Sunday, November 05, 2006

Watermelon Cake

This is Watermelon Milk Powder: Just got news that PHOON HUAT (Singapore) sells this watermelon powder those that are used for Bubble Tea.





Ingredients:

180 gm. Cornoil
160 gm. shortening - melted and cooled
200 gm. sweetened condensed milk

140 gm. fresh milk

700 gm. egg white (from 15 nos. of egg white)
180 gm. caster sugar
1 tsp. cream of tartar

280 gm. cake flour ) sift together
1 tsp. baking powder )

200 gm. watermelon powder (can cut down to 150 gm. to 180 gm.)
Few drops of red colouring

60 gm. pitted prunes - slice thinly into small pieces
20 gm. melon seeds

50 gm. vanilla ice-cream powder
few drops of green colouring

Method:

(1) Mix corn oil, melted shortening and condensed milk in a big mixing bowl. Add in fresh milk and mix thoroughly till evenly mixed.
(2) Whisk egg white till slightly frothy, pour in sugar gradually and whisk till soft peaks form. Fold egg white alternately with flour mixture into the oil mixture till finished.
(3) Divide batter into the following:
400 gm. batter, mix with vanilla ice cream powder and green colouring, then subdivide into 2 portions again.
600 gm. batter - subdivide into 2 portions, each 300 gm. batter. Leave it uncoloured.
For the remaining batter, add in watermelon milk powder and a few drops of red colouring and subdivide equally into 3 parts. Divide the sliced prunes and melon seeds into 3 parts and mix each part into the watermelon batter.
(4) Grease and line an 8" square tray.
(5) Pour in one part of the green portion and level it. Steam each layer for 15 mins.
(6) Next pour in the white uncoloured portion and steam for another 15 mins.
(7) Next pour in the red portion and steam each layer for 15 mins, making a total of 3 red layers.
(8) Next, pour in the 2nd uncoloured portion on top of the red layer and steam for another 15 mins.
(9) Last, spread the green layer and steam for another 15 to 20 mins. till well cooked.
(10) Cool on wire rack and slice like wedges , shape of a watermelon.

*This recipe is adapted from the book "Layered Cakes", author: Vickie Chieng, a wonderful baker and a wonderful friend of mine. I have made some alterations to the recipe. Finding it too oily, I've cut down the amount of oil in the cake. The watermelon milk powder is pink in colour, is slightly sweet and has a very nice watermelon smell and taste and I really don't know what we can substitute for this.

32 comments:

Anonymous said...

That looks terrific...it's something creative and different! Bet it tastes great too.

Anonymous said...

I follow your blog religiously.You never fail to amaze me with your baked goods. So creative...most of all generous enough to share your knowledge to other people.

Anonymous said...

Hi Aunty Yo, can you advise where the watermelon powder can be bought? Thanks :)

Aunty Yochana said...

bluecrystal,

Where are you residing? I think KL has it but don't know which shop. Perhaps you can use the phone to call all the bakery marts and see which one is selling it.

I bought mine from Sarawak. Not available in Singapore though.

rgds

Anonymous said...

Oh, my gosh! very impressive. It look so realistic. Your talent in baking is amazing! It look soooo delicious. Hmmm...mmmm.
I wish I could bake cakes like you do. My nieces and nephews would probably be jumping with joy and excitement.
By the way, did you recieved my e-mail ...,asking you for a char siew bao recipe?

Anonymous said...

Wow!!! Very impressive. The watermelon cake look realistic. Your talent in baking is amazing! I wish I could bake cakes like you do. I'm sure my neices and nephews will be jumping with joy and excitement :)


Best Regards.

Anonymous said...

Boo hoo, I'm living in Singapore leh... If cannot find watermelon powder here, then I'll have to think of alternatives liao. Hmm, hopefully my M'sian relatives can source some for me...

Anonymous said...

Dear Yochana,

Can you pls advise where about in Sarawak that one can buy the watermelon powder. Do you have the address ??

Anonymous said...

hi aunty yochana :)
have a question about this cake making.. did u mix the flour with the milk+oil mixture first then fold in the egg white last.. or fold in the egg white with the flour alternately to the milk+oil mixture?

Aunty Yochana said...

hi anonymous.

