as protection on sunny or rainy days in the Philippines. But also, fashion.

This bread is a staple item in panaderias (bakery) sold for a very low price because it is easy to make. It's also easy to sell because it's cute! This snack is just as popular as ensaymada and Spanish bread.

Ingredients

We are going for some thick muffins! Check out the ingredients below:

• All Purpose Flour
• Brown Sugar
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda
• Salt
• Eggs
• Heavy Cream
• Melted Butter
• Vegetable Oil
• More Vegetable Oil - for brushing the muffin pan!

Substitutes

• Shortening: Brushing the muffin pan with shortening can also work as a substitute for vegetable oil. But do not use butter because it will burn in the high temperature before the muffin has a chance to rise.

Tips for Making Kababayan Bread

Avoid Overmixing the Batter

Don't over-whisk the batter because you want to retain some air bubbles to help the muffins rise. 

Achieving The Hat (Salakot) Look

• High Oven Heat: Before placing the filled muffin pans in the oven, make sure that the oven had a chance to completely preheat itself. You want the oven to be as hot as the recommended temperature so that the muffins rise accordingly.
• Use Vegetable Oil: Brush with vegetable oil generously along each side and bottom of each muffin mold. This will make the muffin sides rise and bake faster than the center in the high heat.
• Clean Edges: Clean up any extra batter that drips along the edges, or else the batter won't rise along the sides as expected.
• Watch the Oven: You will notice the sides rise up rather quickly in the high heat. When you see the outer edges touching the top of the muffin pan, turn down the temperature to 180°C (350°F).

How to Make Kababayan Bread

Here is a summary of what you have to do to make these Filipino-style muffins. Check out the recipe card for full instructions and ingredients.

1. Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F).
2. Mix wet and dry ingredients in their separate bowls.
3. Then combine them together without over mixing the batter.
4. Brush the molds of a muffin pan with vegetable oil.
5. Pour the batter in the individual molds.
6. Bake for three to four minutes in the high heat.
7. Turn the temperature down to 180°C (350°F) and continue baking for about fifteen minutes. 
8. Pull the muffins out of the oven and cool them to room temperature.

Ways to Enjoy

These Filipino muffins are great on their own. But there are many ways to dress them up and make them more delicious! 

Add Butter and Jam

Two of the simplest things to add are butter and jam. Cut the bread horizontally in half and carefully spread some butter (the muffin will be moist!) and jam across the slices. Then put the slices back together to make a tiny sandwich and dig in!

Eat with Condensed Milk

Some Kababayan bread recipes also include condensed milk, but I wanted to give you a choice on this one. Dribble some condensed milk on top of sliced Kababayan bread for an extra indulgent factor. 

Make it Glazed

This one is inspired by the classic donut. It is also my personal guilty pleasure, and here is how to do it!

Make a glaze by mixing the following:

• 170 grams powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons whole milk

Dip a cooled muffin upside down into the sugar mix and allow the glaze to harden before eating.

Make it Your Own

I highly recommend you make Kababayan bread the traditional way for the first time. But I believe this recipe is also a flexible and versatile base for many interpretations. It's easy to split the batter into different bowls to add various flavors as well. Extracts such as pandan, ube, and even almond are great additions.