Carrot and Yam Steamed Sponge Cake
Wheat-based staple foods are essential for baby complementary meals, as they are easy to digest and chew, but making homemade versions can be a frustrating trial for many parents. Today we’re sharing a no-knead steamed sponge cake recipe with a 99.9% success rate. Steamed sponge cake is the simplest and most foolproof wheat-based food to prepare: no second proofing, no kneading to release air, just proof the batter and steam it! We added carrot and purple yam to this version for vibrant color and extra nutrition: it lends the cake a naturally sweeter flavor, and also supports healthy digestion for babies. It works perfectly as a main meal or snack for little ones, and is also a great option to pack for outings. With barely any effort, you can make this soft, cake-like steamed treat that babies will gobble up with delight.
Ingredients
Carrot
90g
Purple yam
90g
Milk
190g
All-purpose flour
160g
Yeast
3g
Instructions
1
Step 1
Ingredients: 90g carrot, 90g purple yam, 190g milk, 160g all-purpose flour, 3g yeast. Cooking method: Steam. Reference age: 10M+. Preparation time: 20 minutes.
2
Step 2
Slice the carrot and purple yam, then steam for 20 minutes. Tips: Any colorful vegetables will work. The purple yam was purchased online; purple sweet potato can be used as a substitute.
3
Step 3
Blend 90g carrot + 90g milk into a carrot milk puree, add 1.5g yeast and stir well, then add 90g flour and stir well. Blend 90g purple yam + 100g milk into a purple yam milk puree, add 1.5g yeast and stir well, then add 70g flour and stir well. Tips: Purple yam is drier than carrot, so slightly more liquid and a bit less flour is used. Use the same amount if substituting with purple sweet potato. If using leafy greens, reduce the liquid by half.
4
Step 4
The final batter should be quite thick and not drip easily when lifted; refer to the last image in the previous step.
5
Step 5
In a 6-inch tube pan, alternately spoon in the carrot batter and purple yam batter. Tips: Place a spoonful of carrot batter next to a spoonful of purple yam batter, alternating in a crisscross pattern—place them as randomly as you like. If you don't have a tube pan, a regular 6-inch mold or any small mold will work for steaming.
6
Step 6
Cover the yellow-and-purple marbled batter with plastic wrap and let it ferment in a warm place for 1 hour. Covering with plastic wrap helps create enough humidity for the dough and prevents moisture loss. Tips: With the current room temperature in the low 20s°C, room-temperature proofing works. If it's colder, place it in an airtight container along with a large bowl of warm water for proofing.
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Step 7
Once it has doubled in size, it's ready to steam. My 6-inch pan is a tall one; yours might be nearly overflowing when proofed. Tips: Some moms say they've never succeeded with fermented foods. Possible reasons: 1. The yeast has expired, or the package has been opened for too long. 2. Not enough yeast was used—since yeast is very light, without a kitchen scale it's hard to know how much you've added, and you may have used too little. 3. The ideal proofing environment is 28–29°C with 75% humidity; humidity is also an important factor in fermentation.
8
Step 8
Steam for 25 minutes, then let it rest (off heat) for 5 minutes before removing from the pot.
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Step 9
Beautiful and nutritious! If your child doesn't like eating carrots or leafy greens, this pastry is perfect. The dough doesn't stick to your hands, and the finished cake is fluffy and soft—an oil-free, sugar-free treat that's my absolute favorite.
