Steamed Pumpkin Muffins
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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.
Recipe
Adapted and modified from
Table for Two and More
and originated from Yochana Cake’s Delight
Yield:
11-12 muffins
(6.5cm diameter (opening)x 5cm diameter (base) x 3.5cm depth pudding mould) – note 1
Ingredients
Steps
- Mix cake flour and baking powder together. Sieve and set aside.
- De-skin pumpkin, cut into small cubes, steam and mash with a fork. Set aside.
- 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).
- In a mixing bowl, beat egg until foamy with a hand whisk.
- Add in sugar and salt. Continue beating until well combined and the sugar and salt are dissolved.
- Add in coconut milk, oil and pumpkin in sequence. Mix until well combined for each addition.
- Make a well in the middle of the flour mixture from step (2). Pour the wet mixture from step (6) into it in 2-3 batches. Use a spatula to fold in the wet mixture until blended and no traces of flour.
- Steam on high heat for about 15 minutes.
- Once it’s done, remove the pudding moulds from the cooking pot/ wok and transfer to a cooling rack.
- Best to serve warm.
Notes
- I bought these pudding moulds from Daiso.
- I used Australian pumpkin. If you use local pumpkin, then you need to add more sugar.
- Double acting vs single acting: Most baking powders are double-acting, which means the baking powder reacts twice; contain one acid that dissolves when it comes in contact with water and another acid that does not dissolve until it reaches a higher temperature in a hot oven. This type of double action ensures that the finished product is light and fluffy. Single-acting baking powders are mainly used by manufacturers and are usually not available for retail sale. (Source: What is cooking America)
- Extra muffins can be frozen in the fridge for later consumption. Before eating, remove from the freezer, thaw slightly and steam again for 10-12 minutes until the muffins are soft.
- If you find the muffins are a bit dry, add a dollop of jam (ie strawberry jam) onto the muffins.
- Use a knife to score the top of the muffin batter (just like how you score your bread). It helps to split the top of the muffins, hence creating the smiling effect. (This tip is shared by Sugar & Spice & EverythingNice)