Old-style Chinese egg cake is a childhood memory. It is also known as mini Chinese sponge cake or egg cake. If honey is added, it might be called honey cake.
I am always wondering where those yummy little cakes originated. But I was familiar with them when I was just a little girl. At that time, cakes were quite treasures because we could not make them at home. However, they are always available at larger stores. You can even smell the aroma from miles away.
Growing up, I loved recalling the food from my childhood. In the beginning, this Chinese egg cake was steamed instead of baked. Then, the baked version was in almost every store for some time. Compared with the steamed version, I prefer the baked version because I can still taste the raw egg taste even after adding lemon zest to the batter. After making this successfully around two weeks ago, I make this little egg cake at least twice every weekend for a quick breakfast.
There were many easy and yummy cakes from my childhood. This one is made with egg and flour, and we have another one made with yeast and rice flour; check that recipe for Chinese steamed rice cake(sometimes also known as sugar cake)
I have tested several batches of this recipe. You can make a 2 eggs version for a small mini cake or 4 eggs for a regular one. For the small version, the muffin tin I use is around 50*15mm for each cupcake.
The most important step in this recipe is to whip the egg until it is really light(white and no longer full of large bubbles).
About the Measurement
I received many requests concerning measuring the volume of the ingredients, such as cups, tablespoons, and teaspoons. For traditional Chinese stir-fries or soups, I used to skip any measurement process and make adjustments based on personal experience. But I started measuring in volume, especially for seasonings, once I realized that reliable personal experience requires years of practice.
I use my kitchen scale for almost all of my baking and dessert recipes, as precise ingredient amounts are so important for successful baking. So, Elaine still highly recommends buying yourself a kitchen scale. Technology changes cooking skills only if you use it.
However, I understand that many of you come across a recipe that is desperately needed, but there is no kitchen scale on hand. So, I updated this recipe with volume measurement. I am using US volume measurement. But for the flour, you need to shift it first using a volume measurement because it can range from 120g (shifted) to 150g (unshifted).
Step by Step
Preheat the oven to 180°C around 350°F.
Add eggs and castor sugar to a mixing bowl. Whip at medium speed first to mix those ingredients and then at high speed until light and fluffy. Then, use low speed to remove some large bubbles. This step is the key to success, and it may take 12- 15 minutes until the mixture reaches the ribbon stage for the hold mixer. If you use a stand mixer, it can be quicker (around 4-5 minutes )
Shift flour in and add oil (try to avoid the flour). Then use a spatula to combine well. Prepare a mini 12 paper-lined muffin tin mold and pour the batter in if you are making 2 egg version or a regular 12 paper-lined regular muffin tin mold for 4 egg version.
Bake at the middle rack for 15 minutes until the surface is well colored.
Chinese Egg Cake
Ingredients
- 4 middle size eggs ,room temperature eggs
- 120 g cake flour ,1 US cup (sifted flour)
- 80 g castor sugar ,around 6 tablespoons+2 teaspoon
- 1 tbsp. oil ,neutral oil without strong flavor
- warm water if in super cold days ,for speeding up the whipping process, not required in summer days.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C around 350°F.
- Prepare a larger container and add half full warm water, then place your mixing bowl on the warm water. Add eggs and castor sugar. Whip at medium speed until light and fluffy. And then use low speed to remove some large bubbles. This step is the key of success and may take 12- 15 minutes until the mixture reach the ribbon stage.
- Shift flour in. Then use a spatula to combine well. And lastly add oil and well combined too.
- Prepare a mini 12 paper lined muffin tin mold and pour the batter in.
- Bake at the middle rack for 15 minutes until the surface is well colored.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
About the cracked surface version
I have tested several batches of adding more flour, around 150g, and successfully created the cracked surface version.
