Chinese Steamed Sponge Cake is one of my favorite types of cake. It is softer, fluffier, and less sweet than Western-style cakes. In honor of our Chinese aunties, I'm using only ยพ cup of sugar so it's not too sweet. But if you want it sweeter, you can increase it to one cup.
Can't get enough of Chinese desserts? Try my Durian Cake next!
๐ฐ About This Recipe
Chinese Steamed Sponge Cake (ji dan gao) is a popular dessert at Dim Sum restaurants. I've tried making this many times in the past, but this is my new method to get the perfect tall and fluffy cake.
If you've ever tried making steamed sponge cake, you know there are many issues that can arise. For example, the cake might not rise properly, or it will collapse when you open the lid, or it just ends up too dry and dense.
This is my new go-to recipe, and it's basically FAIL-PROOF. There are no complicated steps, and it only requires five ingredients. I think the secret is not separating the egg yolks and the egg whites. This eliminates a lot of the potential errors that cause home cooks to mess up.
๐ง Ingredients
- Eggs: This is the reason they call it "ji dan gao" in Chinese. "ji dan" means chicken egg, and "gao" means cake. Eggs are the base for the cake.
- Sugar: I like to use ยพ cup of sugar so the cake isn't overly sweet. My parents never liked too much sugar in their desserts, so this is always how I've made it. You can add up to another ยผ cup to make it sweeter.
- Flour: I highly recommend using a scale to measure the flour for the best results. Not using enough flour is one of the common reasons for the cake to deflate. This recipe was tested using all-purpose flour, but you can also use cake flour. If you do, add two extra tablespoons of cake flour.
- Baking Powder: Most of the rising comes from the air whipped into the eggs, but a little bit of baking powder gives it extra lift.
- Vanilla Extract: I LOVE vanilla extract in desserts! Many recipes don't include it, but I think it makes a huge difference in the taste. I've also tried almond extract, and it tastes really good as well.
๐ช Instructions
STEP 1: Bring water to a boil in a large pot and line an 8-inch round, 2-inch tall cake pan with parchment paper.
STEP 2: In a medium bowl, sift in all-purpose four and whisk it with baking powder.
STEP 3: In a stand mixer bowl with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed until thick and fluffy, about 4 minutes. The goal is to whip as much air into it as possible. Stir in the vanilla extract.
STEP 4: Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture one-third at a time. Use a spatula to fold in each addition until just combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to catch any pockets of flour and stop mixing when there are no more visible streaks of flour. Be careful not to overmix the batter, as it will cause the air bubbles to deflate.
STEP 5: Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and give it a few taps on the counter to remove air pockets. This will ensure the top is nice and flat after steaming.
STEP 6: Steam for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. It's okay if there are a few crumbs, but no wet batter should be visible. Keep an eye on the water level and add more as necessary.
STEP 7: Remove the cake from the steamer and allow it to rest in the pan for at least 20 minutes. To remove the cake, slide a knife around the edges of the pan to separate it from the cake. Place a wire rack on top of the pan, then invert the pan so that the top of the cake falls onto the wire rack. Remove the parchment paper and place the cake on a cutting board to cut. Enjoy!
The cake will stay fresh at room temperature for up to 2 days, but if you want it to last longer, you can refrigerate it for up to one week.
๐ Recipe
Chinese Steamed Sponge Cake
Ingredients
- 5 large eggs
- ยพ cup sugar (150g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (142g)
- ยฝ teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
- Bring water to a boil in a large pot and line an 8-inch round, 2-inch tall cake pan with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, sift in all-purpose four and whisk it with baking powder.
- In a stand mixer bowl with the whisk attachment, beat the eggs and sugar on medium-high speed until thick and fluffy, about 4 minutes. The goal is to whip as much air into it as possible. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Add the dry ingredients to the egg mixture one-third at a time. Use a spatula to fold in each addition until just combined. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to catch any pockets of flour and stop mixing when there are no more visible streaks of flour. Be careful not to overmix the batter, as it will cause the air bubbles to deflate.
- Pour the batter into the prepared cake pan and give it a few taps on the counter to remove air pockets. This will ensure the top is nice and flat after steaming.
- Steam for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. It's okay if there are a few crumbs, but no wet batter should be visible.
- Remove the cake from the steamer and allow it to rest in the pan for at least 20 minutes. To remove the cake, slide a knife around the edges of the pan to separate it from the cake. Place a wire rack on top of the pan, then invert the pan so that the top of the cake falls onto the wire rack. Remove the parchment paper and place the cake on a cutting board to cut. Enjoy!
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