Traditional Chinese White Sugar Sponge Cake

Pour 350g of water into a small pot and add 150g of sugar. Stir over low heat with a spoon until the sugar fully dissolves. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat immediately and set aside.

In a separate large bowl, combine 260g of rice flour and 250g of water. Whisk with a wire whisk for 1-2 minutes until smooth and completely lump-free.

Slowly pour the freshly boiled hot sugar syrup into the rice batter while whisking continuously. Once evenly mixed, set the mixture aside to cool until it reaches around 30°C (slightly cooler than bath water).

In a small cup, combine 1 tsp of active dry yeast and 3 tsp of warm water. Stir well with a spoon, then let it sit for 10 minutes to activate the yeast.

Test the batter temperature with your finger to confirm it has cooled to around 30°C. Pour in the activated yeast water and whisk thoroughly. Cover tightly with cling wrap and place in a warm spot (such as an turned-off oven) to ferment for 1 hour 15 minutes, until the surface is covered with dense white bubbles.

Add 1/4 tsp of vegetable oil into the fermented batter and whisk again. Make sure the whisk reaches deep to the bottom of the bowl to completely remix any settled flour into the liquid.

Prepare a 26cm round metal steaming dish and brush a very thin layer of oil on the bottom and inner sides. Gently pour the mixed batter into the dish.

Add water to a wok with a steaming rack inside and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Carefully place the steaming dish with batter onto the rack. Cover with a lid and steam over medium heat for 25–30 minutes until fully set, then turn off heat.

Using oven mitts, remove the steaming dish onto a cutting board and leave it to cool completely to room temperature. Once cooled, the surface will become dry and non-sticky. Invert the plate and tap gently on the bottom to unmold, then slice with a knife and serve.