Soft, fluffy, and golden — this Steamed Pumpkin Huat Kuih is an easy, beginner-friendly Chinese steamed cake made with real pumpkin. Perfect for festive offerings or tea-time treats
Watch How To Make Steamed Pumpkin Huat Kuih – Recipe Video
Steamed Pumpkin Huat Kuih is a soft, fluffy steamed cake that symbolizes prosperity and good fortune. Infused with the natural sweetness and golden hue of pumpkin, this simplified version is perfect for beginners and a delightful treat for the whole family.
What is Huat Kuih?
Huat Kuih (also known as Fa Gao) is a traditional Chinese steamed cake popular across Southeast Asia. The word “Huat” (发) means “to rise” or “to prosper” in Hokkien, while “Kuih” refers to cake or pastry in Malay. Commonly prepared during festivals and religious ceremonies, Huat Kuih is a symbol of good luck, prosperity, and growth.
Its signature cracked top is believed to be an auspicious sign—a visual cue that the cake has “risen” to the occasion!
See our Kuih Recipe Collection
🎃 Why Use Pumpkin?
Incorporating pumpkin into Huat Kuih not only enhances the cake’s vibrant golden color but also adds an earthy sweetness and extra nutrients. Pumpkin is rich in beta-carotene, vitamin C, and dietary fiber, making it a healthier twist on this classic.
Ingredients You Need To Make Steamed Pumpkin Huat Kuih
- Pumpkin Flesh
-
Sugar & salt
-
Water & vegetable oil
-
Cake flour
-
Baking powder
-
Tip: Use fresh baking powder for the best “huat” (rise) effect!
Overview On How to Make Steamed Pumpkin Huat Kuih
1. Prepare Pumpkin Puree:
- Cut pumpkin into thick portions. Remove the seeds and skin. Then cut into thin slices.
- Steam the pumpkin flesh on high heat. Then mash in sugar and salt when hot to form pumpkin puree.
- Stir in vegetable oil and water. Mix well to combine and set aside.
2. Prepare Huat Kuih batter:
- Sieve flour and baking powder into another mixing bowl. Using a spatula, gently fold in the wet pumpkin puree mixture. Mix till all flour is not visible. Do not overmix. Leave batter to rest for 10 minutes.
3. Make Pumpkin Huat Kuih:
- First prepare moulds to steam the Huat kuih batter. Line tart moulds with paper liners. Using an ice-cream scoop, fill the mould with batter till 3/4 full.
- Prepare steamer by bringing water in a steamer to a boil. Place tart moulds into prepared steamer. Steam the pumpkin batter on high heat for 15 minutes. Remove from steamer to cool on wire rack. And we are done.
How to Serve Steamed Pumpkin Huat Kuih
Huat Kuih is traditionally served in a simple, respectful, and meaningful way, often depending on the occasion. It is commonly served:
-
Festive offering: Perfect for Lunar New Year, prayers, and birthdays. Huat Kuih are offered as part of ancestral offerings or during Chinese festivals. It is often paired with fruits, tea, and incense on an altar.
-
Tea time treat: Enjoy with Chinese tea or kopi-o (local coffee), as a snack or breakfast. They are usually served warm or at room temperature.
-
Sharing gift: Pack in gift boxes for sharing during holidays or celebrations.
How to Store Steamed Pumpkin Huat Kuih
To keep steamed pumpkin Huat Kuih fresh and soft, we need to store it properly:
-
Short Term at Room Temperature (1–2 days): Store in an airtight container once completely cooled. Keep in a cool and dry place. Best consumed within 24-48 hours for optimal softness.
-
Medium Term in the Fridge (3–5 days): Store in an airtight container and refrigerate to prevent drying out. Before serving, reheat by steaming for 5-8 minutes or microwaving with a damp paper towel over the top to retain moisture.
-
Longer Term in the Freezer (up to 1 month): Freeze individually wrapped Huat Kuih in cling wrap or parchment paper. Then, place in a ziplock or airtight container. Before serving, reheat directly frozen Huat kuih for 10-12 minutes or thaw in the fridge overnight and steam briefly before serving.
Important Tips For Success
- Use fresh baking powder. This helps achieve the signature cracked top (“huat”).
- Do not over mix the batter. Mix just until smooth. Over-mixing can cause the kuih to become dense instead of light and fluffy.
