So people used the name of Xishi to describe the delicate beauty of this steamed cake offered at some old-styled Chinese restaurants to attract their customers. If you have tried this old-styled dim sum, you might have been amazed by its simplicity and delicious taste.
Steamed Cake (Printable recipe)
Prepare a 10inch-sized bamboo steamer (or an 8inch greased tin)
Ingredients:
- 5 eggs
- 150 gm caster sugar
- 150 gm cake flour
- Few drops vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp salt
Method:
- Place a large deep mixing bowl on a sauce pan with simmering water and don’t let the bottom of the bowl touch the water. The temperature should be just warm because you don’t want to cook the eggs at this stage. Break one egg at a time. Add into the bowl together with small amount of sugar. Use an electric mixer to beat until completely combined before adding another egg with sugar. Continue to beat the eggs and sugar over high speed for about 5 minutes until the volume of the mixture increases, becomes soft and bubbling. Test by lifting up the mixer, if the egg mixture drops after 3 seconds, it’s done successfully.
- Add a few drops of vanilla extract. Combine salt with flour. Sift in flour into the egg mixture little by little, fold in gently.
- Line baking paper in the bamboo steamer. Pour the batter into the steamer. Place in a wok (or a steamer), covered, and steam over high heat for 30 minutes. Test by an inserted bamboo stick or needle that comes out clean. Serve hot.
Notes:
- When it comes to cooking this steamed cake, all you need are eggs, flour and sugar. No baking powder or baking soda needed. Why is the cake so fluffy and soft? The secret is simple. Just beat the eggs with sugar enough to increase its volume by incorporating as much as air into the mixture.
- You have to add an egg at a time, then beat with a small amount of sugar. Once all of the eggs and sugar are well combined, continue to beat until you lift up the mixer, the mixture will only drop after 3 seconds.
- This steamed cake is best served hot. You can reheat it in a wok before serving, if it cools down.
- Adding a pinch of salt is to elevate the taste of the cake.
64 comments:
yum!! I love steamed cake (just don't make them!) :D Do you know a cake made out of cream soda as well? Steam also!
To Anh,
Not yet. Do you have any?
We have this in Malaysia too. Every year, during Chinese New Year, we buy or sometimes make this cake for prayer purpose but having said that, they taste really good eaten by itself and served with afternoon cuppa. The pores from your cake look so even and small, great job in the whisking over water bath!
I love this cake! My mom used to make it for me when I was a kid and I've always loved the eggy softness of this simple cake. Now that you've reminded me of it I'm making it again tomorrow!
I can't wait to try this!! Gorgeous!
@Christine: this recipe is posted for me ( aka whitepolar ;)) on this forum by a lovely Singaporean aunty. I haven’t tried after all these years. (I never seem to have cream soda or any soft drink around) http://bit.ly/cjpti5
To Anh,
Aw, thanks for the lead.
Haven't tried to use cream soda in making steamed cake. It sounds great. Let me experiment if I get some cream soda or soft drinks.
Am interested in learning that the name of this egg cake can be prefixed with 西施. Yours deserved the name for its fine texture.
Very smooth and healthy. Used to be the dim-sum after school.
Ok... this looks simple enough for me to try too!
Very light and healthy cake! My mum used to steam this cake for us. After reading your post, it's time & my turn to made this for my mum to eat too. Thanks for sharing!
Oh! I love this cake...so light and soft...haven't had it for ages...yours look perfect!
my inlaw love this steam cake too
I definitely love steamed cake! My mom makes a savoury version where she puts chopped marinated pork underneath.
I did not know the Xishi-side of this cake. In Dim-Sum dictionary, I always know this as MaLa Gou? Is that the same?
To tigerfish,
This steamed cake is different from MaLa Gou (馬拉糕), called GaDan Gou (雞蛋糕).
Hi Christine,
i tried making this steamed cake last night and it turn out nice. is Ma la Gou = malay steamed sponge cake? if you have the recipe for this, would be please post. thanks heaps
Beautiful cake so smoth and fine crumbed. Did you use a hand held beater because it won't be possible to use a stand mixer. What is the purpose of beating the eggs in a pan of warm water? Wil definitely try this as soon as I find out if I should use a hand beater or what. Thanks.
