Ma Lai Gao or Chinese Malay Cake

I had a craving for cake tonigh and did'nt want to go to the shops so I whipped up a cake Mum used to make when we were kids. This is a dim sum/yum cha favourite.

Mum liked things simple and that's exactly what this cake is about. Forget the fancy recipes you might find on the internet. This one only has a couple of ingredients and chances are they are already in your kitchen.

The cake is fluffy and pale yellow. It smells amazing as it's steamed and best served  after it cools, if you can wait that long.

The key to getting a light and fluffy texture is to beat the batter while slowly adding the dry ingredients. You must keep beating for atleast 5 mins after. Mum used chopsticks but a hand mixer saves alot of elbow grease.

4 large eggs (add 1 extra if they are medium sized)

1 cup self raising flour (I made my own with plain flour, 1 tsp of cream of tartar and 1/2 tsp bicarbonate soda)

3/4 cup caster sugar

1/2 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp vanilla essence

Firstly set up your steaming apparatus. I used a large wok with an inch of water and a little steamer tray. Start boiling the water because the cake needs to go into an already steaming pan.

Use an ungreased circular cake tin for best results. I used both and find glassware transfers heat slowly and the cake won't rise as well.

1) Beat the eggs and add sugar, salt and vanilla essence until dissolved.
2) Continue beating and gradually add the flour.
3) Keep beating mixture for 5 mins, no less.
4) Pour into baking tray and place onto steaming tray.
5) Steam on medium heat for 10 to 20 mins, depending on the height and width of the baking tin. A wide cake will cook faster.

6) Test with a toothpick or chopstick. It it comes out clean, it's fully cooked. Remove from pan and cool the cake before cutting.

I made two cakes from this recipe and they took 13 minutes each. I got a sponge cake texture the first time so was impressed how easily they were to make. Mum will be proud when I tell her!