Bolu Kukus Mekar (Blooming Steamed Cupcakes), Soft & Fragrant with Vanilla Bolu Kukus Mekar (Blooming Steamed Cupcakes), Soft & Fragrant with Vanilla recipe | KulinerBDG
Cakes & Bread

Bolu Kukus Mekar (Blooming Steamed Cupcakes), Soft & Fragrant with Vanilla

Admin by •
Prep
15 min
Cook
20 min
Servings
12
Level
Medium
Bolu kukus mekar (blooming steamed sponge cupcakes) is a legendary Indonesian treat that always brings back childhood memories, with its top blooming beautifully like a flower. The texture is soft, light, and fragrant with vanilla, perfect as a companion for afternoon tea or coffee. This recipe is super simple and guaranteed to bloom perfectly even if it's your first time trying it.

🧂 Ingredients

🍽️ Servings: 12

Adjust the servings and the ingredient amounts & nutrition below update automatically.

  • 250 grams medium-protein all-purpose flour
  • 200 grams granulated sugar
  • 2 large chicken eggs
  • 200 ml cold plain soda water
  • 2 tbsp sweetened condensed milk (white)
  • 1 tbsp double-acting baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla powder
  • 3-4 drops pink food coloring
  • 3-4 drops brown or mocha food coloring
  • 2 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1/4 tsp salt

👩‍🍳 Instructions

  1. 1 Prepare a steamer pot, fill with enough water, then bring to a boil over high heat. Wrap the pot lid with a clean cloth so condensation doesn't drip onto the batter, and heat the muffin/steamed cupcake molds along with their paper cups inside the pot during this process.
  2. 2 In a large bowl, beat the eggs, granulated sugar, and salt using a mixer on high speed for about 5-7 minutes until the batter is fluffy, pale, and thick enough to leave a ribbon trail (thick ribbon stage).
  3. 3 Lower the mixer speed to low, add the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla powder, and mix briefly until combined.
  4. 4 Sift together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Add the flour mixture into the egg batter alternately with the cold soda water, gently folding with a spatula using a folding technique so as not to lose too much air.
  5. 5 Pour the vegetable oil into the batter, fold again until well combined and no flour lumps remain. Make sure the batter is thin enough, similar to a typical cake batter.
  6. 6 Divide the batter into two portions. Add pink coloring to one portion and brown/mocha coloring to the other, mixing each until evenly colored.
  7. 7 Remove the hot molds from the steamer pot, then immediately pour the batter into the paper cups, alternating the two colors, filling them all the way to the top edge of the cup (fill completely so they can bloom perfectly).
  8. 8 Immediately place the filled molds back into the steamer pot, which should already be full of steam. Steam over high heat for 15-20 minutes without opening the lid at all during the first 10 minutes.
  9. 9 After 15-20 minutes, check for doneness by inserting a toothpick until it comes out clean. Remove the steamed cupcakes and let them cool slightly at room temperature before serving.

💡 Tips

• The key to perfectly blooming cupcakes is keeping the steaming heat high and steady from the start until the batter is poured in, and not opening the pot lid during the first 10 minutes.

• Use cold plain soda water (not baking soda) because its carbonation helps make the batter lighter and easier to bloom while steaming.

• Fill the batter into the paper cups all the way to near the rim, not just halfway, so the pressure from the steam can push the batter to bloom upward.

• Wrap the pot lid with a clean cloth so condensation doesn't drip onto the surface of the cupcakes and make the texture wet or dense.

📊 Nutrition Facts / serving

165
Calories (kcal)
3 g
Protein
3 g
Fat
31 g
Carbs

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