The Ultimate Rice Cake Guide

March 06, 2023

Dr. Allen Lim started making rice cakes at training camps and races — to give athletes a fresh, savory alternative to overly sweet, pre-packaged options that often cause stomach upset. The result? A portable, customizable, energy-packed snack that's beloved by cyclists, runners, endurance athletes, aid station and crew teams, everywhere.

Whether you're looking for something salty, sweet, or a little bit of both, rice cakes check all the boxes. And the best part? You can make them your own.

The Basics: How to Make a Skratch-Worthy Rice Cake

Choose your rice wisely:
Sushi rice or Calrose (medium-grain “sticky” rice) work best for that signature compact texture.

Always rinse your rice:
Rinse with cool water 4–6 times until the water runs clear. This removes excess starch and improves texture. You can also use our hydrogen peroxide hack to help keep them food safe longer.

Cook in a rice cooker if possible for the most consistent results. Use a 1:1.5 rice-to-water ratio unless otherwise noted.

Mix while hot:
Fold in wet ingredients (like coconut milk or soy sauce) while the rice is still warm to help everything incorporate evenly and hold its shape.

Press and cool:
Spread into a baking pan or sheet tray about 1–1.5 inches thick. Let it set, then cut into squares.

Wrap for the road:
Use Skratch Paper or foil to keep them portable and jersey-pocket ready. Check out our rice cake wrapping video here.

Our 7 Favorite Rice Cake Recipes

Each one is delicious on its own — but feel free to riff and make them your own.

1. Dr. Lim’s Bacon & Egg Rice Cakes (The OG Savory Classic)

Ingredients

• 2 cups uncooked Calrose or medium-grain sticky rice
• 3 cups water
• 8 oz bacon
• 4 eggs
• 2 tbsp liquid aminos or low-sodium soy sauce
• Maple syrup or brown sugar (to taste)
• Salt (to taste)
• Optional: Grated parmesan for extra umami

Instructions

• Cook rice in rice cooker.
• Fry chopped bacon until crispy. Drain well.
• Scramble eggs over high heat (overcooked is fine here).
• Mix rice, bacon, and eggs in a large bowl.
• Add soy sauce and sweetener to taste.
• Press into a baking pan, top with a little brown sugar, salt, and parmesan.
• Cut, wrap, and ride.

2. Umami Rice Cakes (Vegan + Savory)

Ingredients

• 2 cups sushi rice
• 3 cups water or broth
• ¼ cup Bragg’s or Coconut Aminos
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• ¼ cup maple syrup
• ⅓ cup olive oil
• Salt + pepper
• 1¼ tbsp Furikake or rice seasoning

Instructions

• Rinse rice thoroughly. Cook in rice cooker.
• While hot, gently fold in aminos, vinegar, syrup, oil, and seasoning.
• Taste and adjust — especially if using Coconut Aminos (you may need more salt).
• Press into pan, top with extra seasoning, cut into 2" squares, and wrap.

3. Bacon Maple Almond Butter Cakes

Ingredients

• 3 cups Calrose rice
• 4 cups water
• 8 oz cooked bacon or veggie bacon
• 1 cup warmed almond butter
• Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (to taste)
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• Maple syrup + salt (to taste)
• Optional: Olive oil for cohesion

Instructions

• Rinse and cook rice.
• While hot, fold in almond butter, vinegar, aminos, maple syrup, and bacon.
• Taste and adjust — these are more of a framework than a formula.
• Press into a pan, cut into squares, wrap, and go.

4. Apple Cinnamon Rice Cakes

Ingredients

• 3 cups sushi rice
• 4½ cups water
• 1 apple, peeled + minced
• 2 tbsp raw sugar
• Juice of one lemon (about 3 tbsp)
• Topping: 2 tbsp sugar, 2 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp coarse salt

Instructions

• Cook rice with a dash of salt.
• Stir in apple, sugar, and lemon juice.
• Spread into 9x12" pan. Top with cinnamon sugar and salt.
• Let cool, cut, and wrap.

5. Mango Coconut Rice Cakes

Ingredients

• 3 cups sushi rice
• 3 cups water
• 1 can coconut milk
• 2 cups freeze-dried mango, chopped
• Optional: ¼ cup condensed coconut milk
• 1 tsp flaky salt

Instructions

• Rinse rice and cook with coconut milk + water.
• Mix in mango and optional condensed coconut milk.
• Salt to taste.
• Press into pan, let set 3–5 minutes, cut, wrap, and enjoy.

6. Oreo Rice Cakes (Coach Zippy Style)

Ingredients

• 500g sushi rice (~2½ cups)
• 1L water (~4 cups)
• 60g sugar (~¼ cup)
• 100g creamed coconut (~½ cup)
• 35g coconut oil (~2 tbsp)
• 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
• Crumbled Oreos (as many as you dare)

Instructions

• Mix all ingredients (except Oreos) in rice cooker. Stir once midway.
• After cooking, fold in Oreos.
• Press into bag or pan, chill overnight, then cut.
• Sweet-tooth fuel, sealed and ready.

7. Nutella Rice Cake Sandwich

Ingredients

• 3 cups sticky rice
• 4½ cups water
• ¾ cup coconut milk
• ¼–½ cup raw sugar (to taste)
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1½ tsp coarse salt
• 1 cup Nutella or Skratch Homemade Nutella
• 1 pint sliced strawberries or bananas
  

Instructions

• Cook rice with salt.
• Mix in coconut milk, lemon, and sugar. Let cool slightly.
• Press half the rice into a pan.
• Layer with warmed Nutella and fruit.
• Press remaining rice on top.
• Let sit 5 minutes. Cut and wrap.
• Enjoy — maybe even for dessert.

Storage & Shelf Life: How Long Do They Last?

Rice cakes are freshest within 24 hours — especially if they contain meat, eggs, or dairy.

Refrigerated:

• Best within 3 days.
• Store in airtight container or wrapped tightly in Skratch Paper or foil.

Room temperature:

• OK for several hours during training or racing. Use your best judgment and don’t risk food poisoning.

Freezer-friendly?

• Mixed results. Try freezing one and thawing overnight to test your preferred texture.

🚨 Safety Note: While Chef Biju once famously ate a forgotten egg-and-sausage rice cake left out overnight with no issue (true story!), we don’t recommend pushing the limits on food safety. 

Customize Your Cake

The best part of rice cakes? They're infinitely riffable. Here’s how to play:

Mix up your flavor:

• Sweet (Nutella + banana) or savory (egg + soy sauce).

Vary your add-ins:

• Try dried fruits, fresh herbs, roasted veggies, chocolate chips, nuts, a protein, your favorite pizza toppings, the rice cake is your… oyster?! Ehhh we’d skip seafood mix-ins for long rides. 

Adjust textures:

• Add nut butters for creaminess, toasted seeds for crunch, cacao nibs, you name it, if it works for you!

Dial in your macros:

• Want more fat? Add nut butter or oil. More salt? Use miso or soy sauce.

Want More?

📚 Check out the Feed Zone and Feed Zone Portables cookbooks by Dr. Allen Lim and Chef Biju Thomas for 150+ recipes that fuel real athletes with real food.

🎥 Watch how to wrap a rice cake like a pro.

📦 Grab Skratch Paper on our website.

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Got a recipe of your own? A twist that blew your tastebuds away? Tag us @skratchlabs and show us your ride-or-die rice cake!

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