Chinese Steamed Sponge Cake Perfect For Strawberry Shortcake Food

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.

STEAMED SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Add enough water to the steamer and turn on the heat to preheat the steamer.
• Prepare cake mold, spread a thin layer of butter or put baking paper for later use.
• After melting the butter, add milk and mix well.
• Separate the egg yolks and whites, and put the yolks in a bowl of butter and milk. Put the egg whites into a large bowl that is free of oil and water.
• Stir the egg yolks and mix evenly.
• Add sifted all purpose flour and corn starch to the egg yolk's bowl, and mix until there is no dry powder.
• Add a few drops of lemon juice or white vinegar to the egg whites.
• Beat with a high speed until the egg whites have large bubbles, add 1/3 caster sugar, and then continue to beat at high speed.
• Add 1/3 caster sugar after the bubbles are smaller, and then continue to beat at high speed.
• After the bubbles turned fine, add the remaining caster sugar, and continue to beat until the foam is hard and got stiff peaks.
• Scoop 1/3 of the meringue into the egg yolk batter and stir evenly with the folding method.
• Pour the mixed egg yolk batter into the meringue in batches and mix evenly with the folding method.
• Pour the mixed batter into the mold, knock it a few times to release out large bubbles.
• Put it into a boiling steamer. Close the lid slightly slant and leave a gap, steam on medium heat for 40 minutes, then turn off the heat and leave for 5 minutes.
• After the steaming, unmold it and let it cool. Cut into the size you like.

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE CAKE

Steps:

• Stem strawberries and slice them in half from bottom to top. Place them in a bowl and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons sugar. Stir together and let sit for 30 minutes. We'll come back to these. In the meantime, make the cake.
• Sift together flour, salt, baking soda, and cornstarch in a medium bowl; set aside.
• Cream 9 tablespoons butter with the sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well each time.
• Add sour cream and vanilla and mix until combined.
• Add sifted dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just barely combined.
• Pour into greased and floured 8-inch cake pan that is at least 2 inches deep (a springform pan works great).
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 50 minutes. Remove from cake pan as soon as you pull it out of the oven, and place on a cooling rack and allow it to cool completely.
• After they have sat for 30 minutes (or more), mash the strawberries with a fork in two batches. Sprinkle each half with 1 tablespoon sugar and allow to sit for another 30 minutes.
• To make the icing: combine cream cheese, butter, sifted powdered sugar, vanilla, and dash of salt in a mixing bowl. Mix until very light and fluffy.
• Slice cake in half through the middle. Spread strawberries evenly over each half (cake halves cut-side up), pouring on all the juices. Place cake halves into the freezer for five minutes, to make icing easier.
• Remove from freezer. Spread icing over the top of the strawberries on the bottom layer. Place the second layer on top.
• Add the remaining icing to the top and around the sides, spreading evenly.
• Leave plain or garnish with strawberry halves.
• Cake is best when served slightly cool. The butter content in the icing will cause it to soften at room temperature (this is if you use two sticks).
• Store in the fridge!

CHINESE STEAMED CAKE

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.

EASY STEAMED SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Put eggs and sugar into mixing bowl.
• Beat on high for 5 minutes until creamy.
• Add rest of ingredients.
• Blend on low for 3-5 minutes until smooth.
• Line 9-inch cake pan with wax paper.
• Pour mixture into cake pan.
• Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Steam for 15 minutes, knife should come out clean when inserted.

SWEET SOUTHERN SUGARED STRAWBERRIES (STRAWBERRY TOPPING)

Steps:

• You will need a tupperware type container with a lid.
• First, slice as many strawberries as you would like and place them in the container.
• Then add as much sugar as you wish.
• The more sugar makes more syrup.
• I usually add enough to fully coat the strawberries.
• Now put the lid on the container and tumble the strawberries for a minute so they can get saturated in the sugar.
• Now refrigerate the container for a couple of hours, and you will have the tastiest, sweetest strawberries in their own syrup.
• (I usually leave them in the refrigerator over night).

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.