Chinese rice cake or called white sugar rice cake (白糖糕 bai tang gao), is a traditional Chinese pastry. The cake is sweet and sometimes slightly sour in taste due to the fermentation of rice batter.
The texture of this steamed cake is spongy, slightly chewy, and moist. It is made with very simple ingredients; rice, sugar, water, and yeast for fermentation. The cake is often white in color with a honeycomb-like appearance on the inside.
What is Chinese rice cake or steamed rice cake?
Chinese rice cakes or steamed rice cake are a staple of Chinese cuisine. They’re also known as bai tang gao (which literally means “white rice cake”) and can be found in China, Hawaii, and many other places. In Philippine, it is refer to as Chinese Puto
It’s often prepared in a variety of ways: some are sweetened with brown sugar (brown sugar rice cake recipe) and others are eaten plain. In Hawai’i, they’re called “Hawaiian Rice Cake” because they were introduced to the islands by Chinese immigrants who brought their food traditions with them.
Tips for preparing steamed rice cake:
- If you prefer the rice cake to have slight sourness, proof of 4-6 hours.
- It is not recommended to use rice flour for this recipe as it will yield a slightly sticky cake with a tint of yellow instead of snow white rice cake.
- Steam with a bamboo steamer as the bamboo cover will absorb the steam. Cover the lid by tying it with a piece of cloth if it is made with another material. If water droplets condense on the lid and drop onto the cake, it would make the rice cake soggy.
- Make sure the rice-sugar mixture is cool completely before adding the dissolved yeast.
Chinese: 白糖糕(伦教糕) – 洁白，口感软韧，无酸味食谱
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Classic Chinese Steamed Rice Cake Recipe (白糖糕 Bai Tang Gao) | MyKItchen101en
Yield: 7-inch round (12 pieces)
Ingredients:
- 150 g white rice
- 220 ml water
- 70 g granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp instant yeast
(Yield: 400ml rice batter)
How to Make Chinese Rice Cake:
1 Wash white rice with running water or rinse 3-4 times until water is clear.
2 Add drinking water and keep refrigerated to soak overnight or at least 12 hours.
3 Drain soaked rice.
4 Prepare 220 ml of drinking water, set aside 1 tablespoon.
5 Add about 50 ml-60 ml to the soaked rice and blend until fine, about 2-3 minutes on high speed.
6 Add 70 g of sugar, ¼ teaspoon of salt and the remaining water to a saucepan, stir until sugar has completely dissolved, stop when the temperature reach about 70°C or small bubbles start appearing.
7 Pour the hot sugar syrup into rice batter, stir and mix well.
8 Strain the mixture and set aside to cool for about 30 minutes or until temperature reach about 30°C.
9 Add ½ teaspoons of yeast to the 1 tablespoon of water set aside earlier, stir until yeast fully dissolved, and mix with the rice sugar mixture.
10 Proof the mixture for 3 hours in the oven or microwave oven, add in 1 cup of hot water to raise the temperature, this helps speeding up the process of fermentation.
11 Oil the round mould (7 inch, 18cm), stir the rice mixture before pouring into the mould, and steam on medium-high heat for 20 minutes.
12 Allow the steamed rice cake to cool completely before unmolding, cut and serve.
In conclusion, we hope you enjoyed exploring the art of making classic steamed Chinese rice cakes with us. By following the detailed steps and tips shared, you can now recreate this authentic and beloved Chinese dessert right in the comfort of your own home.
This delicacy is perfect for sharing with friends and family or enjoying as a treat after a delicious meal. As you continue to refine your culinary skills, don’t hesitate to experiment with different toppings and flavors to make this classic recipe truly your own. Happy steaming, and may your kitchen adventures bring you joy and satisfaction!
We’d love to hear about your experience making the classic steamed Chinese rice cake! Please feel free to share your thoughts, tips, or any variations you tried in the comment section below. Your feedback not only helps us improve but also encourages others to give this delicious recipe a try.
Thank you for your support, and we look forward to reading your comments!
Chinese steamed rice cake recipe 白糖糕
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Ingredients
- 150 g white rice
- 220 ml water
- 70 g granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ tsp instant yeast
Instructions
- Wash white rice with running water or rinse 3-4 times until water is clear.
- Add drinking water and keep refrigerated to soak overnight or at least 12 hours.
- Drain soaked rice.
- Prepare 220ml of drinking water, set aside 1 tablespoon. Add about 50ml-60ml to the soaked rice and blend until fine, about 2-3 minutes on high speed.
- Add 70g of sugar, ¼ teaspoon of salt and the remaining water to a saucepan, stir until sugar has completely dissolved, stop when the temperature reach about 70°C or small bubbles start appearing.
- Pour the hot sugar syrup into rice batter, stir and mix well.
- Strain the mixture and set aside to cool for about 30 minutes or until temperature reach about 30°C.
- Add ½ teaspoons of yeast to the 1 tablespoon of water set aside earlier, stir until yeast fully dissolved, and mix with the rice sugar mixture.
- Proof the mixture for 3 hours in the oven or microwave oven, add in 1 cup of hot water to raise the temperature, this helps speeding up the process of fermentation.
- Oil the round mould (7 inch, 18cm), stir the rice mixture before pouring into the mould, and steam on medium-high heat for 20 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool completely before unmolding, cut and serve.
Video
Notes
- If you prefer the rice cake to have slight sourness, proof of 4-6 hours.
- It is not recommended to use rice flour for this recipe as it will yield a slightly sticky cake with tint of yellow instead of snow white rice cake.
- Steam with a bamboo steamer as the bamboo cover will absorb the steam. Cover the lid by tying with a piece of cloth if it is made with another material. If water droplets condense on the lid and drop onto the cake, it would make the rice cake soggy.
- Make sure the rice-sugar mixture is cool completely before adding the dissolved yeast.
Nutrition (per serving)
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I followed exactly, but mine came out too wet.. Been steaming for more than 40 min now. And still wet
Don’t use rice flour for this recipe, the texture and color will be different
The amount of water depends on the type of rice grain also. Perhaps you can try to use a lesser amount of water the next time or store the steam cake in the fridge and eat it the next day.
Why mine turns yellow after unmolding? Is there a way to keep it white?
Don’t use rice flour for this recipe, color and texture will be off.