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Chinese Prosperity Cakes (發糕) (Fa Gao/Fat Goh)
5 from 9 votes

Chinese Prosperity Cakes (發糕) (Fa Gao/Fat Goh)

This recipe for Chinese Prosperity Cakes (Fa Gao/Fat Goh) is made from scratch and yields a light and fluffy cake with beautiful cracks on top.

Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
55 mins
Servings: 7
Calories: 128 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Asian, Chinese

Ingredients

Batter:
  • 60 g granulated sugar 砂糖
  • 160 ml water hot, 熱水
  • 6 g baking powder 1 ½ tsp, 發酵粉
  • 2 g baking ammonia ½ tsp, 碳酸銨
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 香草精
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar 蘋果醋
  • 175 g cake flour + 5g extra for remaining portion, 糕粉
For coloring: (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon matcha powder 抹茶粉
  • 1 teaspoon cocoa powder 可可粉
  • 1 teaspoon red yeast rice powder 紅曲粉

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Lightly grease 7 small brioche tins. Set aside.
Make the batter:
  1. In a heat-proof medium bowl, combine sugar and hot water.
  2. Mix well to dissolve the sugar. Let cool.
  3. Remove 2 tablespoon of cooled sugar syrup and place into a small bowl.
  4. Add baking powder and baking ammonia to the small bowl of sugar syrup and stir well.
  5. To the medium bowl of sugar syrup, stir in vanilla extract and apple cider vinegar.
  6. Sift cake flour into the medium bowl of sugar syrup.
  7. Pour the baking powder and baking ammonia mixture into the cake flour mixture.
  8. Use a spatula to combine all the ingredients very well.
Color the batter:
  1. Prepare 3 separate bowls, each with 1 teaspoon of matcha powder, 1 teaspoon of red yeast rice powder, and 1 teaspoon of cocoa powder.
  2. Divide the batter into 3 equal parts, about 115g for each color and pour it into each bowl. Note 1: the consistency of the batter should be thick and not runny. If it appears runny, adjust and add in additional 5g of cake flour to the batter. Note 2: this recipe yields 7 cakes; you will have 1 extra portion -- mix in an additional 5 g cake flour to this particular plain/white portion.
  3. Fill the batter into greased brioche molds, to about 100% full.
Steam the cakes:
  1. Place the cakes into a steamer with hot water over high heat.
  2. Draw a cross on the surface of the batter using a toothpick/skewer.
  3. Cover and steam on high heat for 20-25 minutes, until puffy and the surface has cracked.

Nutrition Information

Calories 128kcal (6%) Carbohydrates 27g (9%) Protein 3g (6%) Fat 0.5g (1%) Saturated Fat 0.1g (1%) Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g (1%) Monounsaturated Fat 0.04g (0%) Sodium 93mg (4%) Potassium 29mg (1%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 9g (18%) Vitamin A 29IU (1%) Calcium 55mg (6%) Iron 0.5mg (3%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 7 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 128

% Daily Value*

Calories 128kcal 6%
Carbohydrates 27g 9%
Protein 3g 6%
Fat 0.5g 1%
Saturated Fat 0.1g 1%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.2g 1%
Monounsaturated Fat 0.04g 0%
Sodium 93mg 4%
Potassium 29mg 1%
Fiber 1g 4%
Sugar 9g 18%
Vitamin A 29IU 1%
Calcium 55mg 6%
Iron 0.5mg 3%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.