This White Sugar Sponge Cake / Chinese Honeycomb Cake (Banh Bo Nguoi Hoa) recipe makes scrumptious snack cakes just like the ones in the Chinatown bakeries. I’ve loved White Sugar Sponge Cake as a child and whenever we went to our local Chinatown, I would beg my Mom to buy this treat for me. White Sugar Sponge Cake is sweet with a slight tang, pillowy soft and wonderfully spongy from the vertical striations, also called honeycombs, throughout the cake. How do you make this magical cake? You’ll be happy to know, it’s pretty easy! The recipe is straightforward with just 4 ingredients: rice flour, yeast, sugar and water. Watch the video below for the easy steps and then make some to enjoy! 🙂
Notes on the White Sugar Sponge Cake / Chinese Honeycomb Cake (Banh Bo Nguoi Hoa) Recipe, Tips and Tricks
The trickiest part of the recipe is working with active dry yeast. Make sure the yeast is fresh and active, otherwise the cake won’t rise and have the airy and spongy texture. After proofing, the yeast should triple in size and be foamy.
You must use rice flour. Any other substitution will not yield the right texture. Learn about the Differences between Rice Flour and Glutinous Rice Flour in this post.
Keep all liquid temperatures under 120 F (49 C) as higher temperatures will kill the yeast. Use a thermometer to check the temperature for accuracy.
Allow the batter to rest in a warm environment to encourage the yeast to flourish. I place the batter bowl in the microwave with 2 cups boiling water to create a warm environment. You can also use your oven or Instant Pot.
Allow the batter to rest for 1 1/2 – 2 hours. The batter should have lots of bubbles on the surface after the resting period. Depending on the air temperature, the resting time may vary a bit. During the summertime, I let the batter rest for 1 1/2 hours and during the colder months about 2 hours.
Avoid steaming the cake with high heat. This will cause the cake to swell and then contract, causing a wrinkly cake. Steam the cake using Medium heat. Let the cake cool in the steamer for 10 minutes before removing. The gradual cooling helps minimize deflating of the cake.
The steam time is 25-30 minutes for a 9 inch round cake pan. Avoid over-steaming as this dries-out the cake. The texture of the White Sugar Sponge Cake should be soft and moist.
Watch the video for instructions.
White Sugar Sponge Cake / Chinese Honeycomb Cake / Banh Bo Nguoi Hoa
White Sugar Sponge Cake / Chinese Honeycomb Cake / Banh Bo Nguoi Hoa
Ingredients
- 2 cups water , divided
- 2 tsp active dry yeast
- 2 cups rice flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 tsp vegetable oil , for oiling the cake pan
Instructions
Proofing the Yeast
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Transfer 1/4 cup water to a cup or bowl. Microwave the water on High power for 10 seconds. (Water temperature should be 100-110 F (38-43 C)). Add the active dry yeast along with 1/2 tsp sugar. Stir to moisten the yeast. Let the mixture rest for 10 minutes or until foamy.
Making the Batter
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Transfer the rice flour into a medium bowl. Add 3/4 cup water and combine together until smooth. (The mixture will be thick.)
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Add sugar to the remaining 1 cup water and combine together. Microwave the mixture on High powder for 45 seconds. Stir together dissolving the sugar. (Liquid temperature should be 100-110 F (38-43 C)).
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Add the yeast and sugar mixtures to the rice flour mixture. Stir the batter, combining all ingredients well. Cover the batter bowl with plastic wrap. Transfer the bowl into a microwave or oven. Place 2 cups boiling water next to the bowl to generate heat. Close the door and let the batter rest for 1 1/2 - 2 hours or until large bubbles form on the surface. Stir the batter again, mixing well.
Steaming the Cake
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Coat the inside of a 9 inch round cake pan with vegetable oil. Place the cake pan inside the steamer tray. Fill a steamer basin halfway with water. Cover and bring to a rapid boil over High heat.
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Reduce the heat to Medium. Add the steamer tray with the cake pan. Stir the batter a few more times and then pour into the cake pan. Skim off any large bubbles from the top of the batter.
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Wrap a kitchen towel around the lid and place the lid on the steamer. Steam the cake for 25-30 minutes. Test the cake for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the cake and it should not have any wet batter sticking to it.
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Turn off the heat and let the cake rest in the steamer (lid off) for 10 minutes.
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Remove the cake from the steamer and let cool on the counter for another 10 minutes.
Serving and Storing
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Use a spatula to loosen the cake from the sides of the pan and then transfer the cake to a large plate.
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Cut the cake into slices and enjoy as finger-food.
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Cover and store the White Sugar Sponge Cake at room temperature for up to 24 hours. Afterwards, refrigerate for up to 4 days. To reheat, warm in the microwave or by gently steaming.
Recipe Video
Notes, Tips & Tricks
- Make sure the yeast is fresh and active, otherwise the cake won't rise and have the airy and spongy texture. After proofing, the yeast should triple in size and be foamy.
