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Honey Sponge Cake

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Submitted by cfrith

Chinese steamed honey sponge cake with almond powder and fluffy whipped egg whites. This traditional method produces a pillowy, moist crumb without an oven, and the cake resteams beautifully for leftovers.

YIELD

1 cake

PREP

30 min

COOK

60 min

READY

90 min

Steamed cakes are a cornerstone of Chinese baking, and this honey sponge version delivers a texture you just can’t get from an oven. The crumb is impossibly soft, almost bouncy, thanks to stiffly beaten egg whites folded into a rich yolk batter flavored with honey and almond powder.

The steaming method keeps this cake incredibly moist from edge to center. No dry corners, no domed top to trim. Your batter goes into a greased flat-bottom bowl or tube pan, and an hour of steady steam does the rest. One detail worth noting: grease only the bottom of your pan so the batter can climb the sides as it rises.

And here’s the real beauty of a steamed sponge: it reheats perfectly. Pop leftovers back in the steamer and they come out just as soft and warm as the first time around.

Kitchen Tips

  • Make sure your steamer water is at a full rolling boil before the batter goes in. Starting with anything less gives you a dense, flat cake.
  • Beat egg whites until truly stiff, not just foamy. They’re doing all the leavening work alongside the baking powder.
  • Fold the whites in quickly but gently. Overmixing deflates them, and you lose that signature bounce.
  • Use cooled (not warm) melted butter so it doesn’t cook the egg yolks when combined.

Variations

  • Swap almond powder for matcha powder (about 2 tablespoons) for a green tea version.
  • Pour batter into cupcake tins for individual steamed cupcakes that cook in about 25 minutes.
  • Add a few drops of pandan extract for a Southeast Asian twist with gorgeous green color.

Ingredients

6 6
LARGE LARGE EGGS
separated, room temperature
1 237
CUP ML SUGAR
granulated
¼ 59
CUP ML ALMOND POWDER *
1 15
TABLESPOON ML HONEY
1 ½ 355
1 ½ 7.5
TEASPOONS ML BAKING POWDER
¼ 1.3
TEASPOON ML SALT
½ 2.5
TEASPOON ML BAKING SODA
4 60
TABLESPOONS ML MILK
2 30
TABLESPOONS ML BUTTER
cooled

Directions

In bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt; set aside.

In another bowl, beat egg whites until stiff.

With electric mixer, beat egg yolks; gradually blend in sugar and almond powder.

Cream mixture until smooth, about 5 minutes.

Add honey and almond powder.

Mix together milk, baking soda and cooled melted butter; add to egg yolk mixture.

Gradually add sifted flour mixture.

When batter is thoroughly blended, quickly but gently fold in egg whites.

Steaming: Before mixing, bring water in steamer to boil.

Grease bottom only of 9 inch round flat-bottom, high-sided bowl (or tube pan, bundt pan or cupcake tins).

Pour batter into bowl.

Steam for 1 hour.

Best served steaming hot, cake can always be resteamed without suffering.

* not incl. in nutrient facts Arrow up button

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Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 201g (7.1 oz)
Amount per Serving
Calories 545 23% from fat
 % Daily Value *
Total Fat 14g 21%
Saturated Fat 6g 31%
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 334mg 111%
Sodium 369mg 15%
Total Carbohydrate 31g 31%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Sugars g
Protein 30g
Vitamin A 11% Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 10% Iron 20%
* based on a 2,000 calorie diet How is this calculated?
Trans-fat Free
 

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