Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

Rate

4.78 from 9 votes

Huat Kuih (发糕, Fa Gao) is a common Chinese cupcake-like pastry. This is a very simple Chinese steamed cake recipe using dark brown sugar. The batter is steamed until it splits into beautiful sections at the top which signify good luck.

Tips:

  • For other colors, replace dark brown sugar with granulated sugar and add few drops of food coloring.
  • Do not open steamer lid before the cake is done.
  • For best result (cake rises and splits into beautiful sections), use straight-sided molds for steaming, fill batter until it is almost full (90%).
  • Ensure enough water for 20 minutes high heat steaming (about 1.5 L of water).
  • Dried fruits such as wolfberries, raisins etc. can be added if desired.

CHINESE VERSION: 发糕(紅糖)-简单不失败做法

huat kuih fa gao
 

Brown Sugar Huat Kuih (发糕, Fa Gao) Recipe | MyKitchen101en

Yield: 4 ramekins (6-oz/175-ml)

Ingredients:

  • 250 g (2 cups) plain flour
  • 4 tsp. (about 16 g) baking powder
  • 60 g (about 5 tbsps.) fine granulated sugar
  • 60 g (about 5 tbsps.) dark brown sugar
  • 240 ml (1 cup) water
  • 50 g (about 4 tbsp.) cooking oil

Instructions:

1 Line 4 ramekins (6-oz/175-ml) with parchment paper, fix with rubber bands.

Chinese Steamed Cake
 

2 Add fine granulated sugar and dark brown sugar into water, stir until fully dissolved.

Chinese Steamed Cake

3 Sieve together plain flour and baking powder, mix until blended.

Chinese Steamed Cake

4 Add in sugar syrup and cooking oil, mix well until a batter is formed with no visible lumps.

Chinese Steamed Cake
 

5 Fill batter into lined ramekins until 90% full, set aside to rest for 10 minutes, boil water for steamer (1.5L).

Chinese Steamed Cake

6 Steamed over high heat for 20 minutes, do not open lid until cakes are fully cooked.

Chinese Steamed Cake

7 Brown Sugar Huat Kuih with beautiful blooming.

huat kuih fa gao
Chinese Steamed Cake

huat kuih fa gao

Brown Sugar Huat Kuih (Fa Gao) Recipe

Huat Kuih (Fa Gao) is a common Chinese cupcake-like pastry. This is a very simple Chinese steamed cake recipe using dark brown sugar.

Rate

4.78 from 9 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Cake, Chinese New Year, Mini Cakes
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 4 large pieces
Calories 455 kcal

Ingredients
 
 

  • 250 g plain flour about 2 cups
  • 16 g baking powder about 4 tsps
  • 60 g fine granulated sugar about 5 tbsps.
  • 60 g dark brown sugar about 5 tbsps
  • 240 ml water about 1 cup
  • 50 g cooking oil about 4 tbsps

Instructions
 

  • Line 4 ramekins (6-oz/175-ml) with parchment paper, fix with rubber bands.
    Chinese Steamed Cake
  • Add fine granulated sugar and dark brown sugar into water, stir until fully dissolved.
    Chinese Steamed Cake
  • Sift together plain flour and baking powder, mix until blended.
    Chinese Steamed Cake
  • Add in sugar syrup and cooking oil, mix well until a batter is formed with no visible lumps.
    Chinese Steamed Cake
  • Fill batter into lined ramekins until 90% full, set aside to rest for 10 minutes, boil water for steamer (1.5L).
    Chinese Steamed Cake
  • Steam over high heat for 20 minutes, do not open lid until cakes are fully cooked.
    Huat Kuih

Video

Notes

This recipe yields 4 pieces of cake (6-oz/175-ml). 
The nutritional value for reference is for 1 cake. 

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 455kcalCarbohydrates: 78gProtein: 6gFat: 13gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.1gSodium: 433mgPotassium: 88mgFiber: 2gSugar: 30gCalcium: 259mgIron: 3mg
Keyword brown sugar huat kuih, chinese steamed cake, fa gao, huat kuih
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Rate this recipe

Click to rate