Banh Bong Lan Hap (Steamed Milk Sponge Cake), Sweetened with Monk Fruit
Sweets and drinksSteamed CakesVietnam1 hour prep, about 40 minutes steaming
This sponge comes out moist and tender with no oven at all, just a steamer and a 16cm tin. The crumb is light, the surface is smooth and the edges never dry out the way a baked cake can. The tricky part is the steam, since a single drop landing on the cake leaves a dent right away.
The whites only need to reach soft peaks, with the tip flopping over when the whisk lifts. A common problem is folding too hard, which breaks the air bubbles and leaves a tough cake that will not rise.
This batch weighs about 298g, at roughly 285 calories per 100g.
Method
Separate the yolks and whites of 3 chicken eggs. Put the 3 yolks in a bowl with 8g vanilla kOBE Monk Fruit Blend and whisk until dissolved.
Whisk in 45ml cooking oil and 45ml oat milk, then sift in 90g all purpose flour and 1 teaspoon baking powder and fold with a spatula until smooth.
Put the 3 whites and 1/2 teaspoon lime juice in another bowl and beat on low speed until foamy. Add 45g kOBE Monk Fruit Blend in three additions (20g, then 15g, then 10g), beating slowly for the first two and faster for the last, until the whites hold soft peaks that flop over.
Add the whites to the batter a portion at a time, folding gently from the bottom up, stopping as soon as it comes together.
Line a 16cm tin with parchment, pour in the batter and level it. Tap the base to burst the large bubbles, then cover tightly with a lid or foil.
Bring a pot of water to a boil and set a small stand under the tin so the water does not reach it. Steam over medium heat for about 40 minutes. The cake is done when a skewer comes out dry.
Let the cake cool a little, then take off the foil.
Tips
Adding the sweetener to the whites in two or three additions helps it dissolve evenly.
Wait until the cake is completely cool before wrapping it, since trapped steam makes it damp and spoils it faster.
kOBE Monk Fruit Blend dissolves slowly, so beat the whites a little longer and rub a bit between your fingers to check that no grains remain.
Sealing the tin with foil is the surest way to keep condensation from the lid off the cake.
The water has to be boiling before the tin goes in, since starting from cold water makes the cake rise unevenly.
Steamed cake is best the same day, as the surface turns tacky over time.
Need kOBE Monk Fruit Blend?
The recipe above is sweetened with kOBE Monk Fruit Blend, measured 1:1 like sugar. See the product page or send us a message.