Recipe: Prosperity cake (Fa gao)

 

Traditionally a symbol of prosperity, the Fa Gao is commonly a significant cake during festive celebration like the Chinese New Year or during prayer ceremony as offerings to Chinese deities. The name of the cake is a pun and literally translates to “prosperity raise”, meaning more prospered and higher in all aspects.

 

I personally like eating this, especially while it is hot, and spread butter or majerine and let it melt at generous amount. The key to very tasty prosperity cake is the right ratio of sweet potatoes to flour. Usually the heavier ones have more sweet potatoes in it and it would taste more solid in texture.

 

Ingredients:
200g sugar
200g sweet potato (2 pieces of medium sized sweet potato steamed and mashed)
250ml warm water
3 teaspoons dry yeast
500g flour
1 tablespoon majerine
1 teaspoon baking powder

 

Methods
1. Dilute 2 tablespoons sugar into 250 ml warm water.
2. Add yeast and leave it for approximately 15 minutes
3. Put in the mashed sweet potato, remaining sugar, flour, baking powder and majerine. Mix well till it becomes soft dough. Leave for 1 hour and 30 minutes to rise (do not touch the dough during this period).

 

 

4. Divide the dough into basket and use a scissors and cut a cross right in the middle at the top to get that beautiful shape that blossoms (Be certain of the amount and try not to stir or knead it too much as it would result in a chewy texture later). I usually have baking paper beneath for easier removal of cake from basket after cooked.
5. Steam this for 45 minutes

 

 

To achieve the authentic presentation, try printing red dye on top. To do this, use red baking colour and chop on the cake using a chopstick. Split the one end of wooden chopstick into four and you will get this flower look- a-like mould.

 

 

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