Ma Lai Gao / Chinese Steamed Sponge Cake (using yeast)

A classic Chinese-style steamed sponge cake made with yeast. The cake stays soft and full with an amazing aroma of dark brown sugar.

📝 Ingredients

• 150 g eggs (3 large size eggs)
• 150 dark brown sugar (light brown sugar works too)
• 160 g whole milk (or evaporated milk, don't use skim milk)
• 4 g instant yeast
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 180 g cake flour
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 50 g oil
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• Melon seeds (I use sliced almonds)

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1You can use 9 inch round bamboo steamer. If you use 8 inch, the cake will be taller and steaming time need to be longer too.
2. 2I highly recommend using a bamboo steamer lined with parchment paper to steam the cake. The bamboo basket has holes at the bottom and the cake cooks better that way and you won't have dense spot. Regular cake pan will work too, but if you have a bamboo basket, I would use that instead
3. 3Add the yeast (you can use active dry yeast or instant yeast) with 2 tbsp of the milk in a small bowl and let it bloom for about 10 minutes. It should be foamy and bubbly
4. 4Whisk the eggs, salt, and sugar vigorously until the sugar dissolves.
5. 5Add the milk, vanilla, and the yeast mixture and whisk again to combine.
6. 6Sift in the cake flour. Use whisk to combine. The batter may be lumpy. Strain the batter
7. 7--- Proof the batter: ---
8. 8Cover the bowl and let the batter proof at a warm place (about 82 F/28 C) and let the batter proof until foamy and bubbly, about 1 1/2-2 hours at the mentioned temperature. Try not to let it proof too long as the cake may taste sour. So, let the batter proof at a warm place so it won't take beyond 2 hours
9. 9--- Prepare the baking soda and baking powder mixture: ---
10. 10Fill your steamer with water and bring it to a boil. You want to fill it up with enough water but not too much that the water touches the bottom of the basket you are steaming the cake in, causing the bottom of the cake to be wet and has a dense layer
11. 11Use a whisk to gently stir the cake batter after proofing
12. 12Whisk oil, baking soda and baking powder in a bowl.
13. 13Scoop about 4 tablespoons of the cake batter into the oil mixture
14. 14Whisk vigorously to combine. We do this so that the consistency of the oil is similar to your fluffy cake batter so they mix much easier
15. 15Pour the oil mixture into the cake batter.
16. 16Use a spatula to swipe down and fold again to combine thoroughly
17. 17Pour the cake batter into a prepared bamboo steamer or cake pan.
18. 18Put some thin slices of almond or melon seeds on top if you like
19. 19--- Steaming: ---
20. 20If you don't use a bamboo steamer, make sure you wrap the lid of the steamer with a cloth to prevent water condensation from dropping on the cake surface. If you use a bamboo steamer, you won't have this problem
21. 21Steam on high heat for 45 minutes if using 8-inch round bamboo steamer and about 35-40 minutes if using 9-inch. If using metal cake pan, add another 5 minutes or so.
22. 22A cake tester inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean with a few crumbs is okay, but it shouldn't be wet and sticky. If it is, steam another 5 minutes and check again
23. 23--- Cool down: ---
24. 24Remove from the steamer. Let them cool down a little bit and then lift it out from the basket or pan onto a cooling rack so the bottom won't get soggy because of condensation trapped underneath. Serve the cake warm or at room temperature