Steamed Sakura Cake
Easy Steamed Sakura Cake Buns Recipe:
Let’s welcome the spring season with this delightful Steamed Sakura Cake.
This steamed cake is what I make around the spring season, just thinking about the cherry blossoms blooming in Japan. In Japanese, steamed cake is called "Mushi-pan". “Mushi” means steaming, “pan” is for bread, or buns. Inspired by the beauty of cherry blossoms in Japan, this easy-to-make steamed cake will surely bring a taste of spring to your kitchen. Also, this recipe is made with convenient pancake mix.
Do you have pancake mix on hand? Let's make this easy Steamed Sakura Cake!
RECIPE
Servings: 6-7 pcs
Time: 20 min
Ingredients:
1 cup pancake mix
1/2 cup milk
1 egg
2 tbsp strawberry jam
1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp oil
Instructions:
Rinse the salted sakura pickles to remove excess salt.
Heat a pan with the steamer.
In a bowl, whisk the egg, and add milk, sugar, and jam. Mix well.
Add pancake mix, and incorporate oil after the flour is mixed well together.
In pudding cups, place baking cups, and add 2 scoops of the batter into each cup.
Top each cup with a sakura flower.
Add the cups into the steamer, and cook for 10 minutes over lower medium heat.
What is Mushi-pan?
"Mushi-pan," translates to "steamed bread" or "steamed cake" in Japanese.
The concept of steamed bread likely originated from Chinese cuisine, where steaming is a common cooking method. However, in Japan, mushi-pan has evolved into its own unique form, with various flavors and ingredients.
Historically, mushi-pan was introduced to Japan during the Meiji period (1868-1912) when the country underwent rapid modernization and Westernization. Western-style baking techniques, including the use of ovens, became popular during this time. However, due to the limited availability of ovens in Japanese households, steaming emerged as an alternative cooking method. This led to the adaptation of traditional Western bread recipes into steamed versions, giving rise to mushi-pan.
Today, mushi-pan comes in a variety of flavors, ranging from classic options like plain, chocolate, and vanilla to more unique variations such as matcha, red bean, and sakura, like I made today. You may find some options of Mushi-pan even at convenient stores in Japan.
