When i was a kid, the only cake i know is 鸡蛋糕 Ci Tan Kou (steamed egg sponge cake). But i have no chance to learn this cake from my Ah Mah (grandmother) and other types of kuih-mueh (cakes) from her as she passed away when I still young. Luckily i have blogger friend Jane's Ah Mah recipe, so I can taste a truly old fashion of steamed sponge cake, Thanks to Jane's Ah Mah!
The traditional steamed sponge cake using very simple ingredients, one bowl flour, one bowl egg and one bowl sugar..Neither baking powder nor baking soda is added. Simply beat the egg till very stable...and last time Ah Mah was using hand whisk to beat, can you imagine how long to beat...
Latest updated on 2 Nov 2011-As per requested by Mary (Barefeet In The Kitchen) to show her on how to line a steaming tray and steam a sponge cake. Here are the steps i followed:-
1. Line parchment paper either with a normal round pan or best to use a bamboo tray for better hot air circulation.
2. Line the paper on the tray
3. Arrange and fold neatly the paper over the tray
4. Boil water in a wok
5. Once water boiled, put another steaming rack as to hold the steaming tray..
6. Place the steaming tray with sponge cake on top
7. Close the lid and steam over boiling water with high flame..
I did not followed Jane as to add in baking powder, purely use flour, egg and sugar only.
Ah Mah’s Traditional steamed sponge cake鸡蛋糕
(recipe source: adapted from Jane’s Ah Mah)
One bowl all purpose flour (140g)
One bowl egg (5 medium eggs)
One bowl sugar (240g)
Method
1. Dry flour under hot sun for an hour.
2. Beat egg and sugar in a mixer over low speed for 2mins, increase to medium high speed and continue beat till double in volume (take about 30mins), thick, creamy and pass “ribbon” stage. Change to low speed, beat for 1-2mins as to minimize the air bubbles.
3. Sift in flour, mix slowly with a spatula and combine well.
4. Pour the cake mixture into prepared 8” lined baking tin or bamboo steam tray, rest for 10mins.
5. Steam over high heat for about 40mins, and wait for 1min then only remove the cake.
6. Serve after slightly cool down.
Enjoy this steamed cake with a cup of local coffee, simply satisfy!
I am submitting this post to Aspiring Bakers #12: Traditional Kueh (October 2011) hosted by SSB of Small Small Baker.
72 comments:
小时候
婆婆也会弄鸡蛋糕给我们吃
现在她不在了
很想念那滋味:)
This sounds really really delicious. I have never seen this before - Dry flour under hot sun for an hour!
啊～我婆婆真的很会做这个(^O^)
还有其他糕点。。食谱也是agak agak的
So far I learned how to make steamed pudding which is relay English thing.I will try to steam a cake.It looks very yummy:)
I remember I used to eat this too when we don't have an oven, so every kuih muih and cakes are steamed.
这个我家大姐会比较帮耐做，
而我有时可以有时不可以哈哈。。。
My Ah Ma used to make this too! Ah... memories. Unfortunately didn't take an interest in cooking then. Now I'm relying on you and the other talented bloggers for all this long lost recipes. Thanks for sharing, Sonia.
used to eat this when i was young
my late step mother used to make this kuih.. if in malay we call it kuih apam right?
I'm not a big fan of 鸡蛋糕 when I was young but after when I learned to bake, I started to love this a lot :D
I can't remember whether if i eat this when i was young, but now loves this, keke...
Sonia, wah long time never eat this, forgotten about it. Love to eat this with kopi-o. Yours look nice and fluffy.
Sonia I want to make this too...but if i steam using normal gas do i still steam that long?i mean for 40mins?
really ah mah's style recipe! all using agak2....hahaha...but result is yummy too :)
my hubby suka sangat kueh ni.I will try this recipe:)
I missed quite a number of ur recipes as I was in Pollachi and I post recipe tru iphone..will surely go tru soon..btw these steamed cake looks delicious dear :)
Looks easy enough without the hassle with baking soda and such, I think I might try this sometimes. Its a good thing this does not requires an oven, because mine is broken. I do love Ci Dan Gao.
this was my fav cake when I was young. My mum used to buy it from the market. Love it, love it so much!
