Cupcake in a Jar (Gluten-free)

This recipe is based on a traditional steamed cake that I often enjoyed while having dim sum. It is called Ma Lai Goh and has a colorful history dating back to English colonization and the culinary creativity of Asian chefs from Malaysia to Hong Kong, who adapted the classic Western sponge cake to their Eastern-style kitchens, where ovens were not commonly used. ‘Ma Lai’ refers to Malaysia, and ‘Goh’ means cake. The actual creator of Ma Lai Goh will probably never be discovered; suffice it to say that the steamed version of a sponge cake became so popular in Asia that it is the national cake of Hong Kong.

Commercially made Ma Lai Goh can range from pale yellow to dark molasses-brown and is typically made with conventional flours, a significant amount of sugar, evaporated milk, and vegetable oil.

I have tweaked the recipe to make it gluten-free, using significantly less sugar, and ditching the evaporated milk (yuck!) for coconut milk, and swapping out the vegetable oil (yuck) for avocado oil. And because I like to use naturally sweet spices, my recipe also includes cinnamon, cardamom, and stevia (which helps to amplify the sweetness of the minimal amount of sugar used in this recipe.)

As for the jar, you can use any wide-mouth small mason jars that you have in your kitchen. As shown in the image below, I used several different sizes, including a
4 oz. Le Parfait Flip Top jar, and a 350 ml Le Parfait wide-mouth terrine jar.
(A 2-oz. mini-mason jar will form a cupcake about 2” in diameter, and a 4-oz. jar will form a 3” cupcake.)
Or, instead of making cupcakes, you can also use a regular 8” cake pan.

Yield: The quantity for this recipe will depend on the size of the jars you use.
Ingredients:
3 large eggs
1/3 cup coconut sugar
¼ cup avocado or grapeseed oil
⅓ cup coconut milk (full fat)
1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup gluten-free flour blend (I used Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Baking Flour)
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/16 teaspoon green stevia powder (ground from stevia leaves, without additives)
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Oil, for greasing the jars or cake pan
Parchment paper, cut into small rounds to line the jars
(If you would like to make the Matcha Frosting, the recipe follows after this set of directions. You can enjoy your Ma Lai Cupcake-in-a-jar as it is, or topped with whipped cream or ice cream too.)

Note: You will need a steamer large enough to hold your jars. Alternatively, you can use a large wok with a bamboo steamer or metal rack. Whatever type of steamer you use, ensure that there is enough water for a continuous simmer of 30-40 minutes.

1. Lightly coat each jar (or baking pan) with oil, and place a parchment round on the bottom of each container. Set aside.

1. Place the eggs, sugar, and oil in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. Add the coconut milk, vanilla extract, cinnamon, cardamom, and stevia. Mix again for about 30 seconds.

2. Sift the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a bowl. Using a spatula, mix the dry ingredients into the fluffy egg mixture in the mixer bowl in thirds. Add the lemon juice and fold gently to remove any lumps.

3. Bring the water in your steamer to a full boil. Then, carefully fill each jar 1/2 way up with the batter. Don’t be tempted to overfill, as the cupcakes may rise too high over the top of the jars.

4. Using a jar lifter, carefully place the 1/2 filled jars into the steamer.

5. Cover loosely and steam for 30-35 minutes. Be careful that the water doesn't dry out during this time. The cupcakes are ready when a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

For the Sweet Potato Frosting:

4 oz. butter (at room temperature)
4 oz. Japanese sweet potato, cooked by boiling in water with the skin on until tender
3 Tablespoons maple syrup
1 Tablespoon matcha powder (ceremonial grade is best, but not imperative)

1. Place the cooked sweet potato and butter into a processor and pulse a few times.
2. Then add in the maple syrup and matcha powder.
4. Mix in the processor until well blended and creamy.
(Note: If the frosting looks “broken” or lumpy, keep blending to disperse the butter evenly. Once the butter is incorporated, the frosting will become smooth and creamy.)
5. Spoon into a piping bag fitted with a star tip and pipe onto the cooled cupcakes.

* Regular butter can be substituted for Earth Balance if you want to make this a vegan option.