cupbread 杯子蒸面包

前几天在图书馆借了一本新书：《松软可口！Cupbread - 杯子蒸面包》(おいしい蒸しパン)。

之前看过好多网友都做了类式日式蒸蛋糕，但我都没试，我对蒸蛋糕真的没什么兴趣。不过看了这本书后，被里面各式各样，小巧very kawaii 的蒸糕吸引住了。况且作法超简单，用料也不多，不好吃也没关系啦！

说做就做，就这样花了25～30分钟，我的第一个杯子蒸面包出炉了！真的，前后不到半个钟就搞定。

手上没什么材料，所以只做了原味的，其中两个撒了一些海苔芝麻肉松在面糊上才送去蒸。出炉的蒸面包圆圆滚滚还蛮可爱的！

原味蒸面包味道就像传统的蒸鸡蛋糕没两样，只是没那么甜。鸡蛋味有一点偏重，口感有一点点扎实，不是很松软(或许我拌的面糊哪里出错了？)，也不是说扎实到像kuih。肉松口味倒还不错，肉松盖过鸡蛋味，咸咸甜甜的。这款日式蒸面包，说不上喜欢或不喜欢，要试一试其他口味后才能下判断。

At the beginning of the year, I told myself, I should get out of my comfort zone and try a new bake at least once a month. So for this month, the new item on my 'baking' list is none other than Steamed Cupbread, or commonly known as mushi pan (蒸しパン), a Japanese steamed cupcake.

These steamed cupbread or cupcakes are very simple and easy to put together. All you need is a hand whisk to stir the ingredients together. I made a couple of them topped with pork floss and they turned out nicely domed...I had expected them to crack like huat kuih, lol!

These steamed cupbread tasted just like the traditional steamed sponge cakes...although they tasted less sweet. The texture was not fluffy, yet not as dense as kuih. I didn't really like the eggy smell, but those topped with pork floss were not bad. They certainly taste better when served warm. I reheat them by steaming for about 5mins and they were as good as freshly made ones. I can't say they were not delicious, but I have yet to fall in love with them. I'll have to try out other flavours, with fruits and nuts or savoury ones in order to decide...

Basic Cupbread 杯子蒸面包

Ingredients:
(makes 4 if using 7cm by 3cm paper cups)

1 large egg
40g caster sugar
60ml milk
100g cake flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

some pork floss as toppings

Method:

Place a steam rack in a pot. Wrap the lid with a tea towel. Fill pot with water (fill just below the rack) and bring water to a boil. (Note: The lid is wrapped with cloth so as to prevent condensed water from dripping over the cupbread.)
While the steamer is preheating, whisk egg in a mixing bowl. Add in sugar, beat till sugar dissolve.
Add in milk, whisk to combine.
Sieve over cake flour and baking powder, whisk to combine.
Add in vegetable oil, stir till mixture becomes smooth.
Pour mixture into paper cups (or pudding moulds or ramekins lined with paper liners) till 70-80% full. Sprinkle top with some pork floss (about 1 teaspoon).
Place in the steamer and steam over medium-high heat for about 12~15mins or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Remove from steamer and let cool on wire rack. Best served warm.

Recipe source: 松软可口！Cupbread-杯子蒸面包 by Akemi Komatsuzaki