This cake reminded me of my dad homemade ji dan gao. He also hand beat the ingredients but he bake it instead of steaming it. I remember my dad owned an old fashion oven which was gifted by his white man superior in the 60's. I have never used it before though.
Thanks for sharing it. Enjoy & have a great week ahead.
Kristy
Long time didn't eat this already, remember I ate this when young, that time they even have layer one with kaya between two pieces of the cake.
Oh yea, I remember this 'kueh Neng Koh' My grandma and mom used to make it often for our weekend breakfast.
I used to help my dad whisking the egg batter when he made this steamed cake. That's is part of my childhood memories :)
Delicious steam cake,luks so soft n yum...
I love this tradition steam fat goh too! Will try your method without the baking powder....yum!
Sonia, u really "keng"! Last post of kuih on the last day of Oct. Bravo! TQ for trying out this recipe. You make me feel like wanna fly back and ask my amah to steam one for me.
Simple n superb soft one..
All your recipes are one above the other!!
Sonia, you are using Jane's Ah Mah recipe means my ah mah too..haha... make me think of my Ah Ma now.
This looks light and fluffy.
This is something that I eat a lot in the past too! And it's definitely much more healthier than the cakes that I bake now!:P
I love the texture of steamed cakes. So glad to have this recipe. It looks great!
Sooooo soft and spongy...
can see that it is soft, fluffy and spongy...how i wish for some now.
This is really old fashion...my grandmother always do this since i am a child!! But just agak-agak...she will made a big tray and serve a big pot of coffee.
I love the fluffiness ~
Delicious love this as much as your other cakes.
Ohhhh I LOVE steamed cake and it's so easy to make , too ;)
你的陶瓷碗和我家的一摸一样咧！
不过，我常“不小心”打破碗的。。。
所以，已经“存货”有限了。。
哈哈哈。。。。
那个盘，你还用哦？
真的是古董料。 ^^
Yes, I remember those steamed cakes and as a child I even helped beat the eggs :) Your cake looks very nice and fluffy!
I was looking for this recipe last week because I was craving for this cake ! Thank you for sharing.
That steamed cake brings back many childhood memories. YUM!
Love this easy recipe, got to give it a try. Thanks!
The cake looks so soft and fluffy.
I really love steamed sponge cake, so light and fluffy!
I want to finally try a steamed cake. It is just so different from anything here. Can you explain how you lined your pan? I can't tell from the picture what you did. Where does the steam come from? Is there a tray of water underneath the cake?? Thanks in advance!
Mary
This looks so good. I'd like a piece. :-)
oh, how fabulous...looks light as air!!
Makes me miss the good'o 鸡蛋糕. :)
I remember this too! Haven't had this in a loooong time.
Mary, Glad to know that you wanting to try this steam cake. I have re-update this post with the line pan and steaming steps. Happy trying!
Looks so fluffy and tempting..i will surely try this recipe!
Thank you SO much for the updated directions, Sonia!! I assumed that this was baked in the oven with a steam tray. I need to find a pan big enough to accomplish this on the stovetop. I really want to taste a steamed cake. :) I kept seeing the posts, but simply couldn't figure out how they were being made. Thank you again!!
I like how you kept it authentic by excluding baking powder. Still it looks fluffy and this is yummy!
Thanks for your recipe....just one question, the 5th step where we have to wait for one min ... is after we remove the lid and continue steaming for a minute? tks
Hi Anonymous, once finished steam, dont immeidate remove the lid and wait for a minutes then only open the lid and remove the cake.
Wow, it's that easy? I'm really going to have to try this, as I've been wanting to do steamed egg cake for a long, long time. Thanks for sharing!
Hi! I tried the recipe last weekend and although the cake tasted great, it didnt rise up much. Need some help...
1/ I used an electric stand mixer. Should I be using the big round whisk to beat the eggs and sugar? I used the K-beater the last round.
2/ For the eggs & sugar mixture, I'm not quite sure if mine was in the correct consistency. Does 'pass ribbon' stage means stiff peak and it doesnt drip at all if you invert the bowl? Or should it be just right after the ribbon stage but not stiff yet?
