Vietnamese Steamed Banana Cake In 4 Easy Steps
Servings: 2 cakes
Calories: 227kcal
Got overripe bananas? Don’t settle for banana bread every time. This uncomplicated Vietnamese dessert starts with slices of ripe bananas mixed with sugar, salt, and a hint of vanilla extract. Blend in tapioca and rice flour batter, then steam to perfection for a satisfyingly chewy texture, all in under an hour from start to finish. Top it off with a delightful coconut milk sauce and a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds.
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Ingredients
For the bananas
- 6 large very ripe Bananas peeled and cut into 1/2-inch slices
- ¼ cup white granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt or 1/8 teaspoon Table salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or 2 teaspoons vanilla sugar
For the batter
- 1¾ cup tapioca flour
- 3 Tablespoons rice flour (not glutinous)
- 1¼ cup lukewarm water
- 2 drops yellow food colour
For the coconut sauce
- 1 can Coconut Milk* see notes for more info
- 4 Tablespoons granulated white sugar
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt or 1/2 teaspoon Table salt
For the garnish
- 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame seeds or roasted (crushed) peanuts divided for each serving
Makes: 9inch round
Instructions
- Prepare your steamer by heating it on medium-high heat. Make sure it is large enough to hold your cake pan of choice. I used a 9-inch cake pan and placed it into a 12-inch bamboo steamer. Peel and cut bananas into 1/2-inch slices. Place them into a bowl and sprinkle, sugar, salt, and vanilla extract on them. Gently shake the bowl to spread the seasoning. Do not stir to avoid breaking the bananas apart. Let this sit for 10 minutes for the juices to be extracted to help enhance the banana flavour.
- In a separate bowl, combine tapioca flour and rice flour. While whisking the mixture, slowly pour in lukewarm water until the batter becomes smooth and free of lumps. Add 2 drops of yellow food colour to give the batter a nice colour (this is optional). Pour and gently fold the batter into the sliced bananas using a spatula to combine, taking care not to break the bananas apart.
- Lightly grease a nonstick 9-inch round cake pan and fill it halfway with banana batter. Steam with lid** on (see notes) for 30 minutes until it turns gel-like yellow (from chalky-yellow) and slightly rises. It's done when you can lift the cake edge with a spatula without it falling apart. Cool for 20 minutes before cutting. This recipe makes two cakes, so work in batches or use a second cake pan.
- While the cake is steaming, prepare the coconut sauce. In a medium saucepan, mix coconut milk*, cornstarch, sugar, and salt***. Cook the sauce over medium heat, whisking continuously until it thickens and starts to bubble about 3 to 4 minutes. It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature before serving.
To serve the cake
- It’s important to allow the cake to cool to room temperature, as this will give you a firm and chewy texture. Hot banana cake can be too soft to eat. To make cutting the cake easier, wrap the knife with plastic wrap to prevent sticking. For easier handling of the cake, wear food-safe gloves that are lightly greased. Cut the cake into wedges or 2-inch squares on a lightly greased cutting board. To serve, place a few slices on a plate. Spoon coconut sauce over the cake slices and garnish with a sprinkle of toasted sesame seeds or crushed roasted peanuts.
Notes
What type of bananas should I use?
For this recipe, you can use either baby bananas or cavendish bananas (which are the classic bananas you see at your local grocery store). Although this recipe has been adapted for use with cavendish bananas, you can substitute them with baby bananas if you prefer. In this case, you should reduce the amount of water in the batter by 1/4 cup.
*Which brand of coconut milk is considered to be the best option for the sauce?
I have used a lot of coconut milk in my cooking over the years, and I have tried various brands. However, I have always come to the same conclusion. Aroy-D is the best brand I have used by far (in Canada) because of its ingredients. It contains 99.95% pure coconut milk, while other brands add water as a filler to the coconut milk. When selecting a brand, look for coconut milk without added water.
** If you don't have a bamboo steamer, make sure to periodically dry your glass or pot lid to prevent excess water from dripping onto the cake. Alternatively, wrap the lid with a clean hand towel while steaming.
*** It is worth noting that the coconut sauce will taste slightly saltier than expected, but this is intentional as it creates a nice contrast to the cake’s sweetness. If you prefer a less salty flavour, you can reduce or omit the salt altogether, but I highly recommend trying it. The saltiness complements the cake’s sweetness well!
Nutrition
Serving: 1pie slice | Calories: 227kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Sodium: 200mg | Potassium: 322mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 44IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 2mg