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Home | Sweets | Cakes, Cupcakes and Muffins | Steamed Cornmeal and Coconut Cake

Steamed Cornmeal and Coconut Cake

Published: Jun 1, 2020 by Luciano - Leave a Comment

Jump to Recipe

This Steamed Cornmeal and Coconut Cake is super simple yet extremely tasty. It is moist and the cornmeal flavor together with the coconut make it irresistible. Plus, you don't even need an oven to make it!

Steamed cornmeal and coconut cake cut in squares on a plate

Cornmeal and coconut cake is quite common here in Brazil. But not steamed!!

Jump to:
  • ♨️ Why not use the oven?
  • 🍰 How we came to steaming a cake?
  • 📋 Ingredients
  • 🔪 Equipment
  • 🍳 How to make it
  • 📖 Recipe
  • 💬 Comments

♨️ Why not use the oven?

We've had our oven for over 10 years now. It is a great one, as it is electric and has a function we love - convection. But a couple of months ago the convection stopped working and we kept on postponing taking it to the repair. But finally in the end of March we did it.

We did not think these crazy COVID-19 times would affect an oven being repaired, but it has been there for over a month now, so this means we've been for over a month without baking - and we love baking!

Having to buy bread and cakes is driving us crazy!

A couple of days ago Andrea said she wished we could bake our Cornmeal Cake with Dulce de Leche sauce, but without an oven, that was impossible.

So I though: couldn't we steam a cake?

🍰 How we came to steaming a cake?

I remember my dad used to make cuscus, a Brazilian dish made of cornmeal that is steamed.

That gave me the idea to try it out. I adapted the Cormeal Cake recipe adding some desiccated coconut to it (since it was to be steamed, it would need something extra to absorb some of the humidity).

I also had to come up with a way to steam it. Our bamboo steamer is small and a cake pan would not fit in it.

So I grabbed the tallest pot we have and checked if our regular cake pan would fit in it. It did! Then I had to come up with a way of making it stay above the water level.

To fix that I got four small pastry molds - about 1 inch deep and it looked like it was going to work - at least the steaming part. If the recipe itself was going to work was another thing!

But it did! And it turned out great!

📋 Ingredients

To make this steamed cornmeal and coconut cake you will need:

  • egg
  • milk
  • vegetable oil
  • cornmeal (medium ground)
  • unsweetened dessicated coconut
  • sugar
  • all-purpose flour
  • baking soda

🔪 Equipment

Equipment seems fancy, but you will need:

  • 8 inch (20cm) round cake pan
  • tall steamer (the cake pan should fit in it and close) OR
  • tall pot
  • anything that is about 1 inch high and can withstand being boiled (like small pastry molds)

🍳 How to make it

Assemble the "steaming unit"

Before you even start to make the batter, you have to assemble the "steaming unit".

If you have a large/tall steamer or steaming pot, it will work out great. Set it up and let it steam.

But if you don't, follow our instructions.

Put about 2 cups of water to boil in a teapot (or anything you can pour off the water with ease).

Grab the pot you will be using and put about 1 cup of water in it (it should be no more that 1/4 of an inch deep.

Then place the pan, with water, over medium heat.

Wrap a dishcloth around the lid and cover the pan - let the water in it boil.

Next grab the baking pan you'll use, line it with waxed paper and spray some vegetable oil on the inner walls.

To line a round cake pan with waxed paper, place the pan over the paper and run a pen by the side of the pan. Then cut the paper on the mark and it will fit just perfect.
The best way to get the waxed paper just the right size!

Prepare the batter

In a bowl combine eggs, milk and oil. Mix well with a wired beater.

Next add cornmeal and desiccated coconut. Mix well.

Add sugar and mix well.

Finally add flour and baking powder. Mix well.

Transfer batter to cake pan.

Place cake pan in steamer

If using a regular steamer, transfer cake pan to steamer and close.

If using pot: place the small pastry molds inside the pot and then put the cake pan over them.

Slowly put water into the pot, carefully not to get water into the cake batter, until the water almost reaches the top of the molds.

Close the lid (wrapped in a dish cloth to avoid dripping), lower the heat (you should still hear it bubbling) and set the timer for 30 minutes.

Steps to make a steamer: 1. put 1 inch high small pastry molds inside a pot with some boiling water; 2. place cake pan in and add boiling water to pot; 3. watch the water level - it should not touch the bottom of the cake pan

Removing the cake from the steamer

After the time is up, turn off the heat, open the pot and let it stand one minute open.

Then carefully remove the cake pan from inside and let it cool over a wire rack.

When cooled, transfer cake to serving plate (you may need to run a knife over the cake edge and shake a little so it loosens from the bottom.

Enjoy!

📖 Recipe

I think you might also enjoy this Brazilian Cold Coconut Cake.

Steamed cornmeal and coconut cake cut in squares on a plate
Print Pin

Steamed cornmeal and coconut cake

A delicious and super moist cornmeal coconut cake that is steamed
Course cake, Dessert
Cuisine Brazilian
Keyword cormeal
Prep Time 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes minutes
Servings 8
Calories 287kcal

Equipment

  • Steamer
  • Large/tall pot
  • 8 inch (20cm) cake pan
  • small 1 inch high pastry molds

Ingredients

  • 2 eggs
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil soybean, canola, corn, peanut...
  • 1/2 cup cornmeal medium grind
  • 1/2 cup dessicated coconut
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 tablespoon baking powder
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Assemble the "steaming unit

  • If you have a large/tall steaming pot, it will work out great. Set it up and let it steam. But if you don't, follow our instructions.
  • Put about 2 cups of water to a boil in a teapot (or anything you can pour off the water with ease).
  • Grab the pot you will be using and put about 1 cup of water in it (it should be no more that 1/4 of an inch deep. 
  • Then place the pan, with water, over medium heat.
  • Wrap a dishcloth around the lid and cover the pan - let the water in it boil.
  • Next grab the baking pan you'll use, line it with waxed paper and spray some vegetable oil on the inner edges.

Prepare the batter

  • In a bowl combine eggs, milk and oil. Mix well with a wired beater.
  • Next add cornmeal and desiccated coconut. Mix well.
  • Add sugar and mix well.
  • Finally add flour and baking powder. Mix well.
  • Transfer batter to cake pan.

Place cake pan in steamer

  • If using a regular steamer, transfer cake pan to steamer and close.
  • If using pot: place the small pastry molds inside the pot and then put the cake pan over them. 
  • Slowly put water into the pot, carefully not to get water into the cake batter until the water almost reaches the top of the molds.
  • Close the lid, lower the heat (you should still hear it bubbling) and set the timer for 30 minutes.

Removing the cake from the steamer

  • After the time is up, turn off the heat, open the pot and let it stand one minute open.
  • Then carefully remove the cake pan from inside and let it cool over a wire rack.
  • When cooled, transfer cake to serving plate (you may need to run a knife over the cake edge and shake a little so it loosens from the bottom.

Nutrition

Calories: 287kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 105mg | Potassium: 113mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 84IU | Calcium: 71mg | Iron: 1mg
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