Steamed pumpkin muffins
Posted in cake/ muffin, Chinese, Featured Articles, Japanese, snacks, Vegetarian
My family had a wonderful time during our recent holidays. We went to Kuala Lumpur first, then to Cameron Highlands and lastly ended in Penang. The only regret was that our duration in Penang was too short to cover our usual to-eat (no, must-eat) list. Just thinking of this food heaven, my stomach has already started rumblimg….oh my! I will share with you some photos I had taken during our Cameron Highlands trip in my next post.
Have you heard, seen or eaten Japanese steamed cake/ bread (mushi pan) before? I was very intrigued with this mushi pan when I first saw it sold at a specialty store in a shopping mall. Since then, I had been searching for the recipe. Lately, I had bought some mushi pan cookbooks and had tried out some of the recipes. However, some failed while some were far from perfection. Undaunted, I will continue my experiment and hopefully I can share my success story with you soon. So, wish me luck!
Meanwhile, here is my favourite steamed pumpkin muffin recipe that is especially dedicated for people who love baking but have neither oven nor electrical mixer, or both. The recipe is fairly simple and quick to make even if you are a novice in baking. It applies the same muffin/mixing method used to make baked muffins. You just need a hand whisk and a mixing bowl. Yes, it’s as simple as that. The wet ingredients are combined with the dry ingredients to form a batter. Then the batter is spooned into the moulds and steamed instead of baking. It’s so hassle-free and requires less washing too!
Even though the muffins are steamed, they produce soft and fluffy cake-like texture unlike the tradition Chinese prosperity cakes (“fatt gou/ huat kueh” 发糕) that are dense and chewy. Its gorgeous “open mouth” effect (which according to the Chinese’s belief symbolizes good luck) is what I adore most about these muffins.
Besides that, they taste yummy too!!! Each bite is packed with subtle smell and taste of coconut milk that blends well with the pumpkin flavour. As Australian pumpkin comes with natural sweetness, I use lesser sugar than what is required in the original recipe. So the sweetness could be just perfect for those who don’t have a sweet tooth. By mashing the pumpkins and mixing it well with the batter, I am sure your picky eater won’t notice its existence when consuming it.
These muffins are not only enjoyed a lot by our family but my friend’s family as well. After sampling my muffins, she (a working mom with 2 kids) quickly requested for the recipe and made them on the same weekend – 2 days in a row!
These muffins can be frozen in the fridge for later consumption. On the day you want to eat them, just take them out from the freezer to thaw lightly and steam again under high heat for 10-12 minutes. It’s best to serve them warm. You can also add a dollop of jam to go with it.
=> Get the recipe and step-by-step tutorial with photos at PAGE 2 BELOW.
159 Comments
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Hi, for preheating the steamer, how long do I need to preheat it? Or can I just place my muffins in after the water boils?
Lynn: It will depend on whether it is from the fridge or freezer. For frozen ones, it will normally take 15 minutes but for chilled ones, it will take 10 minutes. Hope it helps!
Lovely!! Am pretty sensitive for this kind of kuih as always fails me, but i simply love it. will give a try!
JJ: Give it a try! It’s pretty easy if you follow the steps closely. Looking forward to receiving your feedback!
Sorry for the confusion, I mean by your method no.3, Preheat steamer – Fill a cooking pot/ wok with water and bring water to a boil. Place a steaming rack (it’s optional if you are using AMC steaming pot). Wrap the lid with a piece of cloth to avoid condensation during steaming (see photo below).
Can I put in the batter when it starts to boil?
Lynn: Opps! It’s my fault too. Hehe! Yes, the step is correct. To avoid the muffins from shrinking after cooling, slightly open the lid towards the last 1-2 minutes. Once the steaming is completed, transfer the steamer away and let it stay (with the lid still slightly open) for 1-2 minutes. Remember, do not over-steam your muffins as they will be hard. Hope it helps!
Hi ..Tried last night by substituted with sweet potatoes and used ‘super fine flour. Seems batter too thick (Not drop consistency
. Some smiled and some not, taste not too good (more of flourly smell). Appreciate your expertise..
JJ: Thanks for your kind feedback and sorry to hear that your modified version didn’t turn as per your expectation. This recipe will yield a “spoonable” batter (not “pourable”). I’m not sure what kind of drop consistency you are referring to. It’s better to use pumpkin than sweet potatoes as the former is more flavourful. It’s quite difficult for me to trouble shoot for you based on your brief explanation here.You need to give me more details on what you had done. Did you follow exactly all my steps? What did you use to steam your muffins? What kind of mould did you use? Did you fill up the batter up to 90%? Did you oversteam them? If possible, please send me some photos.
Hi, i changed using pumpkin instead. The batter was soft but heavy when spooned. I used the little chinese porcelain cups. Will try again and send you the pics if not successful.
BTW, how is the texture of the kuih when cool?
JJ: As you used little cups for steaming, the diameter may be smaller and cause some of your muffins not able to show a smiling face. These muffins still soft even after it’s cooled. But, it’s still best to serve warm. Hope to hearing your success story!
Dear, dah try pg tadi much better then muffin yg baked…i put cream cheese filling instead just like normal pumpkin muffin and few choc chips for my hubby’s request… Very light and soft for tummy … Such a keeper recipe esp during cold or rainy day… Thank you…
Hailey: It’s my pleasure to share. Glad it suits your palate!!
Hi
I like the idea of steaming than baking the muffins. I have a question for this recipe, can I use fresh milk instead of coconut milk?
Thanks ;-D
CF: Though fresh milk is not a direct substitute for coconut milk, it’s still possible to use it in this recipe. However, I would suggest that you stick to coconut milk because it goes very well with pumpkin and gives the muffins a very flavourful and delicious taste.
