Chinese Steamed Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Sprinkle the yeast over 1/2 cup of warm water in a small bowl. The water should be no more than 100 degrees F (40 degrees C). Let stand for 5 minutes until the yeast softens and begins to form a creamy foam.
• Beat egg, melted butter, vanilla extract, and milk together in a large bowl, until smooth. Sift cake flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt together in a small bowl, then stir the flour mixture into the egg mixture, mixing until just combined. Stir in the yeast mixture until smooth. Cover with a light cloth and let rise in a warm place (80 to 95 degrees F (27 to 35 degrees C) until doubled in volume, 1 to 2 hours. Pour mixture into a 9 inch round pan lined with parchment paper. Sprinkle with raisins.
• Place a steamer insert into a saucepan, and fill with water to just below the bottom of the steamer. Cover, and bring the water to a boil over high heat. Add the cake, recover, and steam until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Steps:

• Arrange a large bamboo steamer or a large vegetable steamer over simmering water. Make sure it is large enough to hold the baking pan. Line a 9 inch square pan with waxed paper.
• Separate the eggs. Place the yolks in a large bowl along with the sugar and water. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture has increased about three times in volume. Whisk together the flour and the baking powder; sift this over the egg mixture, and fold in gently. Blend in the extract.
• Whip the egg whites in a clean bowl to stiff, not dry, peaks. Fold into yolk base. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and smooth out to edges. Rap the pan on the counter to get rid of large air bubbles.
• Place the pan into the steamer. Cover the top of the steamer with a kitchen towel, and place the lid on top; the towel will absorb any steam that collects on top from dripping onto the cake. Steam for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with confectioner's sugar.

Steps:

• Combine rice flour and 2 cups cold water in a large, heatproof mixing bowl. Mix until smooth and velvety; set aside.
• Soak dried shrimp in 1 cup cold water in a small bowl until softened, about 15 minutes. Drain and dry shrimp, then finely chop and set aside.
• Boil enough water to immerse bacon in a small pot, and cook to soften, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from heat and pat dry. Finely chop and set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok over medium heat. Add shrimp and cook until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add bacon. Cook for another 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
• Clean the wok and heat remaining oil over medium-high heat. Stir-fry daikon and rock sugar for 3 minutes. Add 1 cup water, cover the wok, and steam daikon until just cooked, about 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
• Add hot daikon mixture to the reserved rice flour mixture, mixing until daikon is well incorporated. Add bacon, shrimp, and salt; stir until evenly distributed. Pour into a 10-inch round cake pan and smooth out the top.
• Bring some water to a boil in a wok. Place the cake pan on the wok rack, making sure the bottom half of the pan is immersed. Cover and reduce heat to medium. Steam until a toothpick goes cleanly through the center, about 1 hour. Check the water level regularly and replenish, if necessary, with boiling water. Remove pan and allow to cool on a rack for about 1 hour.

Steps:

• Arrange a large bamboo steamer or a large vegetable steamer over simmering water.
• Make sure it is large enough to hold the baking pan.
• Line a 9 inch square pan with waxed paper.
• Separate the eggs.
• Place the yolks in a large bowl along with the sugar and water.
• Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture has increased about three times in volume.
• Whisk together the flour and the baking powder; sift this over the egg mixture, and fold in gently.
• Blend in the extract.
• Whip the egg whites in a clean bowl to stiff, not dry, peaks.
• Fold into yolk base.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and smooth out to edges.
• Rap the pan on the counter to get rid of large air bubbles.
• Place the pan into the steamer.
• Cover the top of the steamer with a kitchen towel, and place the lid on top; the towel will absorb any steam that collects on top from dripping onto the cake.
• Steam for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
• Cool on a wire rack.
• Dust with confectioner's sugar.

Steps:

• Heat water and dissolve sugar. Let cool.
• Mix yolk into sugar water.
• Slowly add flour into the mixture.
• Blend in oil and extract.
• In a large bowl, beat egg whites until peaks are stiff. Add cream of tartar.
• Fold batter from above into egg whites.
• Pour combined batter into an UNGREASED aluminum cake pan (do NOT use a non-stick pan!).
• Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes until done (when toothpick comes out clean).
• Turn cake upside down and let cool.