Did you beat the eggs on fast or slow? Osme say that beatingeggs on slow speed helps to make it hold air better
To Anonymous,
I used an electric hand mixer to beat the eggs and sugar.
The purpose of beating the eggs over a pan of warm water is to help the eggs and sugar mixture absorb more air. The final batter will be more fluffy and airy.
Hi Christine, if you don't mind my asking - where do you get your recipes? I've got so many cookbooks but everytime I visit your blog it's like I find another treasure!
Hi Trissa,
I don't mind answering your question. Some recipes are from my friends shared in "bring a plate" gatherings, some are inspired by many cookbooks, then mixing them all together and come up with my own (just like the recipe of Prawns with Coconut Milk and Crab Fat that you posted on your blog), some are my experiments done by scratch, some are taught by my parents.
Hi Lily
I made this cake tonight. It turned out superb! It is light and spongey and so healthy! I love it! Thanks for sharing your recipe. I will definitely be making it again in the future!
Such a beautiful history for such a beautiful cake! It looks amazing =)
~Kurious Kitteh
Hi Christine,
This was delicious! I made it last weekend, and it was gone within an hour!
By chance do you know of a recipe to make seasame paste cake (steam version)? In cantonses it's called "Gee Mah Go" If you do, can you please kindly post? I have been looking for that recipe for awhile but can't seem to find it
Thank You!
Regards,
Linda
Do i really need to use a bamboo steamer? can i just use a steel one?
To Clover,
If you don't have a bamboo steamer, you can replace it with a tin. That works too. You might like to put a plate on top and avoid the surface of your cake from getting wet because of the condensed steam.
Thanks Christine! Can't wait to try it!!
Christine
what is cake flour? I live in UK and I don't think there is a general cake flour?
@noriko - I think cake flour over here in the UK is "pastry flour", it's a more finely milled version of plain flour.
can i use a sponge cake flour for the above recipe?
Hi Christine! I just want to ask after you're done mixing the sugar and eggs and it's time to mix the vanilla and flour do you still mix it in the sauce pan in simmering water?
Hi jenny,
I'll remove the bowl from the simmering water once I feel it's warm enough because you don't want the eggs to be cooked at this stage. The idea is to keep the mixture warm, not too hot.
hello! i was wondering is this the same type of cake that is used in birthday cakes from Chinese bakery? i always find American style cakes ones too sweet but can never find recipe that is close to the ones that chinese bakery uses
To Anonymous,
It's the one at Yum Cha Chinese restaurants, not the not from bakery shops.
Can I do this by beating the eggs by hand or must I have an electric mixer?
@Anonymous
Sure, you can beat by hand.
Since it takes longer time and would be very tired, so I used electric mixer.
Hi, can I use normal flour for this cake? Will it afect the texture? What about using self-raising flour? Needing your expert advice here. Can't wait to try making this cake, it is my mom's favourite! =D
@Anonymous
Thanks for your kind words. I'm just a homecook, not an expert. :)
Cake flour has got less protein compared to normal flour (all purpose flour) and self-raising flour, so the cake made by it would be more delicate, giving you a fine texture.
lovely cake u made there. May I know whether the egg white and egg yolks are separated for this recipe? About the temperature wise, the eggs keep getting cook though. Roughly how hot it would be to stir the egg and sugar in?
Hi Christine,I live in Canada & have a bit of confusion about the measurment. I prefer cups & table spoon than grams. By the time I convert to cups from grams, I will loose my interest of making the dish.
@Amber：
The cake used the whole egg method, not need to separate the egg whites and egg yolks.
While beating the egg mixture, the temperature should be luke warm, don't cook the eggs at this stage.
@Amy Lee:
Please refer to this post and convert the measurements.
Same here. I don't like doing lots of maths before cooking.
Would you consider to invest an electri kitchen scale?
Hi Christine, I really like your recipes because of the fact that I can use my digital scale. Makes measuring of ingredients a lot easier and more accurate. I don't even bother trying recipes that used measuring cups anymore. Thanks a lot for sharing your recipes.
@sweetpea:
It's really a smart move of getting a digital scale, and don't need to limit ourselves to try as many recipes out there.
