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Hong Kong paper-wrapped sponge cake
Tall chiffon sponges baked in paper collars
Hong Kong bakery windows line up these tall, golden cylinders, each in its own band of greaseproof paper, and they sell out early as a breakfast with a glass of milk tea or an after-school snack. Known in Cantonese as zhi bao dan gao, they are close to a chiffon cake: oil and milk keep the crumb soft and moist, and whisked egg whites make it light and bouncy. You peel the paper off as you eat, and the thin outer crust is the best bit. Greasing the paper is a frequent mistake; the batter needs a dry surface to grip and climb, otherwise the sponges slump. Chef's tip: stand the paper cups in a deep muffin tin or ramekins so they keep their shape, and fill them only three-quarters full.
- Total time
- 50 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 8
Ingredients
- 5 eggsseparated, at room temperature
- ⅔ oz caster sugar
- 3 ½ tbsp sunflower oil
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ⅞ oz cake flouror plain flour with 1 tbsp replaced by cornflour
- ½ tsp lemon juiceor ¼ tsp cream of tartar
- 1 ¾ oz caster sugar
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Method
0/8 doneStep 1: Heat the oven to 350°F (300°F fan). Make 8 paper cups about 7 cm wide and 9 cm tall from strips of baking paper with a paper base, and stand them in a deep muffin tin or in ramekins. Don't grease them.
Step 2: Whisk the yolks from 5 eggs with ⅔ oz caster sugar until pale, then whisk in 3 ½ tbsp sunflower oil, ¼ cup milk and 1 tsp vanilla extract.
Step 3: Sift in 2 ⅞ oz cake flour and whisk to a smooth, glossy batter.
Step 4: In a clean bowl, whisk the whites with ½ tsp lemon juice until foamy. Add 1 ¾ oz caster sugar a spoonful at a time and whisk to firm peaks that bend over slightly at the tip.
5 minStep 5: Stir a third of the whites into the yolk batter to loosen it, then fold in the rest gently until no white streaks remain.
Step 6: Fill the paper cups three-quarters full and tap them once on the counter to burst big bubbles.
Step 7: Bake for 22–25 minutes, until risen well above the paper, golden on top, and a skewer comes out clean; they should spring back when pressed.
24 minStep 8: Cool on a rack in their paper. Eat the same day or the next, peeling the paper as you go.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 150 kcal
- Protein
- 5 g
- Carbs
- 17 g
- Fat
- 8 g
- Fibre
- 0 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does hong Kong paper-wrapped sponge cake take?
- About 50 minutes in total: 25 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 8 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- What can I use instead of eggs?
- 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water per egg, left for 5 minutes (baking only; vegan).
- What can I use instead of caster sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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