Quick and easy steamed cake

Quick and easy steamed cake

About quick and easy steamed cake

In Asian countries you can find various steamed cakes.  In Japan we call it “mushi pan”.  Actually “mushi pan” means steamed bread in Japanese.  Most of steamed cake is less sweet than usual baked cake.  Hence it is something between cake and bread. Steamed cake is soft and light.  Also it is quick and easy to make.

When I was small, not all families had an oven at home in Japan. So the simple steamed cake was a little treat for the kids. Steaming was a very common cooking method at that time. I often got steamed sweet potatoes as a snack.  Therefore the steamed cake is a nostalgic food for me. It has a gentle taste that you’ll want to eat again.  The link below is more information about steaming.  

In fact I hardly make steamed cake nowadays. However, I rediscovered the goodness of steamed cake, and I tried several recipes recently.  Then I like to share some steamed cake recipes with you in this post.

How to make quick and easy steamed cake

The method is quite simple. Mix ingredients (egg,  sugar, milk, flour, baking powder / baking soda and butter or oil etc.) in a ball. Then pour into a form or small cups and steam in a steamer for 10-20 minutes. You can use a microwave oven instead of steamer.  If you use a microwave oven, it takes only a couple of minutes for small cups. 

You may wonder, “What’s the difference between cooking in a microwave oven and cooking in a steamer?”  Although there is not much difference in taste, the texture is a little different.  The steamer is soft and moist, and the microwave oven is a hard and solid finish.

If you like fluffy soft texture, cooking in a steamer may be more delicious.  Personally I prefer to use a steamer.  However, I use a microwave oven when I don’t have much time.

When you use a microwave, it is better to eat soon after cooking.  If you don’t eat them immediately, you need to wrap the steamed cakes with cling film after cooling a bit in order to keep them soft.  Otherwise the cakes become dry and hard.

Variations of steamed cakes

Dark brown sugar steamed cake with black sesame

Just like most simple recipes, you can arrange steamed cake quite freely.  For example, you can use dark or light brown sugar instead of white sugar.  For different flavors you can add cocoa powder, matcha powder, maple syrup or condense milk.  Also you can add dried fruits  or chocolate chips etc.  

Now Let’s move to the recipes.  

Light brown sugar steamed cake

Soft and airly steamed cake with light brown sugar.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time35 minutes
Course: Cake
Cuisine: Asian, Japanese
Keyword: Easy cake
Servings: 4 People
Author: okawarishitene staff

Equipment

  • Cake pan (14 x 11 x 5 cm) lined with parchment paper
  • Steamer

Ingredients

  • 2 Eggs
  • 100 gram Light brown sugar
  • 50 ml Milk
  • 2 tablespoon Condensed milk
  • 100 gram Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
  • 10 gram Custard powder (if you have)
  • 30 gram Melted butter

Instructions

  • Put 2 eggs and light brown sugar in a bowl and beat the egg mixture with a whisk until whitish. Add milk, condensed milk and mix. 
  • Sift flour, baking powder, custard powder through fine sieve into the bowl, and mix well. Add melted butter and mix gently.
  • Pour the mixture into the prepared cake pan and steam over high heat for 25 minutes.
  • Check with wooden skewers if it comes out clean. If not, steam a couple of minutes more and check it again.

Notes

If you use paper muffin cups, you can divide the cake dough into muffin cups and steam over high / medium high for 10 – 15 minutes. The steaming time is depending on the size of the cups.

2 recipes below use only one egg for small amount.  It is good for the trial.

Maple syrup steamed cake

Easy steamed cake with maple syrup
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Course: Cake
Cuisine: Asian, Japanese
Keyword: Easy cake, quick cake
Servings: 2 people
Author: okawarishitene staff

Equipment

  • Steamer or Microwave oven
  • 2 or 3 large hard paper muffin cups, 4 or 5 for small cups

Ingredients

  • 1 Egg
  • 35 gram Sugar
  • 25 gram Maple syrup
  • 25 ml Milk
  • 50 gram Flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon Baking powder
  • 10 gram melted butter or oil

Instructions

  • Put one egg, maple syrup, sugar and milk in a bowl and mix well.
  • Add flour and baking powder and mix until smooth dough. Add melted butter or oil and mix until butter or oil is incorporated.
  • Pour the mixture into the cups and steam over high / medium high for 10 – 15 minutes.  Check with wooden skewers if it comes out clean. If not, steam a couple of minutes more and check it again.

Notes

If you use a microwave oven, cook in a microwave oven for 2.5 – 3 minutes with 600w. Watch carefully during cooking to avoid overcooking. If the surface becomes dry, it is done.

Yoghurt steamed cake

Quick and easy steamed cake with yoghurt.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time3 minutes
Total Time13 minutes
Course: Cake
Cuisine: Asian, Japanese
Keyword: Easy cake, quick cake
Servings: 2 people
Author: okawarishitene staff

Equipment

  • Steamer or Microwave oven
  • 2 or 3 large hard paper muffin cups, 4 or 5 for small cups

Ingredients

  • 1 Egg
  • 40 gram Sugar
  • 50 gram Yoghurt
  • 75 gram Flour
  • 1 teaspoon Baking powder
  • 10 gram Melted butter or oil

Instructions

  • Put one egg, sugar and yoghurt in a bowl and mix well. Add flour and baking powder and mix until smooth dough. Add melted butter or oil and mix until butter or oil is incorporated.
  • Pour the mixture into the cups up to half or 60 percent. (if you put too much dough, the dough will be overflooded.)  
  • Cook in a microwave oven for 2.5 – 3 minutes with 600w. Watch carefully during cooking to avoid overcooking. If the surface becomes dry, it is done. 

Notes

If you use a steamer, steam over high / medium high for 10 – 15 minutes.  Check with wooden skewers if it comes out clean. If not, steam a couple of minutes more and check it again.

Lastly, some small notes.

If any steamed cake remains, warm it up before eating.  

If you don’t have hard paper cups, use ordinary cup with thin muffin paper cup. (please see photo next).  

Hope you will try the quick and easy steamed cakes. If you like to try another soft Japanese cakes, please click link below.

Bon Appetit!