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Old-Fashioned Sponge Cake with Thousand-Leaf Pattern (Hot-Oil Method)
Chinese dish ready in 112 min using intermediate-level technique. Take your time with the prep for the best results.
- Prep
- 42m
- Cook
- 1h 10m
- Total
- 1h 52m
- Servings
- 2
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Spice
- 1/5
- Cuisine
- Chinese
IngredientsWhat you'll need for Old-Fashioned Sponge Cake with Thousand-Leaf Pattern (Hot-Oil Method)
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| eggs | 8 (55-60g each) |
| milk | 110 as needed |
| corn oil (heated to 70C) | 75 as needed |
| cake flour | 145 as needed |
| white sugar | 90 as needed |
| cornstarch (optional) | 10 as needed |
| lemon juice | 5 as needed |
| cocoa powder | 2 as needed |
- eggs8 (55-60g each)
- milk110 as needed
- corn oil (heated to 70C)75 as needed
- cake flour145 as needed
- white sugar90 as needed
- cornstarch (optional)10 as needed
- lemon juice5 as needed
- cocoa powder2 as needed
Cooking StepsHow to cook Old-Fashioned Sponge Cake with Thousand-Leaf Pattern (Hot-Oil Method) step by step
-
Step 1Separate egg whites from yolks; place egg whites in the freezer until ice crystals form. Sift cake flour into a bowl. Heat oil to 70-80C, then pour into the flour and stir quickly to combine. The hot-oil method makes the sponge cake extra soft and light!
-
Step 2Pour in the milk and mix well. Add the yolks and continue mixing until smooth – when you lift the whisk, the batter should flow in a steady ribbon.
-
Step 3Start whipping the egg whites. Squeeze in lemon juice. Beat on high speed until large bubbles form, add 1/3 of the sugar. Continue beating until small bubbles appear, add another 1/3 of the sugar. Beat on medium speed until streaks form, add the remaining sugar. Switch to low speed to refine the texture, scrape the bowl sides, and whip until stiff peaks form.
-
Step 4Fold 1/3 of the meringue into the yolk batter until evenly combined, then pour the mixture back into the remaining meringue and fold gently until uniform. Pour the batter into the mold. Mix 30g of batter with cocoa powder until smooth, transfer to a piping bag, and snip a small opening. Hold the bag at a 45-degree angle and pipe long stripes.
-
Step 5Take a chopstick and run it perpendicular to the stripes to create the thousand-leaf pattern.
-
Step 6Preheat the oven. Bake at 145C for 60 minutes on the lower-middle rack. For the last 10 minutes, increase the temperature by 10C and turn on the convection fan. For ovens with tight seals, insert a wooden stick wrapped in foil to keep the door slightly ajar.
-
Step 7Remove from the oven and tap the pan to release trapped heat. If you did not line with parchment, let it cool to hand-warm, place parchment on top, unmold, flip over, and cool completely before slicing. If you did line with parchment, simply lift the cake out and cool on a wire rack.
-
Step 8Slice and enjoy! Store sealed in the refrigerator.
-
Step 9Denser and more moist than a chiffon cake.
Old-Fashioned Sponge Cake with Thousand-Leaf Pattern (Hot-Oil Method)
Chinese dish ready in 112 min using intermediate-level technique. Take your time with the prep for the best results.
Ingredients
- 8 (55-60g each) eggs
- 110 as needed milk
- 75 as needed corn oil (heated to 70C)
- 145 as needed cake flour
- 90 as needed white sugar
- 10 as needed cornstarch (optional)
- 5 as needed lemon juice
- 2 as needed cocoa powder
Instructions
-
Separate egg whites from yolks; place egg whites in the freezer until ice crystals form. Sift cake flour into a bowl. Heat oil to 70-80C, then pour into the flour and stir quickly to combine. The hot-oil method makes the sponge cake extra soft and light!
-
Pour in the milk and mix well. Add the yolks and continue mixing until smooth – when you lift the whisk, the batter should flow in a steady ribbon.
-
Start whipping the egg whites. Squeeze in lemon juice. Beat on high speed until large bubbles form, add 1/3 of the sugar. Continue beating until small bubbles appear, add another 1/3 of the sugar. Beat on medium speed until streaks form, add the remaining sugar. Switch to low speed to refine the texture, scrape the bowl sides, and whip until stiff peaks form.
-
Fold 1/3 of the meringue into the yolk batter until evenly combined, then pour the mixture back into the remaining meringue and fold gently until uniform. Pour the batter into the mold. Mix 30g of batter with cocoa powder until smooth, transfer to a piping bag, and snip a small opening. Hold the bag at a 45-degree angle and pipe long stripes.
-
Take a chopstick and run it perpendicular to the stripes to create the thousand-leaf pattern.
-
Preheat the oven. Bake at 145C for 60 minutes on the lower-middle rack. For the last 10 minutes, increase the temperature by 10C and turn on the convection fan. For ovens with tight seals, insert a wooden stick wrapped in foil to keep the door slightly ajar.
-
Remove from the oven and tap the pan to release trapped heat. If you did not line with parchment, let it cool to hand-warm, place parchment on top, unmold, flip over, and cool completely before slicing. If you did line with parchment, simply lift the cake out and cool on a wire rack.
-
Slice and enjoy! Store sealed in the refrigerator.
-
Denser and more moist than a chiffon cake.
Recipe Details
Common Questions
What's the most common mistake to avoid?
The biggest mistake is not having all ingredients prepped and measured before you start cooking (mise en place). Chinese cooking moves fast — once the wok is hot, there’s no time to chop.
Can I make this ahead of time?
Yes, this dish actually improves after resting as flavors meld. Refrigerate for up to 3 days and reheat gently on the stovetop.
How can I make this spicier?
Add chili oil or chili crisp to taste, or include dried red chilies during cooking. A dash of Sichuan peppercorn adds a different kind of heat.
