Ma Lai Gao 马来糕 - How to Make a Soft, Fluffy Steamed Chinese Sponge Cake!

Have you ever been to a dim sum house where they wheel carts filled to the brim (and beyond) with bamboo steamers that fill the air with delicious wafts of dumplings and buns? I miss those times dearly especially given the circumstances of life right now. Thankfully, we can still rejoice in those experiences by bringing the dim sum classics home, and also take pride in the fruits of your labor. Luckily, not all dim sum recipes are all that difficult to make including this ma lai gao. The origins of this dim sum dessert staple is somewhat unknown, but some have suggested that it originated in the Guangdong province of China, then brought to Malaysia (hence the "ma lai" name) during a wave of Chinese immigration. Other hypotheses suggest that this brown sugar sponge cake was a result of British colonization of Malaysia, and actually inspired by British tea cakes. It would later find its way back to China as Chinese immigration shifted back to the mainland.

3 large eggs, room temperature
2/3 cup (130 g) dark brown sugar
2/3 cup (160 ml) evaporated milk
2 teaspoons (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons (42 ml) oil
1 teaspoon (3.5 g) yeast
1 cup (130 g) all purpose flour
1/4 cup (32 g) cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Line a 8 inch (20 cm) bamboo steamer basket (or cake pan that's at least a couple inches deep) with parchment paper. Trim off any excess paper but leave about 1/2 inch overhang to easily lift out the cake later after steaming. Set aside.

Whisk everything except for the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Set aside and rest at room temperature for ~1-1/2 hrs until foamy.

In the meantime, sift together dry ingredients in a separate bowl.

Once egg-yeast mixture is foamy on top and "bloomed", strain through a fine mesh sieve into a large bowl. Sift over dry ingredients once more to ensure that the cake is light and airy. Whisk until just combined and clump-free but being careful not to overmix and create a tough cake. Pour into prepared steamer basket or baking pan. Allow batter to rest for another 30 min.

Pour ~1/2 inch of water into a large wok or pan that's able to house your steamer basket or cake pan. Make sure the wok or pan also has a lid to cover and steam the cake. Once the water is at a rolling boil, steam cake over medium high heat for ~25-30 min. or until risen and springs back when gently pressed. Eat fresh out the of steamer while still piping hot! Make sure to heat any leftover sponge cake either in the microwave or re-steamed in a pan. Enjoy!

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xo Shannon
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