Steamed Chocolate Cake

A frosted cake is made usually with an occasion or a request. However, I had a sudden urge to bake a nice chocolate cake recently. One recipe that got me tempted was this One-Bowl Milk Chocolate cake. But at that time, my helper was on home leave, so I couldn't find the time to bake it. Then, I saw Zoe's post on this Steamed Chocolate Cake and I was sold! 

It answered my temptation for baking a good chocolate cake. So I decided to bake Zoe's cake instead. It was really simple, and it tasted moist and soft too! I really like her recipe and I'm sure to make it often to satisfy my craving for chocolate cakes! Recording the recipe for my own reference. I strongly encourage you to try this cake. You'll be hooked.

Recipe for Steamed Chocolate Cake, adapted from Bake for Happy Kids.

(Makes an 8" round cake)

Ingredients:

180g Unsalted butter

60g Caster sugar

60g Light brown sugar

180g Evaporated milk

2 Large eggs, about 70g each with shell and lightly beaten

1 tsp Vanilla extract

100g Plain flour

50g Dutch process cocoa powder

1 tsp Baking powder

1/2 tsp Baking soda

1/4 tsp Fine sea salt

Method:

1. Line the bottom of the pan with a piece of baking paper. Preheat steam oven.

2. Add butter, both sugars and evaporated milk in a large saucepan. Place the saucepan over a low heat and use a hand whisk to whisk mixture while cooking until sugar is completely dissolved and mixture is smooth.

3. Remove saucepan from the heat. Allow mixture to cool until it is nearly like room temperature or cool enough to touch.

4. Add eggs and vanilla into the butter mixture and whisk until combined.

5. In another bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. 

6. Sift flour mixture into the butter mixture and whisk until all are just combined. Do not over mix. Cake batter is runny.

7. Pour batter into the prepared pan and place the pan into the steamer. Cover pan with a large piece of foil.

8. Set the steam oven for 70mins at 100C. 

9. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely in the pan before removing it onto a wire rack. 

Chocolate Frosting

Ingredients:

50g Dark chocolate, 55% cocoa & above

60g Unsalted butter, soften at room temperature

1/4 tsp Vanilla extract

30g Icing sugar, sifted

1 tsp Boiling hot water

Method:

1. Place chocolate in a heat-proof bowl and melt chocolate by stirring it over a pot of simmering water until just melted. Set aside for the chocolate to cool slightly.

2. Using a whisk, beat butter, vanilla and icing sugar until light and creamy. 

3. Add warm chocolate and hot water into the mixture and mix until just blended. 

4. Do not whip! Spread immediately on the completely cooled cake.

The frosting was very runny. However, it hardens when refrigerated. What is nice about the frosting is, even after taking out from the fridge, it turns soft and can be eaten immediately. I find that the proportion of the frosting to the cake is just nice...on the surface is more than sufficient. Enjoy!

Updated  a week later:
After finishing this cake, I was addicted and tempted to bake this again. I tried the 2nd recipe this time, and it tastes just as good (on its own too!) However, I found that this 2nd recipe yields a more "holey" texture and feels fluffier. I made it into a 8" cake without frosting and it was just as nice. My conclusion is, the 2nd recipe seems to yield a lighter cake for me. I will stick to it for now. 😄 You just have to try it