@Christine@Christine's Recipes]
Hi Chiristine, thanks for the tips. Unfortunately, it didn't turn out well. It was still too dry and tough when I streamed it.
Hi Christine,
This cake reminds me of my aunt's steam cake. It's very fine and delicious. Just wondering if plain flour and cake flour are the same. I live in Melbourne and I don't think the supermarket stock cake flour here.
@Anonymous:
Cake flour is a kind of low gluten flour, normally used for making delicate, soft cakes. The texture of the end result is finer than those made from plain flour.
You can get cake flour from any Asian stores.
Dear Christine,
I think I need your advise asap! Twice already! It happened to me a nd I really don't know why? I tried a sponge cake both : steam and baking: the batter looks very fine but when the cooking process starts...I have problem! The upper part of my cake is soft, fluffy but the bottom part (half of the cake) is heavy! Could you tell me why ? I tried once with self raising flour & another time with AP flour! Thanks a lot@
Dear Christine,
I need your advise: I tried to make sponge cake twice: steam and baking. The batter is great but when I steam or bake - the cake comes out: upper part is super soft, but the bottom is hard and heavy! I really don't know why! Pre heat the oven? Flour ? I used self rising flour? cake flour or AP one ? Thank you very much!
@Anonymous：
This cake is fluffy due to the air beaten into the egg and sugar mixture. If there's not enough air, means that the egg mixture is not beaten long enough, it doesn't have enough strenght to support the inner structure of your cake.
It seems that the flour of your cake had sinked to the bottom without enough support while cooking.
Or else, the air was knocked out while folding in the flour.
Dear Christine,
Thanks for your comment, I will try again! Could you pls advise how long as minimum the egg mixture should be beaten? Thanks a lot!
@Anonymous
It all depends on how well your electric mixer performs. We have to look for a light, fluffy, thickened egg and sugar mixture with volumn increased, that incorporates as much air inside as possible. In my post, I've written down a simple test of whether the egg mixture is ready or not.
By lifting up your mixer, if the egg mixture drops after 3 seconds, that's very very slow, your egg mixture is blended well.
i do not have an oven, so i was looking for steaming version and found your recipe and tried out yesterday. it turns out very aroma but a bit dry or hard but is still nice to eat consider this is my 1st try. it is a bit tiring to hold the bowl and the other hold the mixer over the simmering water! even after 5 mins, can't get the fluffy texture, thus making my cake a bit dry!
but my cake looks very yellow than your white? wonder why
Thanks for the recipe Christine. I have tried twice and both times the cake didnt rise. I have beaten the egg and sugar till it became fullfy and yet it still doesnt rise. I remains heavy instead of light. Please tell me where I went wrong.
@pc：
The cake was steamed,hmmm, wonder how come it was dry.
The egg and sugar has to be beaten over high speed, until very fluffy, the colour will turn to pale yellow, close to white. When it comes to beat the mixture of egg and sugar, don't look at the clock. We have to look for the right consistency. The time suggested in the recipe is only for reference. The performance of every electric mixer is very different.
@Anonymous:
The texture of this steamed cake is solely rely on the support of the air beaten inside.
There are two main parts that would make this cake won't rise. First, the mixture of eggs and sugar has to be beaten to the right consistency, very thick and slow to fall a drop. If not, the cake can't rise properly.
Second, when fold-in the flour, beware not to knock out the air from the egg and sugar mixture.
Otherwise, the cake won't rise high and not soft.
can you post a ma lai go recipe please!(:
hi christine,
can i use granulated sugar, instead of custard sugar?
@Anonymous：
Yes, you can.
Hi Christine
Thanks for the recipies but alas to say I am one of the failures. Tried 3 times and yet it does not rise. Taste is good just that the cake is not light in fluffy like shown in the picture. Any chance that you will demonstrate on you tube? That will be just great indeed. :)
@Anonymous：
oh, sorry to hear that. This method of beating whole eggs with sugar is quite challenging, I know.
Might consider to take video if any chance.
hi christine, is it possible to overbeat the egg and sugar mixture once it is light and fluffy? and is the end result of the cake supposed to be moist? thank you
@Anonymous:
We hardly over beat the egg and sugar actually, instead, we need more patience to beat the mixture until very fluffy.
That's crucial step to make this cake successfully.
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