Gula Melaka Huat Kueh (Palm Sugar Steamed Cake – Bolu Kukus Mekar)

Soft and fluffy huat kueh (Fa Gao) infused with aromatic gula Melaka (palm sugar). The steamed cake gives a nice bloom (smiling huat kueh). The recipe doesn’t use yeast.

I enjoyed making huat kueh as much as making chiffon cake, especially when the cakes bloom open nicely 🙂 This gula Melaka huat kueh is one of my favorite huat kueh because of the nice aroma of gula Melaka. Traditional fa gao is usually made with rice and uses yeast. I made some easy rice flour huat kueh without yeast not too long ago. Rice flour-based huat kueh is not my favorite, to be honest. I prefer huat kueh made with all-purpose flour 🙂 They taste way better IMHO because it’s more like a cake and not dry like the ones made with rice or rice flour.

The recipe rundown

Taste: The right amount of sweetness
Texture: Soft and fluffy
Level: Medium
This recipe is almost similar to this pandan coconut huat kueh, which many have tried and love the taste and texture.

How to make gula Melaka huat kueh

1. Cut the gula Melaka into smaller pieces. Put this in a saucepan along with the coconut milk over low heat and stir until sugar melts. Let it cools down completely before using

2. Mix the dry ingredients and set aside. Fill up your steamer with water and start boiling the water. Make sure there’s enough water to steam over high heat for at least 15 minutes. The steamer needs to be ready to go when the cake batter is ready. Wrap the lid with a cloth to prevent water condensation drips on the cake. Line the muffin cups with paper liners
3. Place the egg and the granulated sugar in a mixing bowl. I use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Start beating them at a high speed (speed 8 on Kitchen Aid) until the batter is pale and creamy. Turn the speed to medium (speed 4) and add the milk and beat until combined

4. Add the flour mixture, 1/3 at a time until they are combined. Add the oil and continue to beat until the batter is thick. Let me warn you that the batter is very thick

5. I actually transfer to a piping bag. You don’t need one, but it does make life easier. You can use two spoons to help you scoop and fill the cups

6. Pipe the batter about 3/4 full. Don’t fill it up all the way to the top or the split will overflow resulted in an irregular shape

7. Transfer to the steamer and steam on HIGH heat for 15 minutes. If your cakes are larger, you may need 18-20 minutes. DO NOT open the lid during steaming

8. Remove from the steamer after that and transfer out from the cup to a cooling rack after that so the bottom won’t be soggy and wet as water condensation accumulates at the bottom

Should you fill the cups with batter all the way?

I used to fill it up all the way to the top. But I do notice that when I don’t fill the cup all the way to the top, the bloom actually is “neater” and not overly big. I guess there’s no right and wrong here. I prefer a neater and sharper edge and I notice most of the cups that I filled only 3/4 full will give that result. Feel free to experiment and please share what you find 🙂

Did you make this gula Melaka huat kueh recipe?

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Gula Melaka Huat Kueh (Palm Sugar Steamed Cake - Bolu Kukus Mekar)

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Servings 10 medium size huat kueh

Please rate the recipe if you have tried it!

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Ingredients

0.5x1x2x

US CustomaryMetric

• ▢ 50 gr gula Jawa/gula Melaka
• ▢ 100 ml coconut milk
• ▢ 1 large egg (room temperature) about 58-60 grams each
• ▢ 50 gr granulated sugar
• ▢ 80 gr cooking oil

Dry ingredients:

• ▢ 200 gr all-purpose flour
• ▢ 2 gr salt
• ▢ 6 gr baking powder

Instructions

 

• Cut the gula Melaka into smaller pieces. Put this in a saucepan along with the coconut milk over low heat and stir until sugar melts. Let it cools down completely before using
• Mix the dry ingredients and set aside. Fill up your steamer with water and start boiling the water. Make sure there's enough water to steam over high heat for at least 15 minutes. The steamer needs to be ready to go when the cake batter is ready. Wrap the lid with a cloth to prevent water condensation drips on the cake. Line the muffin cups with paper liners

Prepare the cake batter:

• Place the egg and the granulated sugar in a mixing bowl. I use a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Start beating them at a high speed (speed 8 on Kitchen Aid) until the batter is pale and creamy. Turn the speed to medium (speed 4) and add the milk and beat until combine
• Add the flour mixture, 1/3 at a time until they are combined. Add the oil and continue to beat until the batter is thick. Let me warn you that the batter is very thick. I actually transfer to a piping bag. You don't need one, but it does make life easier. You can use two spoons to help you scoop
• Pipe the batter about 3/4 full. Don't fill it up all the way to the top or the split will overflow resulted in an irregular shape

Steam the cake:

• Transfer to the steamer and steam on HIGH heat for 15 minutes. If your cakes are larger, you may need 18-20 minutes. DO NOT open the lid during steaming
• Remove from the steamer after that and transfer out from the cup to a cooling rack after that so the bottom won't be soggy and wet as water condensation accumulates at the bottom
• Serve them warm or at room temperature

Storing:

• Once they have cooled down completely. Store them in an air-tight container for 3 days. For longer storage, individually wrap with a cling wrap and put inside a freezer bag, push all the air out and freeze for one month. Simply reheat from frozen state, in the steamer for 5 minutes or until heated through or use a microwave until heated through

RECOMMEDED TOOLS

Kitchen Aid Standmixer

Food Steamer

Individual muffin cups

*Nutrition facts are just estimates and calculated using online tools*

Nutrition Facts

Gula Melaka Huat Kueh (Palm Sugar Steamed Cake - Bolu Kukus Mekar)

Serving Size

 

1 huat kueh

Amount per Serving

Calories

206

% Daily Value*

Fat

 

11

g

17

%

Saturated Fat

 

3

g

19

%

Trans Fat

 

1

g

Cholesterol

 

19

mg

6

%

Sodium

 

160

mg

7

%

Potassium

 

51

mg

1

%

Carbohydrates

 

25

g

8

%

Fiber

 

1

g

4

%

Sugar

 

8

g

9

%

Protein

 

3

g

6

%

Vitamin A

 

27

IU

1

%

Vitamin C

 

1

mg

1

%

Calcium

 

43

mg

4

%

Iron

 

1

mg

6

%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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