Learn how to make kuih bahulu (kue bolu kering) that is soft and spongy and not too sweet. Perfect as an afternoon tea snack or to celebrate the Chinese new year or raya. The kuih bahulu is made without using the special bahulu mould.
Both hubby and the kids know by now that I love making chiffon cakes and sponge cakes. I’m not a cake with an icing person or any overly sweet and cake. I love the simplicity of the cake itself without much frostings, fondants, etc.
Kuih bahulu or what we call kue bolu kering or bolu klemben in Indonesia, is one of my favorite mini egg sponge cakes. They are cute, delish, soft, and spongey.
What is kuih bahulu?
Kuih bahulu is Malay-style egg sponge cake made with simple ingredients like eggs, flour, sugar, and a leavening agent. There is no oil used in the recipe, other than to grease the mould. This is similar to making the traditional steamed ji dan gao cake, except this is the baked version. The texture is soft and spongy on the inside and slightly crusty on the outside, similar to those of French madeleines (hence the name Asian madeleines). Traditionally, the cake batter is baked in a special brass-mould with a decorative pattern over an open fire. In this modern-day, they are baked in the oven.
The recipe rundown
Taste: They are sweet with a nice eggy aroma is supposed to have
Texture: Crusty on the outside and soft and spongy inside. The cake is at a dry side, which is expected of kuih bahulu. It’s perfect to dip into that cup of coffee
Level: medium
Ingredients
1. Eggs
I use large egg, about 55-58 grams each with the shell
2. Sugar
I use granulated sugar. You can use caster sugar too.
3. Cake flour
This contributes to the soft and fluffy texture
4. Baking powder
It helps to leaven the cake
5. Salt
A small pinch of salt brings the flavor out even more
6. Oil
To brush the moulds to prevent sticking
How to make kuih bahulu without the bahulu mould
1. I don’t have the special bahulu mould or madeleines pan, so I use the egg tart moulds and some little cups used to steam or bake muffin or huat kueh. Arrange these on top of a baking tray and brush with some cooking oil
2. Preheat oven at 400 F (200 C). When it reaches that temperature, put the baking tray on the middle rack and let them preheat for at least 15 minutes. This is very important so the cake won’t stick to the mould. I suggest not preheating too many at a time as the moulds need to be filled up quickly so they stay hot and your kuih bahulu won’t stick to the mould
3. Beat egg and sugar over a high speed with a hand mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment until they are pale, creamy, and thick (or they like to call it ribbon stage)
4. The volume should triple in size, about 10 minutes (with my kitchen aid on speed 8) or 15 minutes with a hand mixer
5. Sift in the cake flour and baking powder, and combine over low speed until just combined. Don’t overmix
6. Take the preheated moulds out from the oven and carefully but quickly pipe in the cake batter or use a spoon or ice cream scoop to scoop the cake batter into the mould. Fill them up about 3/4 full
7. I recommend baking one tray at a time for best result. Bake the cake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
8. Let them cool down on the pan for about 5 minutes and then use a skewer to pick up the cake from the mould to a cooling rack
Kuih bahulu gets stuck to the mould
-Make sure you generously grease the moulds or muffin cups (or whatever you use) with some oil, especially if the moulds are pretty new
-Preheat the moulds for at least 15 minutes
-When you take the moulds out to fill them up with cake batter, you may have taken too long and the moulds have lost most of the heat and the cake batter sticks to the pan
-Clean up the moulds if anything sticks to eat and then grease and preheat again before baking the next batch
How to store kuih bahulu
1. Let them cool down completely on a cooling rack
2. Transfer to an air-tight container and they can be kept for one week or so
Did you make this kuih bahulu recipe?
I love it when you guys snap a photo and tag to show me what you’ve made 🙂 Simply tag me @WhatToCookToday #WhatToCookToday on Instagram and I’ll be sure to stop by and take a peek for real!
Kuih Bahulu (Mini Egg Sponge Cake/Asian Madeleines)
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs about 55 grams each with a shell
- 60 gr granulated sugar
- 60 gr cake flour
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- Small pinch of salt
- cooking oil to brush on the mould/cups
Instructions
Preheat the bahulu mould (or in my case cups and egg tart moulds):
- I don't have the special bahulu mould or madeleines pan, so I use the egg tart moulds and some little cups used to steam or bake muffin or huat kueh. Arrange these on top of a baking tray and brush with some cooking oil. Make sure you generously grease them with oil or they will get stuck to the mould
- Preheat oven at 400 F (200 C). When it reaches that temperature, put the baking tray on the middle rack and let them preheat for at least 15 minutes. This is very important so the cake won't stick to the mould. I suggest not preheating too many at a time as the moulds need to be filled up quickly so they stay hot and your kuih bahulu won't stick to the mould
Prepare the cake batter:
- Beat egg and sugar over a high speed with a hand mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment until they are pale, creamy, and thick (or they like to call it ribbon stage). The volume should triple in size, about 10 minutes (with my kitchen aid on speed 8)
- Sift in the cake flour and baking powder, and combine over low speed until just combined. Don't overmix. You can transfer the cake batter to a piping bag if you like as it's easier to fill up the mould that way. I just use a spoon to scoop
Fill up the mould:
- Take the preheated moulds out from the oven and carefully but quickly pipe in the cake batter or spoon or ice cream scoop to scoop the cake batter
Bake the cake:
- I recommend baking one tray at a time for best result. Bake the cake for 15 minutes or until golden brown. The time is just a reference, this depends on the size of the cake too. You may not need that long if your cake is smaller. Let them cool down on the pan for about 5 minutes and then use a skewer to pick up the cake from the mould to a cooling rack
- Clean up the moulds if anything sticks to eat and then grease and preheat again before baking the next batch
Cooling down:
- The crust is crispy when they are still warm but they will soften as they cool down and that's normal. I simply reheat them in my air fryer at 350 F for 3-5 minutes and it crisps up the crust again