- Keep all liquid temperatures under 120 F (49 C) as higher temperatures will kill the yeast. Use a thermometer to check the temperature for accuracy.
- Allow the batter to rest in a warm environment to encourage the yeast to flourish. Use your microwave, oven or Instant Pot.
- Avoid steaming the cake with high heat. This will cause the cake to swell and then contract, causing a wrinkly cake. Steam the cake using medium heat. Let the cake cool in the steamer for 10 minutes before removing. The gradual cooling helps minimize deflating of the cake.
- Avoid over-steaming as this dries-out the cake. The texture of the White Sugar Sponge Cake should be soft and moist.
If you enjoy this White Sugar Sponge Cake / Chinese Honeycomb Cake (Banh Bo Nguoi Hoa) recipe, you may also like:
Steamed Rice Cake / Honeycomb Cake / Cow Cakes
(Banh Bo Hap)
Honeycomb Cake – Eggless / Vegtarian Recipe
(Banh Bo Nuong Chay)
Tools I Love and Use in My Kitchen
Im trying to make this today at home i have the ingredients exact rice flour i used measuring cups lol cheat way and if it worked i will update
Hi Trang!
I just made this sponge cake today and ate a piece. I was surprised by how simple the recipe was. I had been looking forward to it because I really miss getting this from Chinese bakeries.
It’s mostly what I remember, but the top came out slightly gummy/sticky (although an inserted toothpick came out just fine) and the bottom of the cake is missing those little air holes in your picture (I also recall the Chinese bakery version having the holes on the bottom too). Any idea what I could do to perfect this recipe the next time around? Should I have cooked it 5 minutes longer? I was trying not to overcook/dry it out. Should I have turned up the heat more? While covered, I could see steam escaping the whole time, but it wasn’t rattling the lid, if that makes sense. Thanks for any help!
Hi Erica,
Your assessment is accurate. Try steaming it with a bit more heat. The higher heat will help to create more of the honeycomb effect. The sticky top may be caused by water from the lid dripping onto the cake. Did cover the lid with a towel?
Thanks for the recipe.
Thanks For Sharing this amazing recipe. My family loved it. I will be sharing this recipe with my friends. Hope the will like it.
Hi Ashok,
I am happy you and your family liked this recipe. Thank you for trying it and stopping back to share your results. 🙂
I was making pandan extract and used some pandan infused water in my recipe. It was delicious! Thank you very much for giving the step-by-step instructions for bánh bò người hoa. I never made it well before now.
That so wonderful you made homemade pandan extract. Thank your for trying the recipe and sharing your results. 🙂
This recipe works well with instant or fast-rising yeast as well. Poofing time is definitely longer in the winter than in warmer temperatures. I cover my bowl and stick it in the oven to poof, away from any drafts. I also like it less sweet. For me, 1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar is perfect! For viewers, this cake is also called “Bai Tang Gao” in Chinese. Thank you for the measurements in English instead of metric units. This helped immensely!
Hi Trang!
I know it’s been a year since you’ve last been active, but I just wanted to leave a quick note of appreciation for the amazing index of recipes that you’ve built up in the past several years (almost a decade!). Being first generation Vietnamese-American, I grew up on all of these recipes but unfortunately was never taught how to make any of them. Your videos and blog posts have been so informative and helpful in allowing me the chance to reconnect back to my cultural roots.
Often times when I’m craving something distinct from my childhood, I always find a video of it in your collection on YouTube. Whatever dish I’m making always comes out perfectly thanks to your detailed instructions as well. I definitely plan on passing these recipes and dishes down to my future children so they can learn to love and respect their heritage as well.
Thank you for being the best virtual auntie ever! <3
Hello Hân,
Thank you for your really sweet message and kind words. I am so happy to hear you’re enjoying the recipes I’ve shared. The blog and YouTube channel has been my labor of love. I am so happy that you enjoy Vietnamese food and cooking and it’s truly a beautiful way to connect with our heritage and continue sharing and learning. I appreciate you checking out my videos and stopping by. Wishing you and your family much peace and love. Happy Cooking!
Hi, I tried making this twice and each time it is just a gooey blob with no spongy texture. It looks right all they way up for the point in which I steam it. I am steaming it in my instant pot, do you think that maybe that temperature is too hot?
Hi Michel,
Would you please double-check that you’re using rice flour. The gooey blob makes me think you might have used glutinous rice flour. Did your batter also get large bubbles?
Would this recipe work with instant yeast instead of active dry yeast?
Both will work. Good Luck!
Hi Trang,
Thanks for sharing this recipe. I tried making it but it came out a somewhat sour and a bit yeasty. I used instant dry yeast instead of active dry yeast. Could this have been the difference? Otherwise everything else was the same. I also gave it an extra hour and a half to rise. If I used instant dry yeast what should be the ratio and is there a different proofing time? Thank you!