Honeycomb Cake - Eggless / Vegetarian Recipe / Banh Bo Nuong Chay

Method30 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Have a thermometer ready. Use fresh active dry yeast, and check that the measured warm liquids are about 100–110 °F (38–43 °C) before they contact the yeast.

2. 2

   Step 2: In a small bowl, stir together the 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast, 1 tsp yeast sugar and 1/4 cup warm yeast water to moisten the yeast.

   Uses 2 1/4 tsp active dry yeast (1 package) · 1 tsp sugar · 1/4 cup warm water (100 F (38 C))

3. 3

   Step 3: Let the yeast mixture from step 2 rest for about 10 minutes, until foamy and doubled in volume.

   Check activated yeast · 10 minUses mixed yeast, sugar and warm water

4. 4

   Step 4: Use regular rice flour for the batter. Have a large mixing bowl and cover ready, and prepare a warm proofing place around 85–100 °F (29–38 °C), such as an oven with only its light on. Check the temperature rather than leaving an oven’s hotter keep-warm setting running.

5. 5

   Step 5: Combine the 2 1/2 cups regular rice flour and 1 1/2 cups tapioca starch in the large bowl. Add the separate 2 cups warm batter water, about 100–110 °F (38–43 °C), and mix until smooth and free of lumps.

   Uses 2 1/2 cups rice flour · 1 1/2 cups tapioca starch · 2 cups warm water ( 100 F (38 C))

6. 6

   Step 6: If desired, strain the batter from step 5 to remove lumps; otherwise leave it in the bowl for the next step.

   Uses mixed rice-flour and tapioca batter

7. 7

   Step 7: Add all the activated yeast mixture from step 3 to the smooth batter from step 6 and mix thoroughly. Cover the bowl with a lid or plastic wrap.

   Uses activated yeast mixture · smooth batter

8. 8

   Step 8: Put the covered batter from step 7 in the warm proofing place. Rest for 1–1 1/2 hours, checking after 1 hour, until its volume is about 1 1/2 times the starting volume and the top is foamy.

   Check main batter proof · 60 minUses covered yeasted batter

9. 9

   Step 9: In a microwave-safe cup, stir together the 1 cup coconut milk and separate 1 cup syrup sugar. Microwave on high for the source 45-second guide to warm and dissolve the sugar. Stir, then check that the syrup is about 100–110 °F (38–43 °C) before it will be added to the yeast batter; let it cool if it is hotter.

   Uses 1 cup coconut milk · 1 cup sugar

10. 10

    Step 10: Stir the 1 tsp pandan paste into the warm coconut syrup from step 9 until evenly mixed.

    Uses 1 tsp Pandan paste · warm coconut-milk sugar syrup

11. 11

    Step 11: Mix all the pandan coconut syrup from step 10 into the fully proofed batter from step 8 until evenly combined.

    Uses pandan coconut syrup · proofed rice-flour batter

12. 12

    Step 12: Cover the combined batter from step 11 and rest on the counter for 15 minutes.

    Final batter rest · 15 minUses combined pandan cake batter

13. 13

    Step 13: Choose one baking route for the whole batter: use a 10-inch tube or bundt pan in steps 14–22, or an 8-inch-wide, 3-inch-deep round pan in steps 23–27. Follow only the chosen route, then continue to the common cooling step 28. Use conventional oven heat, with the cake centered about 7–8 inches from the heating element.

14. 14

    Step 14: Tube or bundt route only: put the empty 10-inch pan in the oven and preheat the conventional oven to 350 °F (177 °C).

15. 15

    Step 15: Tube or bundt route only: carefully remove the hot pan once the oven reaches temperature. Brush it thoroughly with the measured 1 tsp vegetable oil.

    Uses 1 tsp vegetable oil

16. 16

    Step 16: Tube or bundt route only: stir all the rested batter from step 12 again and pour it into the oiled hot pan from step 15.

    Uses rested whole cake batter · oiled hot tube or bundt pan

17. 17

    Step 17: Tube or bundt route only: bake the filled pan from step 16 for 15–20 minutes, checking after 15 minutes, until the top starts to set.

    Check tube-pan cake top · 15 minUses batter in hot tube or bundt pan

18. 18

    Step 18: Tube or bundt route only: once the top has started to set, cover the cake from step 17 with foil.

    Uses partly baked tube-pan cake

19. 19

    Step 19: Tube or bundt route only: bake the covered cake from step 18 for another 25–30 minutes, checking after 25 minutes. The source total for this route is about 40–50 minutes.

    Check covered tube-pan cake · 25 minUses foil-covered tube-pan cake

20. 20

    Step 20: Tube or bundt route only: insert a toothpick into the cake from step 19. It should come out clean. Continue baking and recheck if needed.

    Uses baked tube-pan cake

21. 21

    Step 21: Tube or bundt route only: remove the fully baked cake from step 20 from the oven and cool in its pan for 15 minutes.

    Cool tube cake in pan · 15 minUses fully baked tube-pan cake

22. 22

    Step 22: Tube or bundt route only: turn the cooled cake from step 21 out onto a wire rack. Skip the round-pan steps 23–27 and continue to step 28.

    Uses cooled tube-pan cake to turn out

23. 23

    Step 23: Round-pan route only: follow steps 24–27 if you chose the 8-inch-wide, 3-inch-deep pan. Skip the tube-pan route 14–22 and use the full rested batter from step 12.

24. 24

    Step 24: Round-pan route only: put the empty 8-inch by 3-inch pan in the conventional oven and preheat to 350 °F (177 °C). Carefully remove the hot pan, brush it thoroughly with the measured 1 tsp vegetable oil, stir the whole rested batter from step 12 again and pour it into the hot pan.

    Uses 1 tsp vegetable oil · rested whole cake batter

25. 25

    Step 25: Round-pan route only: bake the filled pan from step 24 for 35–40 minutes, checking after 35 minutes, until the top starts to brown.

    Check round-pan cake top · 35 minUses batter in hot round pan

26. 26

    Step 26: Round-pan route only: cover the browned cake from step 25 with foil and bake for another 50–60 minutes, checking after 50 minutes. The source total for this route is about 85–100 minutes.

    Check covered round-pan cake · 50 minUses partly baked round-pan cake

27. 27

    Step 27: Round-pan route only: check the cake from step 26 with a toothpick; it should come out clean. Continue baking and recheck if needed. Once done, remove it from the oven and cool in the pan for 20 minutes.

    Cool round cake in pan · 20 minUses baked round-pan cake

28. 28

    Step 28: For the tube route, the cake from step 22 is already on a wire rack. For the round route, turn the cooled cake from step 27 out onto the rack. Let the chosen cake cool on the rack for 15–20 minutes, checking after 15 minutes.

    Cool chosen cake on rack · 15 minUses tube-route cake on rack, if selected · round-route cake to turn out, if selected

29. 29

    Step 29: Slice the cooled cake from step 28 across its honeycomb channels, or cut into chunks, and enjoy as dessert or a snack. The formula makes one cake for about 8 dessert portions.

    Uses cooled chosen pandan honeycomb cake

30. 30

    Step 30: The cake is best the day it is made. Cover any remaining slices well to prevent drying. The source gives 1–2 days at room temperature, up to 1 week refrigerated, or up to 2 months frozen. Warm a portion in the microwave or toaster oven before enjoying again.

    Uses remaining cake portions