I love this steam cake as it really brings back great childhood memories. Your recipe is really close to what my mom used when I was little. Hope to perfect it so that I can bake for my parents & love ones :)
Thank you so much in advance!
Cassie
Cassie,
1. Yes, you have to use the big round ballon whisk.
2.No, you should not invert the bowl , this is not like beating meringue egg white. What you need to do is beat until batter become pale white and very thick , usually take about 10-15mins at medium speed using KA mixer. How to check is to hold the ballon whisk, The batter drip very slow , maybe take about 10sec.
Ya, recently i learnt that using cold eggs from fridge work better, first beat high speed to let egg become fluffy about 1-2mins then change to medium speed continue to beat for 10-15mins.
Hope this helps .
Thank you Sonia for all the advice! I'll try this again and let you know if there's anymore problems. Take care & have a great weekend :)
Cassie
I was craving this cake over Chinese new year but did not know how to make it. I found this recipe on the internet and have just made it. It was so quick and easy to make and tastes fantastic and not too sweet. Thankyou
Zuno's
Trying out plenty of recipe but was not the taste I want no my ah mah taste,fill disappointed,until I read ts recipe immediately decide try it out ,cake cook oh! God.....this the fluffy look & taste I want thank you very much.
Ah.......Happy ! happy ! happy ! Ha ha ha
hi sonia,
had tried your recipe a couple of time and even followed the steps. but why didn't my ji dan gao rise?
it is as flat as a butter cake? Pls help
hi sonia,
i had tried your recipe a couple of time but why my ji dan gao always don't rise (huat)?
Pls help.
Hi I used this recipe +vanilla and my cake was super soft and fluffy and moist. The part I didn't like was the level of sugar. Maybe I will reduce 1/2sugar and add one extra York for the moistness, maybe a little bit of oil or glucose syrup. 1:1:1 method was easy to remember . Thank you for the recipe, I made this when I was young too, just didn't remember the recipe so thank you for making me remember the fond memories... :)
my gran used to separate egg whites and beat one to meringue and another ribbon. She added little baking
soda and vanilla as well. You should give it a try ^^
Before I bake, rather than slowly beating in circles to reduce large bubbles, I put the mix in the pan and I tap on the work top to pop any large bubbles. Saves time and the inside will not get any big bubbles ^^
Thanks again!
Hi Sonia, I googled for a recipe and yours came out. Then I found out that you are QP and a few other friends.
Anyway for this recipe, may I know why we need to beat at high speed for 30 mins? The reason I need to know cos I m using a Thermomix to beat and Thermomix highest speed is extremely fast. So just want to confirm so that I can watch out. Is it the texture, sponge-y or just to ensure egg and sugar are well mix?
Thx
Little Lamb, my recipe wrote as beating medium high but not beat high speed..hope this helps.
I baked this cake too but i d'nt rest the cake mixture. Can i know why must rest the cake mixture for 10mins. Do u know the crispy 鸡蛋糕 recipe?
Thanks for all the advice. Very helpful and reliable.
Hi Sonia,
May i know y my cake didn't rise? Should I add in soda water?
anyway the cake is fluffy !!!
Thanks
onncheng
You are an absolute star for putting this recipe online! It was exactly like my por por's recipe though I halved the amount of sugar because I'm not a huge sweet tooth. Such a simple recipe and easy to follow, my cake was light, fluffy and tasted so good ^_^
Many thanks,
Bella x
Hi Sonia,
My neighbour gave us some of this 鸡蛋糕 after 初九拜天宮. Her 鸡蛋糕 (using agak-agak method) was hard & greyish in colour, nothing like yours. I can't remember if I had this before & thought there has to be a better recipe. I googled & found your recipe & tried it out. It turned out very nice & fluffy. Thank you for the recipe. Georgina
Hi Sonia, I want to make this for cny. May I know whats the purpose of drying the flour in the sun? Will it affrct the taste and texture of cake if I do not do it? Thanks and appreciate your reply
Lovetocookbake, drying the flour in the sun is to let flour turn dryer and light so cake texture will be lighter . Yes you can omit think you won’t differentiate it much .
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