Traditional Steamed Cake - 鸡蛋糕

This recipe has been with me for many years.  I do not know for what reason i have kept it for so  long until today .

This steamed sponge cake reminds me of my younger days when I was in my home town.  There was a Hainanese coffee shop that sold very fragrant and very  fluffy  traditional jidangao (鸡蛋糕 i.e. steamed  sponge cake).  Almost every day in the afternoon, I could hear the sound tok tok... from outside when I passed by the coffee shop.  The coffee shop owner' eldest son  was beating the sponge cake batter with a heavy spiral whisk in a big metal bucket , This was really a tortuously and tiring work.  In those good old days,  a slice (in triangle shape ) went  for 15 cents only.

After trying out this sponge cake, I am happy and satisfied with the end product. The cake tastes good,  and the texture is fluffy.  However, I find  the cake is a  bit too dry, I suggest add 1 to 2 tablespoon of corn oil into the batter would make it more moist.  If I have added in a drop of banana essence, it would be  very similar to  the jidangao of yesterday.

Recipe: Adapted from Sunday Times -"Ask the Foodie" by Chris Tan.

Ingredients:
130 g Hong Kong flour
10 g potato starch      
1 teaspoon baking powder
220 g eggs  (weighed without shells)
140 g sugar
3/4 teaspoon vinegar
45 g condensed milk

Method:
1)  Line and grease a deep 18 cm or 19 cm round cake tin. 

2)  Mix Hong Kong Flour, potato starch and baking powder together and  then sift the mixture twice.

3)   Beat eggs, sugar and condensed milk on medium speed  until you see the volume at least quadruples.  When lifted out the bowl, the whisk should trail a thick ribbon of foam that stays on the surface for at least 10 seconds. It may take 5 - 6 minutes of beating to reach this stage.

4)  Beat in 3/4 tsp pf vinegar.  Sprinkle 1/2 the flour over the egg mixture.  Gently but thoroughly, fold it in with a large whisk - make the same over--and-under  folding motion as yo wold with a spatula.  When it is nearly mixed , sprinkle over the remaining flour and fold just until the batter is smooth.  Scrape it into the tin, and steam over high heat for 22 - 25 minutes.

Note:  Do not overcook or the cake will  be tough.

Lemon and Pistachio Cupcakes

Recipe:

Ingredients: (makes 16)

3 large eggs (about 64 -65 g each with shell)
225 g butter , room temperature
220 g  caster sugar
1/2 cup milk
230 g self-raising flour, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup pistachio nuts, coarsely chopped
juice of 1/4 a lemon
zest of  half lemon

Topping:
155 g icing sugar, sifted
225 g  butter, room temperature
1/2 cup pistachio

Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 170 deg C. Line cupcake pan with cupcake papers.
2.  In a mixing bowl, beat sugar and butter till light and fluffy.  Add in eggs one at a time. Beat well  before each addition.
3. Add milk, flour and vanilla, and stir  to combine.  Add pistachio nuts, lemon juice and zest, and combine.
4.  Divide the mixture evenly between the cake papers  Bake for 18 - 20 minutes until risen and firm to touch.  Allow to cool for few minutes and then transfer to a wire rack.  Allow to cool fully before icing.

Topping:
1.  Meanwhile, combine icing sugar and butter,  beat till light and fluffy.  Add lemon zest and pistachio nuts and mix through.  Spoon onto cupcakes in large, loose dollops.