Abstract: Thirteen commercially available fermented rice cakes were selected to assess their quality. We evaluated the color, specific volume, texture, and volatile flavor compounds. The differences and correlations among these indicators were also investigated. Furthermore, a comprehensive evaluation was conducted using principal component analysis (PCA) to identify key indices representing overall quality. The results showed that 13 commercially available fermented rice cakes exhibited variations in specific volume, color, texture, types and contents of volatile flavor substances, and sensory characteristics. In the correlation analysis between specific volume, color index, and sensory evaluation indice: rice white color was significantly negatively correlated with b^* value (P<0.05), and extremely significantly positively correlated with L^* value and specific volume (P<0.01). In the correlation analysis between texture, color indices and sensory evaluation indices: moderate stickiness and uniform air pores were significantly correlated with adhesiveness, cohesiveness, springiness, gumminess, and chewiness (P<0.05). In the correlation analysis between flavor substances, color indices and sensory evaluation indices: isoamyl alcohol and phenylethanol were extremely significantly positively correlated with fermented flavor (P<0.01), and isoamyl alcohol was significantly positively correlated with cereal flavor (P<0.05). Through principal component analysis, four principal components were ultimately identified with a cumulative variance contribution rate of 91.166%, namely cohesiveness, viscosity, isoamyl alcohol content, and b^* value, which could serve as core quality indicators for fermented rice cake and characterize the overall quality characteristics of fermented rice cake.