- Make sure to steam the kuih over high steady heat. This is crucial to get the top of kuih to “crack” (burst open). Remember to preheat the steamer before putting in the Huat kuih. Do not open the lid during steaming, especially in the first 10 minutes.
- Fill the cup/moulds up to 90% full. This will assist the batter rise and crack nicely. Also to use cupcake liners to line moulds for easy removal.
- Need to balance the moisture. Adding pumpkin can add extra moisture to the batter. If the batter is too wet, the kuih may not rise well. Adjust flour slightly if needed to get a thick, pourable batter.
- Arrange the moulds with space between them so steam circulates evenly to facilitate even steaming.
🧁 See Other Huat Kuih Recipes
🎃 See Other Pumpkin Based Recipes
Steamed Pumpkin Huat Kuih 蒸金瓜发糕
Tap or Hover to Adjust Servings
Ingredients
Ingredients:
- 180 grams pumpkin flesh
- 130 grams sugar
- 2 grams salt
- 280 grams water
- 50 grams vegetable oil
- 400 grams plain flour
- 26 grams baking powder
Have ready all the ingredients to make the steamed Huat Kuih.
First cut pumpkin into thick slices. Then using a metal spoon, remove the seeds. Next remove the skin. Then cut the pumpkin flesh into thin slices. Place the thin pumpkin flesh on a steaming plate.
Then prepare steamer. On high heat, bring water in a steamer to a boil. Then place the plate of pumpkin into the steamer. Cover with lid and steam for about 15 minutes. Then make sure the pumpkin flesh is fork tender. Remove from heat. Immediately add in sugar and salt. When hot, mesh into pumpkin puree.
Pour pumpkin puree into a smaller bowl for easier mixing. Add in water and vegetable oil. Stir to mix well and set aside.
Then sieve all-purpose flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl. Stir to mix well. Then using a spatula, gently fold in the pumpkin puree mixture into the flour. Mix till the flour is just well mixed with the puree. Do not overmix. The batter should be a bit sticky. Then rest the batter for about 10 minutes.
Meanwhile line 12 tart shell moulds with paper liners. Using an ice-cream scoop, spoon batter till 3/4 full into the tart shell moulds. Then tap the filled moulds to remove air pockets.
Prepare steamer by bringing water in the steamer to a rolling boil. Place the batter into steamer and steam on high heat for 15 minutes. Then remove from steamer and place on cooling rack.
Remove steamed cake from tart mould and they can be served warm or at room temperature. Enjoy with a cup of freshly brewed tea!
Instructions
Prepare Ingredients:
Preparing Pumpkin Batter:
Making Steamed Huat Kuih:
Enjoy!
Recipe Video
Notes
-
- Be very careful when cutting the skin off pumpkin as its hard.
- Cut the pumpkin flesh into thin slices for easier mashing into puree.
- Add sugar and salt into the steamed pumpkin flesh when its hot from the steamer so the sugar and salt can melt.
- Make sure the baking powder used is still fresh and active. Otherwise the pumpkin batter will not rise.
- Do not add the wet ingredients separately into the flour mixture as overtaxed flour mixture form gluten and the steamed Huat kuih will have a hard and stiff texture.
- Gently fold in the wet pumpkin mixture into the dry flour mixture till they are just combined and there are no traces of flour visible. Do not overmix. Otherwise the pumpkin huat kuih will not be soft and fluffy.
- Leave batter aside for 10 minutes so the batter has time to rise before steaming.
- It is not recommended to use extendable paper liners for the moulds as they can easily go out of shape and expand when steamed.
- Fill the batter till 3/4 full or 90% full. This will ensure maximum blossoming of the pumpkin Huat kuih.
- Tap the tart mould before steaming to remove any air pocket.
- Steam the pumpkin Huat kuih on very high heat steamer so the top of the pumpkin kuih will crack more and have pretty blossoming effect.
- Do not open the lid half way during the steaming process. Otherwise the blossoming effect may be affected.
NUTRITION
🙌 Final Thoughts
Steamed Pumpkin Huat Kuih is a beginner-friendly recipe that combines tradition, nutrition, and symbolism in one beautiful golden cake. It requires no complicated equipment or skills, just simple ingredients and steady steaming. Try it today and share your huat creations with us!
🔗 You May Also Like:
- Steamed Rice Huat Kuih (Fa Gao)
- Chinese Pumpkin Stir Fry
- Sweet Potato Kuih
- Traditional Chinese New Year Dishes
