Steamed Kabocha Cake
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Kabocha is one of my favorite squashes and I cannot resist bringing one home when I see it at the grocery stores. It is a sweet squash with a light and fluffy texture. The skin is very hard when raw but once cooked, it is soft and edible. It only takes minutes to cook and is delicious simply simmered in dashi, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar. Simmered Kabocha Squash makes a wonderful side dish and it works really well in a bento.
One of my favorite cookbooks, Japanese Cooking by Emi Kazuko has a steamed kabocha squash cake recipe that I have been wanting to try. I made a few changes to the recipe by adding in some raisins and chopped walnuts. I also made it gluten-free so that Ro-Taro could enjoy it as well. The cake was moist and lightly sweetened. The raisins gave it added sweetness and the walnuts provided the crunch and texture.
This cake was relatively simple to make with few ingredients needed. A little cinnamon was used but I forgot to include it in the picture below.
The recipe below was adapted from Japanese Cooking by Emi Kazuko
Ingredients
- 1 kabocha squash, about 2 lbs (roughly 1 kg)
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup (30g) powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp rice flour
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ cup (30g) raisins
- ¼ cup (30g) walnuts, chopped
Instructions
Cut off the top and bottom of kabocha squash, and then cut in half. Scoop out the seeds with a spoon. Cut into wedges. Place in a steamer and steam for about 15 minutes or until squash is soft. Remove and allow to cool.
Remove skin from squash. Mash with a potato masher until smooth. Mix in egg, powdered sugar, rice flour, corn starch, cinnamon, and salt until well blended. Add raisins and walnuts. Mix well.
Place makisu (sushi mat)** on work surface. Place a piece of parchment paper of about the same size on makisu. Spread half of kabocha mixture onto the section of the parchment paper closest to you. Roll tightly with makisu. Close both ends by folding paper over. Repeat with the other half of kabocha mixture.
Place rolls (with parchment paper) in steamer and steam for 15 minutes.
Remove and allow to cool for 10 minutes. Peel off parchment paper and cut into 1-inch thick slices. Serve on small plates.
Notes
**Use a kitchen towel if you do not have a sushi mat.
Serve warm with a few slices of kiwi fruit, pears, or persimmon.
Enjoy…..and have a wonderful day! 8)
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Tags: bento, gluten-free, Japanese, raisins, steam, vegan, vegetarian, walnuts
Biren… you are truly amazing cook. I’m just looking at your cooking and can’t stop saying wow. I love Kabocha too, although I struggle to cut every time and somehow imagine myself cutting finger. I mean it’s that hard, right? It has great nutritious value in Kabocha and making a cake is such a great idea. And the picture is perfect!
Aww…thanks Nami! Kabocha is so good simmered or fried tempura style. I sometimes eat cold simmered kabocha as a snack.
Have to be very careful when cutting kabocha. I use a big knife so that it can go right across the squash. I steady the sharp end of the knife with my left hand and press the entire length of the knife down very slowly.
Have a lovely weekend!
What an unusual and beautiful cake!
This sounds really good, Biren. I love squash and have had it candied or as an ingredient in sweet recipes. I like the addition of walnuts and sultanas. What a delicious and nutritious recipe.
Biren, I have yet tried anything like this before. Som must bookmark this recipe. Good to have something to try out. Thanks so much for sharing. Hope you’re having a lovely weekend.
Blessings, Kristy
Oooh I love kabocha! How have I never heard of this cake? It looks amazing- I love that its a steamed cake too. =) Good job biren!
If this kabocha is not available here, can substitute with pumpkin? Looks fairly to prepare and thanks for sharing!
Cheah, you can most definitely substitue it with pumpkin. The taste will be quite similar.
This sounds so delicious Biren. I will use pumpkin for this.
Have a nice weekend
Pumpkin should work nicely for this recipe. Have a lovely weekend!
Lovely squash cakes!
Biren, I have never heard of kabocha before. Thanks for such an elightening post and what a gorgeous recipe using the rice flour. I must try this: ok, with pumpkin perhaps since I doubt we can find it here. Although I could impress some speciality shops in Paris and say: my friend, Biren, has shown me how to make the most amazing cakes using kabocha… oh, and I’ll need a sushi mat to roll them
How cool is that?
That is cool, Jill!
It is also fun to learn of new ingredients. You can certainly use pumpkin. I think the taste will be pretty similar.
I can’t resist kabocha either! It’s my favorite winter squash! These steamed cakes look absolutely delicious..I really need to go pick some up and try them!
My son’s fiance has to eat gluten free. If I can’t find a kabocha, I’ll have to try pumpkin.
Kristi
great for suggesting to sub with pumpkin, I do not htink I could find kabocha. lovely
sweetlife
Yum! A squash cake?! WOW! I’ve never had anything like this… so interesting!
I love kabocha! A treat that this is already gluten-free too! I’m used to having to adapt just about everything, but this will be a nice change. I have always wanted to make a steamed cake and I think this may be just the recipe I will try.
I hope you will give this a try. I know what you meanabout adapting everything. I do that a lot too.
I am with Nami on cutting the kabocha. Thanks for your tips on that.
I like the Hokkien -style steamed savory pumpkin cake. Should be able to do the kabocha version out of it.
You are most welcomed Tigerfish.
Please remind me again of the Hokkien style pumpkin cake. I can’t think of it right now. What is it called in Hokkien?
looks healthy delicious haven’t had this lovely presentation Biren
I didn’t know this pumpkin is called Kabocha…
This seems like a pretty healthy dessert.
Wow, I would have never thought to do that, but darn if I don’t want a piece! Just beautiful Biren!
Didn’t know that anything about “kabocha” until I read your post. Very delicious steamed pumpkin cake and good to know that it is gluten free.
This is a lovely steamed cake! The kabocha looks like our local pumpkin. Do they taste similar, as I really love pumpkin!
Have a nice week, Biren!
Such a wonderful step by step for this…I am intrigued by the idea of a steamed cake. Really looks delightful
I saw this in Jusco supermarket yesterday, referred to by another name, can’t remember. It’s more pricey than pumpkin. Will definitely return to jot down the name, ha, ha!
Biren, What kind of rice flour do we use here? I know of 2 kinds, the sweet rice flour and the regular rice flour. I’d assume it is just the regular rice flour, but many Japanese rice cakes call for sweet (sticky) rice flour in baking. Thanks!
Hi May, thanks for visiting. The rice flour used in this recipe is just regular white rice flour and NOT sweet or glutinous rice flour. I hope you enjoy the recipe.
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