Compared with the fluffy version, this cracked surface egg cake contains more flour and is denser. It also gets a strong aroma because of the lower water content. This version is my dog Seven’s favorite. By the way, Seven is my dog. 😄
Happy cooking. If you made this, we love to find your feedback about the taste, texture and your favorite ratio.
can i use this recipe in a round cake tin? should i reduce the oven time or increase? im not a very experienced baker
If you bake this in round cake tin, increase 5 minutes baking time.
Hi,
This recipe looks absolutely delicious but I have to feed a lot of people and I think it would be better to turn it into some type of sheet cake.Is the possible with theses cupcakes?If so, how time time would I have to increase or decrease so that they bake properly?
Thank you so much,
Naya
Yes, it works too. But the baking time needs to be increased.
Thank you for replying but by how much time?
at least 5 minutes. But need to watch up the coloring at the last stage of baking.
Just a quick question to add onto eatingslooowly would I have increase or decrease the amount of baking time if I were to make this into a sheet cake? If so, then how much?
Thank You
Hi I am wondering If I have to use sugar in this recipe to allow it to rise in the oven?
Yes, you have to use sugar to keep the texture.
Is the mini muffin tin you use just for normal mini muffins and cupcakes? Or is it different? And if we want to eat these the day after we make them, how can we store them?
I’m in the UK – what would be a substitute for cake flour?
We gave either self raising or plain flour
Mrs T,
You can use flour with lower protein content (6.5% to 8%). Just read the introduction on the package.
I read that to replicate the cake flour, use 86% plain flour and 14% corn flour. The larger Tesco supermarkets sell Polish cake flour. Maybe Polish shops sell it too.
Its tasty n i love that its not too sweet. However its sooo dryn ‘hard’. Any idea how to make it light n fluffy? Thanks!
Hi,
I m new to baking. I would like to learn how to improve cos mine turns out a bit dry and hard. Why is that so?
Slightly add more oil and shorten the whipping time a little bit next time.
These turned out dreadful and dense. The only way I could see them being fluffy like the picture is if there was a leveling agent in them or if the eggs had been separated/the whites had been whipped and folded in. The recipe did not list either of these steps though. What did I do wrong?
Hi! I whipped the eggs and sugar for over 10 minutes and then added the oil and let that mix a minute more. Then I folded in the flour, which I sifted. Mine came out fluffy and delicious. I think they resemble fresh homemade ladyfingers.
Thank you Kate. This is such an encouraging comment.
I haven’t made these good looking cakes, but I am looking forward to! Can you share a recipe for those whipping cream they use for cakes in Chinese Bakeries? I am also Chinese and I love those cakes brought from Chinese Bakeries, but I think these cakes might taste even better with those cream. It’s where there’s not a lot of sugar in it, but sweet enough to enjoy.
Thank you!
Can I use the same recipe for a banana cake? Like putting banana on it?
I don’t know wether mixing banana or putting banana on top will influence the texture or not. But you can have a try!
History & Origin –
(Great recipe Elaine!)
Growing up in Portuguese Macau and British HK, “Da’n Kou” or Egg Cakes and “Da’an Tart, Po’tart” Portuguese tarts were found literally everywhere. Most yummy baked goods at HK style bakeries originated in Macau, where Portuguese decendents such as myself carried on the Portuguese baking traditions. You will find that many Japanese cakes also have their Portuguese origin, also to mention famous meat dishes like Tonkatsu pork chops. Growing up in Port. Macau and British HK, kids especially could find Egg Cakes everywhere – not just bakeries! Mom ‘n Pop convenient stores, street vendors.
M. Souza
Can I double up the ingredients to make them as normal-sized muffins? How long should this take in the oven?
Yes! You can make with normal sized muffins for a 5 minutes longer baking time.
The recipe said warm water. How much water and do I put that on the mixture? The recipe is quite unclear on the purpose of the warm water. Thank you!
Warm water is used to warm the container. So it is basically depends on your containers.
Sorry. What is cake flour? Is it SRF?
No. It is low protein flour (around 7% to 9%) for the fluffy texture.
You are so sweet.
You too!