Description
Chinese Egg Cake is a light, fluffy, and subtly sweet sponge cake that’s perfect for teatime or a delicate dessert. Made with simple ingredients like eggs, cake flour, and sugar, this cake is steamed in a water bath to maintain moisture and tenderness, then baked until golden. The use of a water bath ensures a soft texture, making it a delightful traditional Chinese treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Egg Mixture
- 2 medium eggs (room temperature)
- 40 grams castor sugar (approximately 3 tbsp + 1 tsp)
Dry Ingredients
- 60 grams cake flour (about ½ cup)
Other Ingredients
- 5 grams oil (¾ tsp, olive or vegetable)
- Warm water as needed (for water bath)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) to prepare for baking your egg cakes.
- Set Up Water Bath: Place a mixing bowl over a container filled halfway with warm water, creating a gentle heat source for beating the eggs and sugar.
- Beat Eggs and Sugar: In the bowl over the water bath, combine eggs and castor sugar and beat vigorously for 12-15 minutes until the mixture becomes light, fluffy, and pale in color, which helps incorporate air for a fluffy texture.
- Sift and Fold Flour: Gradually sift the cake flour over the egg mixture and gently fold it in to retain the air bubbles and ensure a smooth batter.
- Add Oil: Stir in the oil evenly to add moisture and tenderness to the batter.
- Prepare Muffin Tin: Line a muffin tin with paper liners and fill each cup about two-thirds full with the batter to allow room for rising.
- Bake: Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
- Cool: Remove from the oven and allow the egg cakes to cool slightly before serving to enjoy their delicate texture.
Notes
- Use room temperature eggs to help achieve maximum volume when beating.
- Beating the eggs and sugar over a warm water bath helps dissolve sugar and incorporates air for a fluffy sponge.
- Gently folding flour helps maintain the airiness of the batter.
- The water bath technique prevents the cake from drying out.
- Oil can be olive or vegetable oil depending on preference.
- Ensure muffin cups are only two-thirds full to avoid overflow during baking.
