Saturday 28 March 2009

RECIPE: PANDAN STEAMED CAKE (APAM PANDAN)


It’s as if I am a ‘ketagih’ (Malay word for addict) of steamed cakes now. I think the reason is because it is so fluffy, easy to make and healthier than normal cakes as it uses only a bit of cooking oil, as opposed to butter or margarine.

Ingredients

4 xl eggs – at room temperature
120g castor sugar (you can lessen this to 100g if desired)
2 tsp ovalette (cake emulsifier) (see my GLOSSARY post on OVALETT)
100 soft flour (I used Anchor brand cake and biscuits flour)
2 tsp baking powder
40 ml fresh milk
40 ml cooking oil (I used Sunflower oil)
1.5 tsp pandan paste or 1 tsp green colouring and 1 tsp pandan essence (see my GLOSSARY post on PANDAN)
8 inch round tin and steamer


Method

Lightly grease your tin with cooking oil and assemble your steamer. Cover the lid with a thin cloth.

Sift the flour with the baking powder and set aside.

Beat the sugar, eggs and ovalette until very thick and fluffy. Add in the essence, beat for a minute and then add in the flour mix.

Continue beating until well blended. Turn off your cake mixer. At this stage get your steamer boiling.

Using a spoon, blend in the milk and oil. Mix well. Pour into your prepared tin.

Steam the cake for 30 mins or until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. Do not open the lid of the steamer except at the last 2 to 3 mins of steaming, whilst carefully avoiding any water from the lid falling onto the cake. In other words, do not tilt the lid when you remove it from the steamer until it is well away from the cake.

Cool in the tin for ten minutes before inverting onto a wire rack. Serve with some freshly grated coconut (optional).

NOTE: Check out also my post on GADGET AND UTENSILS: COCONUT SCRAPER/GRATER on how to obtain freshly grated coconut.

10 comments:

inahar ali said...

dear vg..ur apam really look gorgeous & "tembam"..hehe! really love apam actually any kind of apam..semua bestkan??

VG said...

Dearest Inahar, thank you and I agree - semua apam best di makan. I also made banana apam which I ciplak dari blog Kak Ummi Kuantan and I will post soon. Vin pun hairan tengok apam naik gebu...must be the ovalette and the discipline - do not open lid until nearly cooked.

Zue Murphy said...

Vg, I like the fluffy cake such as your apam. You are right, steamed cake is way so much healthier than regular cake and it taste good too. I wish I could find ovalette here. Mesti cuba your recipe once I find it.

VG said...

Hey Zue, apa khabar? Yes, steamed cakes are so much healtier. I made steam banana cake too....nanti I post recipe. This one did not use ovalett and still it naik so gebu.

I am lucky that I can get ovalett from Sydney or Melbourne. Maybe you can get your family to post it to you in the US. It is very ringan and can be sent in the envelope. Shafidah Shamen who lives in Sydney buys it for me and just posts it through the mail. Something to consider.

ummi said...

Hai Vin, what a nice apam u have there..really tempting..naik gebu eh! Yeah, you're right, the ovalette and the discipline as well makes apam really soft n fluffy too..Now you're addicted to all types of apam ya?..hehe..Nanti buat apam pisang don't forget a slice for me k...Have a nice day..muaaahhhh!!

VG said...

Hi Kak Ummi. Betul lah... Vin dah ketagih buat apam. I also made your apam pisang. For sure I will save you a piece. Love ya, hugs.

ICook4Fun said...

I too like steam cake a lot but too bad not Carlos that is why I hardly make any. I might make some of Diana and myself :)

VG said...

Hi Gert, indeed it is a pity Carlos does not like steamed cakes. Mr G wasn't partial to Ambon Apam cos of the rose essence (what is it with men and sweet smelling stuff???) but he liked this and the Banana steam cake. Oh well, if Carlos does not eat it, there's more then for you and Diana, LOL!

Kana said...

That apam looks fabulous! Rajinnya :)

VG said...

Hi Maya, thank you for your nice comments and for visiting my blog.