Mushi Pan (Japanese Steamed Cake)

This is a simple steamed cupcake that can be whipped up easily in the late night for next morning breakfast, with ingredients that are always available at my home.

With some tweaks, you can also add different flavours to this simple steamed cake recipe. For instance, with 1 tablespoon of green tea added to the flour mixture, I get Matcha Mushi Pan! Other variations to try - creamy sweet corn flavour, azuki/red-bean flavour, pandan flavour, e.t.c.

Mushi Pan (Japanese Steamed Cake)

Ingredients (yield 4 regular muffin-sized cake):

• 100g cake flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg
• 40g sugar
• 60ml milk
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil

Methods:

1. Sift cake flour & baking powder together. Set aside.
2. Lightly whisk together eggs and sugar. Add in milk, flour mixture and whisk until combined. Fold in vegetable oil.
3. Pour mixture into muffin cups until 3/4 full. Place the filled muffin cups in steamer and steam in hot boiling water on medium high heat for 15-20 minutes. Off the hear but leave the cakes in the steamer for 5-10 minutes before taking them out to cool down.