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Malay cake translated from Ma Lai Gao 马拉糕 is a Chinese style steamed cake with soft, fluffy and springy texture. This steamed cake is one of the very popular dessert that’s often served in Chinese Yum Cha restaurant.

I’m so excited to introduce this Malay cake recipe on the blog to you guys! My first favourite cake that I love the moment I tried it back in my childhood days! It brings back so much memories of how I enjoy this sweet dessert with my family back in Malaysia.

WHAT IS MA LAI GAO

Ma Lai Gao translated in English as Malay cake is a traditional Chinese sponge cake made using dark brown sugar. Malay which is also referred as Malaysia is believed to be the place where’s this cake is invented under the influence of British colonist. This cake was then brought back to Guangzhou, China by Chinese immigrants who travel between the Countries.

The traditional Ma Lai Gao is made using levain with natural fermentation. This steamed cake has a streaky pattern of air pockets created through the fermentation process. Ma Lai Gao is great to serve when it is warm, best if you can serve them the minutes they came out from the steamer, like how you eat them at the Yum Cha restaurant.

This cake is very unique compared to the usual sponge cake, apart from it cooking method it has a special flavour, texture and appearance. You get the softest and springy texture from the cake through the steaming process. A light caramel taste from the dark brown sugar and pretty looking in golden brown colour. A very traditional Chinese steamed cake that you will fall in love with once you try it!

This Chinese steamed cake is using yeast as the leavening agent to help with the rise, again very unique from others type of sponge cake as standard cake recipes usually used baking powder or baking soda as the leavening agent. I have tried to make this cake using active starter/levain but the result wasn’t satisfy, so let’s just stick with the yeast version for now.

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WHAT INGREDIENTS DO YOU NEED TO MAKE CHINESE STEAMED CAKE

• Milk
• Dark brown sugar
• Eggs
• Yeast
• Cake Flour
• Vegetable oil

HOW TO MAKE MALAY CAKE

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In a saucepan, add milk and sugar. Cook on low heat until sugar is dissolved and milk is warm, not boil. Transfer to a mixing bowl to cool down to room temperature.

In a separate bowl, whisk in eggs. Pour eggs mixture and yeast into the milk mixture and whisk well. Sift in cake flour and stir to combine. Strain the mixture through a sieve into a clean bowl. Add vegetable oil and stir well. Cover with plastic wrap and let’s rest for an hour.

Gently stir the batter and pour it into a greased cake pan, cover with a steam cloth with lid on and steam for 30 minutes.

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Thanks for stopping by!

Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear how it went in the comments below. Snap a photo and tag @dreamtocookblog with #dreamtocook❤ if you have an Instagram account. I love seeing your creations!

MADE THIS RECIPE AND LOVE IT?

MADE THIS RECIPE AND LOVE IT?

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RECIPE

Malay cake translated from Ma Lai Gao 马拉糕 is a Chinese style steamed cake with soft, fluffy and springy texture. This steamed cake is one of the very popular dessert that’s often served in Chinese Yum Cha restaurant.

	MALAY CAKE (MA LAI GAO)
Prep time: 1 HOUR 15 minutes	cooking time: 30 minutes TOTAL TIME: 1 HOUR 45 MINUTES	serve: 6
INGREDIENTS: – 90g, 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp milk – 70g, 1/3 cup dark brown sugar – 2 large eggs, whisked – 3g, 1 tsp instant yeast – 90g, 3/4 cup cake flour, sifted – 20g, 1 1/2 tbsp vegetable oil

INSTRUCTIONS

– In a saucepan, add milk and sugar, Cook on low heat until sugar is dissolved and milk is just warm, not boil. Transfer to a mixing bowl to cool down to room temperature. – In a separate bowl, whisk in eggs. Pour eggs mixture and yeast into the milk mixture and whisk well. Sift in cake flour and stir to combine. Strain the mixture through a sieve into a clean bowl. — Add vegetable oil and stir well. Cover with plastic wrap and let’s rest for an hour. – Gently stir the batter and pour it into a greased cake pan, cover with a steam cloth with lid on and steam for 30 minutes. Serve warm and enjoy!

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