Ok, thanks. Looking forward to trying it out this weekend. Yay..
CF: That’s great! Happy trying!
Hi, may I ask which kind of cake flour did you use? Thanks.
Sherlyn: I used Prima brand cake flour. Hope it helps!
Thanks! I’m now trying to make your no-bake lemon cheesecake. Will let you know how it worked out!
Sherlyn: Great! Happy trying!!
Hi, the muffins turned out great! Took a picture of a great smile one of it had. Thanks for the fabulous, easy to follow recipe!
Sherlyn: Wow! That’s great! Would you be able to share your success by uploading your photo at my Facebook fan page? See you there!
Hi! Can I replace coconut milk with fresh milk? I’m planning to make some pumpkin steamed cakes for my 2 year old son…hehe!
Ah Meng: Though fresh milk is not a direct substitute for coconut milk, it’s still possible to use it in this recipe. However, I would suggest that you stick to coconut milk because it goes very well with pumpkin and gives the muffins a very flavourful and delicious taste. Happy trying and looking forward to your feedback.
Hi, thanks for the advice. One more concern before I start steaming cakes this weekend. Will the paper cupcake cases turn soggy n soft during steaming and affect the shape of the cakes? Thanks!
Ah Meng: You’re always welcome! What type of paper cupcake case do you use? It’s advisable to get a mould as support. Happy trying!
Hi! I tried the steam cake just this afternoon. Not very successful though, but thanks for the recipe! I tried eating them and they are abit sticky. The texture is not fluffy and soft, why is that? Did I add too much self raising flour, eggs or coconut milk? If you are able to follow the link and see the photo of my muffin, you will notice that the muffins’ texture were quite hard. Please explain how to make it fluffy… Thanks alot!!
Ah Meng: Thanks for your feedback. Your cupcake paper cup looks quite shallow to me. What is the size (diameter and depth)? How many muffins did you get for this recipe? Did you fill the mould up to 80%? Your I think your batter may be less than 80%. Thus, the muffins could not rise during steaming. If you follow exactly the measurement given in my recipe (no estimation), then it should be any problem. Btw, why did you use self-raising flour instead of cake flour?
Hi, yes, it quite shallow. I could only buy this size in NTUC. It’s depth is just 25mm deep. I think I made an important mistake of using self raising flour as I couldn’t find cake flour in NTUC too. I thought it will be the same thing! Well, ok, probably I will get the right ingredients and try again! Thanks!
Ah Meng: Self-raising flour = plain flour + baking powder. Since baking powder is already included in the recipe, hence self-raising flour is not required.
Hi! I had my second try today! I had finally found cake flour, I also bought new paper cupcakes with a deeper base and followed strictly to your recipe. Yep! It turned out much better and taste better! Thanks! Nevertheless, I will improve my steam cake and probably add other ingredients too! (PS: do take a look the photo of my 2nd trial steam cakes!)
Ah Meng: Glad to hear (and see) that your muffins turn out better this round! You can find my cupcake paper cup from Phoon Huat and the mould from Daiso. May I know how did you steam your cake? What type of pot did you use? Baking is a matter of science. Thus, I do not suggest you to add or reduce any ingredients in this recipe as it may not yield the best result. Hope it helps!
Hi! I made this twice already. 1st batch, some smiles some didn’t. 2nd batch, no smiles. What can I do to make the all smile? Btw, many thanks for the recipes you posted on your site. They’re really help me a lot.
Michelle: Thanks for your wonderful compliment! Did you fill the moulds with the same amount of batter? Did you use double acting baking powder? Give it a try again and let me know the results.
Hi. Still no smiles
Its based on your other recipe without the sausage:
100g cake flour
1 egg
40g castor sugar
1 tbspn baking powder
1.5 tbspn cocoa powder
1 tbspn oil
Then followed your directions.
My mould is from Daiso as well but diameter is ard 5.5 cm while height is ard 3.5 cm.
I think texture and taste is ok but would like them to smile. Any suggestions? Many thanks
Michelle: I think your modified version is different than my Japanese steamed sausage cake. There are a few ingredients being omitted (eg milk, paprika and cheese and sausage). For baking powder, I only use 1 tsp double acting baking powder whereas yours is 1 tbsp baking powder. Baking is all about science and you need certain combination of ingredients to achieve the result. Hence, it is advisable not to make any adjustment if you want to achieve the same result as mine. May I know what did you use for steaming these muffins? Do you have any pics to show me?
Hi. Sorry I forgot to add milk in the list above. That’s 60 ml milk and also 1 tsp double acting baking powder not 1 tbsp. as for the mould, it’s the same as what you used ( I took the bottom’s diameter instead of the top).
For steaming, I used a normal pot and a steaming insert. I don’t really have a steamer. Do I need one? I’ll try the sausage recipe this weekend. Thanks much for your help
Michelle: It is fine to use normal pot for steaming. If you’re looking for the “smile” effect, try pumpkin muffins instead of Japanese sausage muffins. Fill your mould with slightly more batter so it can rise highly and yield a “smile” effect. Hope it helps!
Hi, I have noticed that you are using AMC pot and wish to confirm whether the steaming method is the same as Steaming Chinese Cake.
Angie: Yes, the steaming method is the same except that I do not need to add a steaming rack inside the AMC pot. Hope it helps!
Hi i’d like to try out your recipe tomorrow but will be using local pumpkin instead. Can u pls give me an estimate as to how much sugar will be added? Thanks in advance.. Ur site is very helpful..
Shirley: Maybe you can add another 15g to make up to 100g sugar. Hope it helps! Thanks for your wonderful compliment.
Made this today & it was a success.
i like its soft texture and the amount of coconut milk is just right for my taste. Thanks so much for sharing this…
Shirley: Thanks for your speedy feedback! Glad that it suits your palate!