Chinese Sponge Cake Food

CHINESE SPONGE CAKE (BAKED, NOT STEAMED)

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.

CHINESE SPONGE CAKE (CHIFFON CAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
• In a metal or glass bowl, beat egg whites until frothy. With the mixer still running, gradually pour in 1/2 cup sugar and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form.
• In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks, water, remaining sugar, vanilla, and oil.
• Whisk flour and baking powder in another bowl.
• Mix flour and yolk mixture.
• Gently fold the flour and yolk into the egg whites.
• Pour into an ungreased angel food tin and bake for 40-50 minutes or until cooked through. The cake should spring back when lightly tapped (not sink).
• For best height, cool the cake in the tin turned upside down, but be careful of the cake falling out of the tin. Cake can be served and stored at room temperature.

SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small saucepan, warm the milk and 2 teaspoons of the butter together over medium-low heat. With an electric mixer fitted with a wire whip, beat the eggs and 1 cup of the sugar on medium-high speed in a large mixing bowl until the mixture is pale yellow, thick, and tripled in volume, about 8 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the warm milk mixture. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a small mixing bowl. Add half the flour mixture to the egg mixture and blend thoroughly until smooth. Repeat with the other half. Add the vanilla and mix gently. Grease a 17 by 12-inch baking pan or jelly-roll pan with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Pour the cake batter into the pan, spreading it evenly. Bake until the cake springs back when touched, about 15 minutes. Cool for about 2 minutes, then gently flip it out onto a large sheet of parchment paper. Let cool completely.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a small saucepan, warm the milk and 2 teaspoons of the butter together over medium-low heat. With an electric mixer fitted with a wire whip, beat the eggs and 1 cup of the sugar on medium-high speed in a large mixing bowl until the mixture is pale yellow, thick, and tripled in volume, about 8 minutes. With the mixer on low speed, beat in the warm milk mixture. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a small mixing bowl. Add half the flour mixture to the egg mixture and blend thoroughly until smooth. Repeat with the other half. Add the vanilla and mix gently. Grease a 17 by 12-inch baking pan or jelly-roll pan with the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle evenly with the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar. Pour the cake batter into the pan, spreading it evenly. Bake until the cake springs back when touched, about 15 minutes. Cool for about 2 minutes, then gently flip it out onto a large sheet of parchment paper. Let cool completely.

CHINESE SPONGE CAKE RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Line an 8 X 8- or 9 X 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Prepare a wok for steaming.
• Place the flour in a medium bowl. Stir in the baking powder and salt and set aside.
• Separate the egg yolks and the egg whites.
• In a medium bowl, beat the egg whites until frothy. Add the cream of tartar and beat briefly.
• Add 1/4 cup of sugar and beat for another minute (don't let the egg whites stiffen). Add the egg yolks and the remaining 1/2 cup of sugar. Beat for about 2 more minutes. Stir in the almond extract.
• Gradually sift the flour mixture onto the egg mixture and gently fold in after each addition. Mix thoroughly, but do not beat.
• Pour the batter into the cake pan . Bring the water in the wok to a high boil, then turn down to medium. Steam the cake, covered, for 20 to 25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool the cake on a rack. Invert onto a plate and remove the parchment paper. Invert onto another plate so that the cake is right-side up. Cut into squares.

CHINESE SPONGE CAKE, CHIFFON CAKE

Steps:

• Separate the egg yolks and egg whites
• Add the meringue ingredients to a very large mixing bowl. Mix on high speed for 7-8 minutes until the egg whites are fluffy and hold stiff peaks. More details about checking for stiff peaks are in the post above.
• In a second bowl, add all of the egg yolk mixture ingredients. Mix on medium speed for 3-4 minutes until the mixture has lightened in color, is thick, and creates ribbons.
• Fold 1/4 of the meringue into egg yolk mixture. You do not need to mix very gently.
• Then, gently fold in another 1/4 of the meringue to the egg yolk mixture.
• Then, gently fold in the remaining egg white mixture. Mix gently just until there are no more pockets of unmixed meringue.
• Pour the cake batter into a 10" chiffon cake pan that is not greased. Do not use a non-stick pan. Drop it twice onto the counter to pop any large air bubbles.
• Bake at 350F for 30 minutes, then 300F for 30 minutes.
• Remove the cake from the oven and drop it twice onto the counter before turning it upside down to cool.
• After about 3 hours, the cake should have cooled to room temperature. Use a plastic knife or offset spatula to gently remove the cake from the sides and bottom of the pan.
• Optionally serve with whipped cream and fruit.

