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Friday, January 25, 2013

发糕 Fa Gao "Chinese Prosperity Cake"

Dajia hao! Hi everyone. Today's post is going to be more of a cultural one.
Chinese New Year is coming up pretty soon. It's coming in two weeks, February 10. It's on a Sunday. And, as you know, us Chinese make a lot of things to celebrate the New Year and do things to make sure that the New Year will be prosperous and good.
So, today's recipe is going to be the Chinese Prosperity Cake (Cupcakes), also known as Fa Gao (发糕). Fa go is a steamed cupcake. As you see, there are "petals". The more the petals have blossomed, the more prosperous you will be and the more wealth you will obtain in the New Year. I do have another recipe but this recipe is different from the other one. Here's the link to my other recipe. 
This recipe here is more traditional but if you are unfamiliar with the taste and texture of rice flour, then I suggest you use my other recipe. 

Servings: 6 cupcakes
Calories: ~ 140 calories

Recipe adapted from Random Cuisine.

Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup water
  • 1/2 cup rice flour
  • 1/2 cup cake flour
  • 1 1/2 sticks brown candy sugar 
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp water 


Directions:
  1. Boil 3/4 cup of water and then add in the candy sugar. Wait until it dissolves. 
  2. In a bowl, mix together the flours. 
  3. Pour the sugar mixture into the flours and mix as you are pouring it in. 
  4. Combine the baking powder with water and then add it into the batter. 
  5. Pour into cupcake pans and steam for 15 minutes. 
  6. Enjoy!




The texture of these cupcakes are a bit dense but they would be denser if you used all rice flour (which I've tried before). I hope you guys enjoy these! Zaijian!

Do you guys like cupcakes?
Do you guys celebrate the Lunar New Year (aka CNY)?

6 comments:

  1. what can i replace with the 1 1/2 sticks brown candy sugar? thank you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You can replace it with 1/2 cup brown sugar. =)

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  2. Yum! I am missing Hong Kong in this Chinese New Year. Maybe, making these CNY treats will make me happy. Thanks for the recipe and a very happy CNY to you (in advance)!
    http://cosmopolitancurrymania.blogspot.in/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! Happy CNY to you too! Xinnian kuaile! I hope these help you relive the memories of when you were in Hong Kong. =)I miss Hong Kong too.

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  3. Hey I'm making these for my class to celebrate the Lunar New Year and can't find rice flour! We have to have these in by thursday and was wondering if you knew of a substitution for this? Please and Thank you!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm sorry for the late reply. There isn't a substitute for rice flour. You can find it usually at the Asian market. I'm pretty sure that you can also find it in the gluten free section of your local grocery store.

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