Mini Chinese Sponge Cakes
A bite-sized treat with a light, fluffy texture and subtle vanilla-custard flavor
Introduction
If you’ve ever wandered through an Asian bakery and admired those golden, fluffy sponge cakes in delicate paper liners—this recipe will bring that experience home. These Mini Chinese Sponge Cakes are soft, airy, and lightly sweet with just a hint of vanilla and custard.
Perfect with a cup of tea, packed in a lunchbox, or served at brunch, these little cakes are as nostalgic as they are delicious.
Why I Love This Recipe
- Light and fluffy from whipped eggs and a gentle folding technique
- Subtly sweet and custardy—a classic flavor in Chinese pastries
- Bake fast—just 12–15 minutes
- No fancy tools required, just basic ingredients and cupcake liners
- A guaranteed crowd-pleaser for both kids and adults
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup custard powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 4 large eggs
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
🥄 1. Prep & Preheat
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Line a muffin tin with mini cupcake liners or prep small molds.
🍚 2. Mix the Dry Ingredients
- In a bowl, sift together:
- 1 cup flour
- ¼ cup custard powder
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- Set aside.
🧁 3. Whip the Eggs
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs and sugar with a hand or stand mixer on high for 5–7 minutes until pale, fluffy, and tripled in volume.
🧈 4. Combine Wet Ingredients
- Mix in:
- ¼ cup milk
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Beat briefly to combine.
🥣 5. Fold in the Dry Ingredients
- Gently fold the sifted dry ingredients into the wet batter.
- Be careful not to overmix—you want to keep the air in the batter.
🔥 6. Fill & Bake
- Divide the batter into molds, filling each about ⅔ full.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.
❄️ 7. Cool & Serve
- Let the cakes cool slightly in the tin before transferring to a rack.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Tips for Success
- Room temperature eggs whip better—don’t skip this step!
- Fold the flour in in stages to avoid deflating the batter.
- Want even more bakery-style flavor? Add a dash of almond extract.
- These freeze beautifully—just reheat briefly in the microwave to enjoy later.
Storage & Serving
- Store in an airtight container at room temp for 2–3 days.
- For longer storage, freeze and thaw individually.
- Enjoy with a cup of green tea, oolong, or your favorite latte.
More Bakes You’ll Love
If you like these, you’ll enjoy these other light, sweet treats:
- These Cake Mix Cookies Are My Go-To Shortcut for Easy, Foolproof Treats
- This Chocolate Chip Banana Bread Is My Favorite Way to Use Up Overripe Bananas
- These Chocolate Chip Cookie Bites Are My Favorite Little Treat to Bake Anytime
- The Easter Cookies Everyone Will Be Talking About and Asking the Recipe For
- These Easy Pumpkin Spice Muffins Are My Favorite Fall Treat to Bake on Repeat
Final Thoughts
These Mini Chinese Sponge Cakes are simple, nostalgic, and just the right amount of sweet. Whether you’re reliving a childhood bakery memory or discovering them for the first time, this recipe is a must-try.
Let me know if you baked them by tagging @ChefManiac, and don’t forget to follow for more sweet little bakes like this one!
Happy baking,
Jason Griffith – ChefManiac.com
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