CHINESE STEAMED SPONGE CAKE (PERFECT FOR STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE)

Steps:

• SPONGE CAKE: Sift the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda together.
• Melt the shortening in a double boiler. Stir in oil and allow to cool.
• Beat the eggs in a bowl. Add the sugar and continue beating until the mixture is thick and foamy Stir in the milk and oil. Stir in vanilla and almond extracts. Gently stir flour mixture into the egg mixture. Let stand 5 minutes.
• Pour into a greased 9 inch round cake tin, and spread evenly across tin with back of spoon.
• Place cake tin into a steamer and cover. If you do not have a steamer, you can place the cake tin on top of a vegetable steaming rack, a cookie cooling rack, or criss cross several large spoons in the bottom of a large pot. I place my cake tin on top of a cookie cooling rack in the bottom of a large pot filled with a half inch of water, and this works fine.
• Cover with a lid and steam for 25 minutes. When removing the lid, do not allow the condensation from the lid to drip on the cake. The top of the cake may be moist in the center from the condensation dripping from the lid while cooking. This is fine and the center of the cake will air dry once you remove the cake from the steamer.
• Carefully remove cake tin from steamer. Remove the cake from the tin while it is still hot to a plate. Cut into 6 to 8 wedges and serve hot or cold. Can be eaten by itself or topped with Strawberry Topping and Sweetened Whipped Cream.
• STRAWBERRY TOPPING: To make Strawberry Topping, drain strawberries, reserving 3/4 cup strawberry juice.
• In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in reserved strawberry juice.
• Over medium heat, bring to a boil. Stirring constantly, boil for 1 minute.
• Remove from heat, and cool slightly. Stir in strawberries. Cool completely. Makes 3 cups.
• SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM: To make Sweetened Whipped Cream, beat heavy whipping cream and 2 tablespoons sugar in chilled bowl with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Makes 4 cups.

MA LAI GO CHINESE STEAMED CAKE

Steps:

• Add 3 large eggs, ¼ cup vegetable oil, and ¾ cup lightly packed dark brown sugar to a mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer, and beat on high for 5 minutes until well-combined and fluffy.
• Scrape the bottom of the bowl and add 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract, ⅓ cup evaporated milk, and 1½ tablespoons custard powder. Beat for 1 minute.
• Sift 1 cup cake flour, ⅛ teaspoon salt, and 3½ teaspoons baking powder. Fold into the batter gently until incorporated. Try to break up any large lumps, but don't overwork the batter--some smaller lumps are okay!
• Let the batter sit for 30 minutes. The dry ingredients absorb, and the baking powder has a chance to do its thing. While the batter is resting, line a 9 inch bamboo steamer basket with parchment paper. You can also use a 9 inch cake pan greased with vegetable shortening or butter and lightly coated with all-purpose flour. Lightly buttering and flouring the metal cake pan is important step, even if it is non-stick!
• Gently stir the batter again in a folding motion-just enough to ensure the batter is mixed uniformly, but not too much since air pockets have already started to form in the batter. You will also see that the batter has thickened and most lumps have disappeared.
• Pour the batter into the bamboo steamer basket lined with parchment paper or your prepared cake pan. Let the batter sit and settle for another 10 minutes while you heat up your steamer.
• Place the Ma Lai Go into your steamer setup of choice, and steam on medium high heat-for 30 minutes if using a bamboo steamer, and 35 minutes if using a metal cake pan. To find out if the cake is done, insert a toothpick in the center of the cake. If it come out clean, then it's done. Transfer to a baking rack and slice once cooled slightly.