Chinese Prosperity Cake Fa Gao 新年發糕
These simple but gorgeous sweetened chinese flour cakes or buns are steamed until they dramatically rise and then crack into a distinctive and attractive pattern. This ‘explosion’ of these buns, made in the event of the new year, indicates that your upcoming year will be prosperous! Cool trick, amirite?
- Prep time
- 5 min
- Cook time
- 20 min
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2.4 cups low gluten flour, 300g
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar, 100g
- 3 1/4 tbsp white sugar, 40g
- 1 cup water, 240g
- red food coloring
Instructions
- 1
Whisk flour and baking powder together. Add in brown and white sugars. Whisk to mix
- 2
Add in water and mix til no more lumps. Use a scraper to push mixture thru a sieve to ensure a smooth batter. The mixture should be pourable with the consistency of runny honey.
- 3
Prepare the steamer pot with water and heat until boiling over high heat.
- 4
Off the stove, add the cupcake tins into steamer basket. Line each tin with a cupcake liner. Pour the batter into the liners, filling each only to 80% full so as to allow for the rise when steaming.
- 5
Place steamer basket over steamer. If using a metal steamer place towel over the steamer, making sure to tie up the loose ends of the towel so that it doesn’t get close the heat source. Close lid tightly and steam over high heat for 20 mins. Don’t open the lid while steaming. When finished remove cake/buns from steamer and remove from tins.
- 6
Prepare tiny portion of liquid red food coloring in a sauce bowl. Dip the fat end of a chop stick into the food coloring and use to stamp the cakes in the middle.
- 7
Your Prosperity Cakes are ready to eat! If not eating right away cover so airtight and keep in the fridge up to 5 days. When ready to eat steam for 4 mins or until warmed through. Enjoy the good fortune!