Steamed Banana Cake (Banh Chuoi Hap)

In honor of Mother’s Day, I am sharing my Mom’s simple and delicious recipe for Steamed Banana Cake (Banh Chuoi Hap).  If you don’t already know this, my Mom is the amazing person who taught me everything I know about cooking.  As a child, I spent countless hours with her being her sous chef.  It was in the kitchen that my love for cooking and developing recipes started.  To this day, my Mom is still my culinary mentor.  We share ideas, swap recipes and always look for ways to re-invent dishes.  I had forgotten about this wonderful recipe but on a recent trip home my Mom made this for me.  (It’s just like my Mom to always be thinking about me and making my favorite dishes.)  Her steamed banana cake was perfect–not overly sweet, soft and chewy.  It was so scrumptious!  My Mom generously shared the recipe with much instruction, guidance and love as is everything that she gives.  Now I have the privilege of sharing this recipe with you.  In honor of Mother’s Day, I hope you make this for your Mom or someone who is like a Mom to you to celebrate and cherish how special these ladies are in our lives.  Enjoy!

Notes on the Steamed Banana Cake (Banh Chuoi Hap) Recipe, Tips and Tricks

I like to use plantains because they have a mealy, starchy texture.  The plantains must be ripe.  You can tell a plantain is ripe by looking at the skin–it should have some black spots but not be completely black.  Also, when pressing on the skin, the fruit should give but not be mushy.  Green plantains take over a week to ripen, much longer than regular bananas.

You can substitute plantains with regular (Cavendish) bananas or any type of banana you like if plantains are difficult to find in your area.  They all work great in this recipe.

Why do I smash the plantains?  I find that smashing the plantains and then soaking in the batter improves the texture of the cake.  Again we’re trying to achieve that balanced combination of a starchy and chewy cake.

The yellow food coloring is optional but really helps to brighten the color of the cake.

Be sure to steam the cakes on Low heat.  Over-steaming will cause the cakes to swell and then deflate when they cool.

I have 2 steamer trays and steam both cakes as once.  If you don’t, just steam one at a time and check the cake for doneness after 15 minutes.

Wrap a kitchen towel around the lid to absorb the moisture so it doesn’t drip onto the cake.  Alternatively, wipe down the lid every 10 minutes.

If using different size pans or molds, the steam times will vary.  Generally, steam the cakes until they turn translucent and no longer wet.  You can test by inserting a toothpick into the center.  If the toothpick comes out clean the cake is done.

When cooking the coconut sauce, be sure to stir every minute and scrap the bottom of the pan to prevent the tapioca pearls from sticking to it.  This sauce needs to be cooked slowly and allowed to set-up and thicken.  If you prefer a much thicker coconut sauce, reduce the water to 1/3 cup.  You can always add more hot water later if you decide you want it saucier.

Store any uneaten portions in the refrigerator.  To reheat the cake, microwave on High for 15-20 seconds.  To reheat the coconut sauce, stir in some hot water to loosen it up and then microwave on High for 30 seconds.

Watch the video for instructions.

Steamed Banana Cake / Banh Chuoi Hap

Ingredients

Banana Cake
1 1/2 cups tapioca starch
1/2 cup rice flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 packet vanilla sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 cups warm water
3-4 drops yellow food coloring
4 ripe plantains (approximately 2 lbs)
non-stick cooking spray

Yields: two 9-inch round cakes

Coconut Sauce
3 Tbsp tapioca pearls
1/2 cup warm water (for soaking tapioca pearls)
2 tsp rice flour
14 oz coconut milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup water

Yields:  2 1/2 cups

Directions

Banana Cake

In a large bowl, add the tapioca starch, rice flour, sugar, vanilla sugar, salt, warm water and food coloring.  Whisk together combining all of the ingredients well.

Take 3 of the 4 plantains, cut off the ends and remove the skin.  Cut each plantain into 4 equal pieces.  Using a plate, press down firmly on the plantain smashing it flat.  Transfer the smashed plantain into the batter.  Repeat until all plantain sections are smashed and transferred into the batter.  Dunk the plantains into the batter and then stir the batter a few times.  Let the batter rest for 30 minutes.

Cut off the ends of the remaining plantain and remove the skin.  Cut the plantain at a slight angle into slices about 1/8-inch thick.

Generously coat two 9-inch round pans with non-stick cooking spray.  Using a slotted spoon, transfer the plantains to the pans, dividing them evenly.  Stir the batter a few times to remove any settling.  Pour the batter into the pans, dividing it evenly between the two pans.  Top the cakes with the plantain slices.

Bring the water in the steamer basin to a rapid boil.  Reduce the heat to Low.  Place both cakes into the steamer trays and steam for 20 minutes.

Remove from steamer and allow to cool for 1 hour.

Coconut Sauce

Soak the tapioca pearls in warm water for 5 minutes and then drain (discarding the water).

Combine the rice flour with 1 Tbsp water and stir until smooth.

In a saucepan, add the coconut milk, sugar, salt, water and rice flour mixture.  Stir until the sugar is dissolved.  Add the tapioca pearls and gently combine.

Cook the sauce over Medium Low stirring every minute.  As soon as the sauce starts to bubble, reduce the heat to Low.  Cook the sauce for another 8 minutes making sure to stir every minute.  Turn off the heat and allow the sauce to cool for 20 minutes.

To serve, cut the cake into small pieces and arrange on a dessert plate.  Top the Steamed Banana Cake with a generous amount of the creamy coconut sauce and crushed roasted peanuts.  Enjoy!

Yields: 10-12 servings

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