Chinese Steamed Sponge Cake Perfect For Strawberry Shortcake Recipes

CHINESE SPONGE CAKE (CHIFFON CAKE)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
• In a metal or glass bowl, beat egg whites until frothy. With the mixer still running, gradually pour in 1/2 cup sugar and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form.
• In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks, water, remaining sugar, vanilla, and oil.
• Whisk flour and baking powder in another bowl.
• Mix flour and yolk mixture.
• Gently fold the flour and yolk into the egg whites.
• Pour into an ungreased angel food tin and bake for 40-50 minutes or until cooked through. The cake should spring back when lightly tapped (not sink).
• For best height, cool the cake in the tin turned upside down, but be careful of the cake falling out of the tin. Cake can be served and stored at room temperature.

KITTENCAL'S STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• Wash and remove the stems from each berry then slice.
• Place the sliced berries into a glass bowl, add in 3/4 - 1 cup cup sugar (the more sugar the better) toss with a spoon until well coated (the sugar will dissolve when chilled).
• Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 6 hours.
• Generously grease two 8-inch round cake pans.
• In a large bowl using an electric mixer at medium speed cream together the butter and sugar until well blended (about 3 minutes).
• Add in eggs and extracts beat on medium speed for 4-5 minutes or until no sugar granules remain in the mixture.
• Add in milk; mix until combined.
• In a small bowl mix the flour with baking powder and add to the creamed mixture; beat until combined.
• Divide and spread the batter between the two prepared baking pans (batter will be thick!).
• Set oven to 350°F (set oven rack to second-lowest position).
• Bake for about 22 minutes or until cakes test done (do not overbake cakes).
• Cool the cakes slightly in pan then invert each cake onto a plate to cool completely.
• Place HALF of the strawberries with a little juice over the top of one cake, then dollop HALF of the whipped cream.
• Top with the other cake, then strawberries and top with remaining whipped cream.

EASY STEAMED SPONGE CAKE

Steps:

• Put eggs and sugar into mixing bowl.
• Beat on high for 5 minutes until creamy.
• Add rest of ingredients.
• Blend on low for 3-5 minutes until smooth.
• Line 9-inch cake pan with wax paper.
• Pour mixture into cake pan.
• Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
• Steam for 15 minutes, knife should come out clean when inserted.

CHINESE SPONGE CAKE (BAKED, NOT STEAMED)

Steps:

• Heat water and dissolve sugar. Let cool.
• Mix yolk into sugar water.
• Slowly add flour into the mixture.
• Blend in oil and extract.
• In a large bowl, beat egg whites until peaks are stiff. Add cream of tartar.
• Fold batter from above into egg whites.
• Pour combined batter into an UNGREASED aluminum cake pan (do NOT use a non-stick pan!).
• Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes until done (when toothpick comes out clean).
• Turn cake upside down and let cool.

CHINESE STEAMED CAKE

Steps:

• Arrange a large bamboo steamer or a large vegetable steamer over simmering water. Make sure it is large enough to hold the baking pan. Line a 9 inch square pan with waxed paper.
• Separate the eggs. Place the yolks in a large bowl along with the sugar and water. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until the mixture has increased about three times in volume. Whisk together the flour and the baking powder; sift this over the egg mixture, and fold in gently. Blend in the extract.
• Whip the egg whites in a clean bowl to stiff, not dry, peaks. Fold into yolk base. Pour the batter into the prepared pan, and smooth out to edges. Rap the pan on the counter to get rid of large air bubbles.
• Place the pan into the steamer. Cover the top of the steamer with a kitchen towel, and place the lid on top; the towel will absorb any steam that collects on top from dripping onto the cake. Steam for about 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Dust with confectioner's sugar.

SHORTCAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees; grease a 9x9 dish & set aside.
• In a large bowl, cut flour, sugar & butter together until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Set aside 1/2 cup of this mixture.
• To the remaining butter mixture, add the rest of the ingredients & mix well.
• Pour into prepared dish & sprinkle topping over.
• Bake 30-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.
• Note #1: The edges of the cake may turn a light golden brown while baking, but the topping should not brown.
• Note #2: Double the ingredients to make a larger (9x13) cake.

CHINESE STEAMED SPONGE CAKE (PERFECT FOR STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE)

Steps:

• SPONGE CAKE: Sift the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda together.
• Melt the shortening in a double boiler. Stir in oil and allow to cool.
• Beat the eggs in a bowl. Add the sugar and continue beating until the mixture is thick and foamy Stir in the milk and oil. Stir in vanilla and almond extracts. Gently stir flour mixture into the egg mixture. Let stand 5 minutes.
• Pour into a greased 9 inch round cake tin, and spread evenly across tin with back of spoon.
• Place cake tin into a steamer and cover. If you do not have a steamer, you can place the cake tin on top of a vegetable steaming rack, a cookie cooling rack, or criss cross several large spoons in the bottom of a large pot. I place my cake tin on top of a cookie cooling rack in the bottom of a large pot filled with a half inch of water, and this works fine.
• Cover with a lid and steam for 25 minutes. When removing the lid, do not allow the condensation from the lid to drip on the cake. The top of the cake may be moist in the center from the condensation dripping from the lid while cooking. This is fine and the center of the cake will air dry once you remove the cake from the steamer.
• Carefully remove cake tin from steamer. Remove the cake from the tin while it is still hot to a plate. Cut into 6 to 8 wedges and serve hot or cold. Can be eaten by itself or topped with Strawberry Topping and Sweetened Whipped Cream.
• STRAWBERRY TOPPING: To make Strawberry Topping, drain strawberries, reserving 3/4 cup strawberry juice.
• In a small saucepan, combine sugar and cornstarch. Stir in reserved strawberry juice.
• Over medium heat, bring to a boil. Stirring constantly, boil for 1 minute.
• Remove from heat, and cool slightly. Stir in strawberries. Cool completely. Makes 3 cups.
• SWEETENED WHIPPED CREAM: To make Sweetened Whipped Cream, beat heavy whipping cream and 2 tablespoons sugar in chilled bowl with electric mixer on high speed until soft peaks form. Makes 4 cups.