Kueh Bahlu ~ Mini Chinese Sponge Cake

Chinese New Year is fast approaching. This year it falls on Valentine's Day 14th February. Kuih bahlu is one of the many traditional cakes served during the new year period.

We don't restrict ourselves to having kueh bahulu once a year but make it quite often throughout the year for our morning tea. The tiny cake is spongy and light. With not a trace of fat, butter or oil it is a dieter's dream.

Makes 16

Ingredients
1 large egg
30gm sugar
¼ tsp vanilla extract

30gm plain flour
1/8 tsp baking powder



Method
1. Place a greased kuih balu mould into a preheated 190C oven.

2. Whisk egg at full speed for 1-2 minute until light, pale and frothy.

3. Add sugar and vanilla extract and beat at full speed for another 1-2 minute until thick and creamy.

4. In another bowl, sift together the flour and baking powder. Fold lightly into the above mixture.

5. Scoop batter into the heated greased mould. Fill to the top of the mould.

6. Bake at 190C for 5 minutes or until the top is golden brown.

7. Remove kuih bahlu from mould with the aid of a skewer and leave to cool on a wire rack. Continue with the the rest of the batter (step 5-7).

8. Store in an airtight container.


Note
1. To make a bigger batch the recipe in imperial measure is easy to remember : 5 eggs, 5oz sugar, 5½ oz flour, 1 tsp vanilla extract, ½ tsp baking powder.

2. My kuih bahulu mould is the thick heavy metal type. A thin mould might bake differently with different times to that above.

3. If using a fish mould, 1 fish uses 2x more batter than the round mould. The fish is quite fiddly to fill as you have to try and make sure the batter gets to all corners of the fins.


Tips
1. I find that I only need to grease the mould once at start. If you find the cake sticking to the mould, then oil again lightly with a brush.
If your mould is 'newish' you will need to brush it lightly with oil after each bake.

2. Fill the batter to the top and you will end up with a nice 'skirt'.

3. I find filling the mould with this ice cream scoop is the quickest and does not disturb/deflat the 'air' in the batter too much. Scoop, squeeze and drop in one quick motion.



Update 31/1/2010 : Edited to add a few more tips.