Last Updated on December 3, 2023
Chocolate Steamed Sponge Cake Recipe: A Delectable No-Bake Dessert Are you looking for a delicious dessert that doesn’t require an oven? Look no further than a chocolate steamed sponge cake! This moist and flavorful cake is cooked using the power of steam, resulting in a light and fluffy texture that will satisfy any sweet tooth.
Is it possible to make a chocolate steamed cake with no oven?
Asian steamed desserts have a rich and varied history that dates back centuries. People in China originated the practice of steaming desserts, a popular method for cooking and preserving food.
While traveling in Asia, I’ve tried delicious steamed desserts, and here in Singapore, I buy them at a Chinese bakery.
Intrigued about making an oven-free cake, I decided to experiment when my oven started failing.
I don’t have any special utensils for steaming, but I improvised by using a metal ring and a standard big pot to make stews and sauces.
The result was excellent! The cake batter did not stick to the edges of the springform despite not having greased it with oil or butter; it also cooked perfectly, resulting in a fluffy and soft cake with a delicious chocolate flavor.
Tips to make this chocolate steamed sponge cake:
- This recipe has many ingredients; preparing all your ingredients before making the cake is essential to ensure you get everything.
- Boil the water in advance; you do not want to do it when your cake mix is ready because it is better to steam it immediately to avoid deflating.
- Make sure to cover the top of the spring form entirely with aluminum foil; this is super important because it prevents the steam from contacting the cake batter.
- One important thing is to pay attention when mixing the ingredients with the spatula and do it with encircling movements so that the batter does not deflate.
This chocolate cake is super versatile:
The chocolate steamed cake recipe is perfect for making layers; because of its texture, you can use this cake to create more complex cakes with several layers. You can also cover it with a chocolate ganache or some sugar powder. Use your favorite toppings because the taste is so delicious and neutral that you can even serve it with a scoop of Vanilla ice cream!
Here is the complete recipe!
No oven-Steamed chocolate cake
Equipment
- 1 Springform Pan 20 cms.
- 1 Stand or hand mixer
- 1 Big stew pan.
- Aluminium foil.
- Parchment paper.
Ingredients
- 65 grams Plain flour
- 7 grams Corn starch
- 90 grams Sugar (can be also brown sugar)
- 3 Eggs
- Salt (a pinch)
- 2.5 ml Vinegar
- 2.5 ml Vanilla essence
- 15 ml Milk (can be also soya milk)
- 45 ml Oil (can be sunflower oil)
- 15 grams Cocoa powder
Instructions
- Put parchment paper in the bottom of a 20 cms. springform pan.
- Sift the cornstarch and flour 3 times.
- Separate egg whites from yolks.
- Add a pinch of salt to the yolks and whisk with a fork.
- Beat egg whites in the mixer for 1 minute.
- Add vinegar to the egg whites.
- Beat again for approx. 30 seconds.
- Add in the sugar a little at a time while mixing until you get stiff peaks.
- Add the yolks and mix until they are incorporated.
- Remove the bowl from the mixer and add the flour little by little to the mix, while sifting it. For this, use a spatula and mix with encircling movements, taking care that the mixture doesn’t deflate.
- In a bowl mix the milk, oil, vanilla essence, and cocoa.
- Add a little of the cake mixture and mix.
- Pour the chocolate mixture into the cake mixture. Mix with a spatula with encircling movements taking care that the mixture doesn’t deflate.
- Pour the mixture into the Springform Pan.
- Cover the top of the pan with aluminum foil.
- Steam the batter! Pour water into a pot (1/3), it depends on how big is your pan, and place a metal ring or a metal steam rack in the middle. Place the Springform on top of the ring (it is important that the Springform pan does not touch the water).
- Cover the pot and steam for 45 minutes over medium heat.
- Prick the cake with a wooden skewer to verify if it is cooked.
- Take the cake out a let it cool down on a cooling rack for at least 15 minutes.
- Serve and enjoy!
Steaming has been a part of Asian culinary traditions for centuries. Many Asian countries deeply root steaming in their cultural practices, passing it down through generations. I love the iconic Asian dishes like dim sum and dumplings.
Thank you for trying out this recipe! Explore more plant-based and vegetarian delights from various corners of the world on my blog.
