Description
Delicate “mini Chinese sponge cakes” offer a whisper-light texture that melts on your palate with subtle sweetness. Light and airy, these petite treats bring Shanghai’s delicate pastry tradition right to your kitchen.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 4 large eggs
- 3/4 cup (180 milliliters) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) milk
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) vegetable oil
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup (125 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup (30 grams) custard powder (or cornstarch)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
Flavoring:
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare the baking environment by warming the oven to 175°C (350°F) and arranging mini cake molds or cupcake liners in a muffin tin.
- Carefully sift flour, custard powder, baking powder, and baking soda into a separate container, ensuring a smooth, lump-free mixture.
- Utilize an electric mixer to whip eggs and sugar together, creating a voluminous and airy texture that becomes pale and significantly increased in volume.
- Incorporate milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract into the egg mixture, blending until the liquid components merge seamlessly.
- Gently fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, using a spatula with delicate strokes to maintain the batter’s inherent airiness and prevent deflation.
- Distribute the batter evenly across the prepared molds, filling each cavity approximately three-quarters full to allow room for rising during baking.
- Place the filled molds in the preheated oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, monitoring until a inserted toothpick emerges completely clean.
- Extract the miniature cakes from the oven and allow them to rest momentarily within the molds, permitting a gradual cooling process before releasing and serving.
Notes
- Ensure eggs are at room temperature for better volume and smoother batter integration.
- Avoid overmixing the batter to prevent tough, dense cakes; fold gently until ingredients are just combined.
- Use a light hand when folding dry ingredients to maintain the delicate, airy texture of these mini sponge cakes.
- Experiment with flavor variations by adding lemon zest, matcha powder, or a splash of almond extract for a unique twist.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Chinese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 12
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 6 g
- Sodium: 70 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 1 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 70 mg