Bougie AF Asian Bakery Chinese Paper-Wrapped Spongecakes Recipe by Kat Lieu

This is one of my favorite Chinese bakery recipes. As a child, having one of these spongecakes was never enough. They’re also perfect for my palate, not too sweet, and never frosted. Imagine marshmallows and clouds had babies; those babies would be these spongecakes.Traditionally, these spongecakes are egg and vanilla flavored when you find them in Hong Kong or US Chinatown bakeries. To celebrate Lunar New Year, I’ve infused the milk with oolong tea to make these delicious and auspicious treats. Now we can have tea and fluffy soft spongecakes simultaneously.

“Work smarter, not harder,” is my motto this year of the rabbit!

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Modern Asian Baking at Home: Essential Sweet and Savory Recipes for Milk Bread, Mochi, Mooncakes, and More; Inspired by the Subtle Asian Baking Community

By Lieu, Kat

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Bougie AF Asian Bakery Chinese Paper-Wrapped Spongecakes Recipe

Yield 6 cupcakes

Author Kat Lieu

Prep time

20 Min

Cook time

20 Min

Total time

40 Min

This is one of my favorite Chinese bakery recipes. As a child, having just one of these spongecakes was never enough. They’re also perfect for my palate, not too sweet, and never frosted. Imagine marshmallows and clouds had babies; those babies would bethese spongecakes.Traditionally, these spongecakes are egg and vanilla flavored when you find them in Hong Kong or diaspora Chinatown bakeries. To celebrate Lunar New Year, I’ve infused the milk with teato make these delicious and auspicious treats. Now wecan have tea and fluffy soft spongecakes at the same time.“Work smarter, not harder,” is my motto this year of the rabbit! Also, these soft bites of cloud are bougie AF, thanks to edible flakes of gold!

Ingredients

• For the Milk-Tea Mixture:
• 40 g any milk
• 2 teaspoons of any tea leaves of choice
• For the Yolk Batter:
• 4 large egg yolks
• 40 g canola, vegetable oil or any neutral flavor oil
• 75 g cake flour
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon miso (optional) or a dash of salt
• 30 g granulated sugar
• For the Firm Peaks Meringue:
• 4 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp cream of tartar
• 30 g granulated sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (170°C) with a rack in the center.
2. Make the milk-tea mixture.
3. In a small saucepan, heat the milk and add the tea.
4. Allow the milk to simmer, then remove from the heat and allow the tea to steep, for at least 15 minutes.
5. Make the yolk batter.
6. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat, until it reaches about 176°F (80°C). Remove from heat. Add the cake flour and whisk until
7. combined. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl, cover, and cool for a few minutes. Mix in the strained milk tea. Add the yolks, baking powder, miso, and sugar and whisk until combined and smooth. Set aside.
8. Make the firm peaks meringue. In a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the egg whites until foamy, then add the cream of tartar. Beat for another minute, until whiter, then gradually add the sugar. Beat until the firm peaks form. (When you flip the whisk upside down, the peak, while more distinct than soft peaks, will still droop and curl back on itself, like a defined bird’s beak.)
9. Make the final batter. Add one-fourth of the meringue to the yolk batter. Gently whisk until incorporated. Add another fourth of the meringue to the yolk batter and whisk until incorporated. Then pour all the batter into the bowl with the remaining meringue.
10. Use a flexible spatula to gently fold the meringue into the batter, until homogenous, thick, and creamy. There should be no white streaks remaining in the batter. If stubborn lumps of meringue remain, use a whisk to gently mix the final batter. Don’t over-mix.
11. Transfer the batter evenly into the lined cups. The cups should be about 3/4 full.
12. Bake for about 20 minutes, until the tops are golden brown. These cakes should not crack, but some cracks are OK.
13. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack, though they are best enjoyed hot or warm. Store leftover spongecakes in airtight containers for up to two days at room temperature. Feel free to reheat the spongecakes in the microwave. Happy Lunar New Year!

Notes

Note: For this recipe, you’d want to use a deep muffin tin or individual tumbler popover

tins lined with tulip cupcake liners (or parchment paper that popovers or stands tall in

the tin so the sponge cakes can rise nicely). You should have enough batter to make

about 6 tall spongecakes. PS: Be sure to separate your eggs first!

Flavor Alternatives

Tip: Instead of using tea leaves, you can change the flavor of the milk. You can mix,

let’s say, a teaspoon or two of hojicha powder into the milk or a teaspoon or two of

butterfly pea flower! These hacks will completely transform the flavor of your

spongecakes!

Recommended Products:

Silpat Silicone Mat

Modern Asian Baking at Home Cookbook

KitchenAid KSM150PSER Artisan Tilt-Head Stand Mixer with Pouring Shield, 5-Quart, Empire Red

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