Here is a step-by-step recipe (with Pictures) for making Sugar Free Steamed Cocoa Cake from scratch in 10 Steps. I feel guilty about taking too much sugar recently. I shall cut down my sugar intake. Instead of reducing the amount of sugar in this recipe, I use my own homemade sweetened condensed milk as sugar substitute for adding sweetness. Just like dark chocolate, this steamed cake has the fullest flavor of pure cocoa and it will definitely not satisfy your sweet tooth – slightly bitter, light and soft. However, if you enjoy the bitterness of pure cocoa, I am pretty sure that you will like it. I hope you like it.

Sugar Free Steamed Cocoa Cake Recipe

Servings:

6-8 persons

Ingredients:

80g plain flour (protein content 9%)
½tsp baking powder
½tsp bicarbonate of soda
100ml fresh milk
40g pure cocoa powder
80ml condensed milk
80ml sunflower oil
2 eggs (approx. 100g)

Method:

1. Place flour on a plate. Cover the plate with plastic wrap and steam over medium heat for 10 minutes.
2. Remove the flour from the steamer and allow to cool at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before the next step.
3. Sieve the steamed flour into a bowl. Add baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and sieve again. Set aside.
4. Pour milk in a pot. Sieve the cocoa powder into the milk. Stir until combined.
5. Add condensed milk, sunflower oil and heat the mixture over low heat until well combined (about 5 minutes). Stir frequently.
6. Remove from the heat and allow the cocoa mixture to cool at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before the next step.
7. Beat eggs till pale and fluffy. Sieve the cocoa mixture into the beaten eggs and mix well.
8. Gently fold the flour into the mixture until well mixed.
9. Pour the mixture into a bowl/cake pan. Cover with plastic wrap and steam over medium heat for about 35 to 40 minutes.
10. Turn off the heat and keep the lid on for extra 10 minutes. After that, carefully lift the lid and remove the cake gently from the steamer. Enjoy your Homemade Sugar Free Steamed Cocoa Cake.

Note:

• Cake flour can substitute plain flour (protein content 9%) in this recipe. There is no need to steam the cake flour.
• Steaming the flour is a traditional Chinese way of reducing the protein content of flour. Under the influence of high temperatures, protein content will be reduced. The lower the protein the softer the flour, which result in a softer, lighter and fluffier texture.
• How to determine the protein content of flour? Look at the nutritional information on the package. For example, if the nutritional information displays 9 grams of protein per 100 grams of flour, the protein content is 9%.
• If you are worried about the bitterness of pure cocoa powder, add 40 to 80g of sugar in step 5. I use my own homemade sweetened condensed milk in making this. Read: How to make condensed milk. Or, serve the cake with ice cream. I think it is lovely with Vanilla Ice Cream.
• Though I used plastic wrap in this recipe, I would strongly recommend you use aluminum foil to cover the flour or the cake batter.
• Once the cake is done, do not open the lid right away as the cool air will make the cake shrink shrink quickly and heavily which will develop an unappealing wrinkled skin.
• I am using a 1000ml bowl to steam the cake. Make sure you fill the batter only half of the mould as it will rise when steamed.