I have adjusted the recipe to make it clearer.

Do let me know if you are still not clear.

rgds

Aunty Yochana said...

Hi,

For the watermelon milk powder, you can buy in sibu, Sarawak.

at:
Hua Huat co.
No. 20, Brooke Drive, Lane 1,
96000, Sibu.
Tel: 084-320839

Anonymous said...

Thank you aunty yochana! :) Now I understand after you adjusted the recipe method :) Keep up all the great pictures and recipes =) really inspired me to go to the kitchen and bake something everytime I visit your blog! hehe..

Anonymous said...

Can the watermalon powder be found in Kuala Lumpur?

Can the watermalon powder be replace by something else such as coffee mate or vanilla ice cream powder?

Thanks

Anonymous said...

Can the watermalon powder be found in Kuala Lumpur?

Can the watermalon powder be replace by something else such as coffee mate or vanilla ice cream powder?

Thanks

Aunty Yochana said...

Hi anonymous,

this watermelon powder can be bought from those shops that sells bubble tea. Phoon Huat is selling it.

rgds.

Anonymous said...

hi Aunty Yo!

hmm... what is vanilla ice cream powder? ... PhoonHuat sells it too?

thanks!

Laterz,
Jacqueline

Aunty Yochana said...

Hi Jacqueline,

Normally I use it for making cookies and cakes but I use it blindly without knowing what benefit it does to the cake. Mmm...looks like I must find out.

rgds

Anonymous said...

Hi Aunty Yo!

Thanks for the prompt reply!

My boy simply adores watermelon fruit but it's too 'cooling' for him. This cake will thrill him!

hmm... so where can i get this vanilla ice cream powder and is it costly? :)

how do you work it with your biscuits and cakes? Substitute it for plain flour and such? ... sounds very interesting... can teach me the trick? ... :)

Laterz,
Jacqueline

Anonymous said...

Hi Aunty Yo!

From what I understand from the recipe, the frist layer of green cake would have been steamed for a total of about 75mins wheareas the last layer of green would only be steamed for about 15-20mins... Am I comprehending this correctly? Would it affect the cake texture in any way due to the big difference in steaming time? Anything special that I have to look out for or to do it more carefullly? ... thanks... :)

Laterz,
Jacqueline

Aunty Yochana said...

Hi Jacqueline,

75 mins?? which layer? Every layer is 15 to 20 mins. only.

rgds

Anonymous said...

Hi Aunty Yo!

hmm... first green layer, put in steam 15mins. layered on top is white, 15mins. So the green would be steamed for 30mins now already... then put in the red layer, 15mins, another red layer, 15mins... till the last green layer on top of all the rest of the layers... the last layer will be steamed only 15mins. whereas the first (most bottom in the 8" pan) would be steamed about 75mins already... ?

Maybe I comprehend the instructions (5) to (9) wrongly? :p

Also, for the 'watermelon flesh'... the three red layers, can i just pour a thick layer and just steam a longer time? :)

May I know if I can purchase vanilla ice cream powder in Singapore and what else can I do with the watermelon milk powder?

Thanks lotsa!!! :)

Laterz,
Jacqueline

Aunty Yochana said...

Hi Jacqueline,

Yes...if you calculate grand total , you do need that long to finish this cake.

You can buy both flours from Phoon Huat.

rgds

Anonymous said...

Aunty Yo!

Thank you very much! You always replied so promptly and you share so generously your recipes and tips and your experiences... it just make baking so clear and much easier for beginners like me! :)

I'll try to get these two powders from PH (Holland V since I'm v near it) soon... could you kindly tell me/us what else we can use this vanilla ice cream powder as well as this watermelon milk powder for? ...

Thanks lots in advance! :)

Laterz,
Jacqueline

Aunty Yochana said...

Hi Jacqueline,

Sun Lik sells the vanilla ice cream powder and Phoon Huat sells the watermelon powder.

rgds

Anonymous said...

Hi Aunt Yo!

Just managed to get the two powders! Phew...

A very silly question to ask you...

How do we eat this watermelon cake? Just steamed - hot? Or cooled?

How do we store the remainders? In the fridge or just in a container outside?

Do we need to re-steam before consumption again?


Thanks lots!

Laterz,
Jacqueline

Aunty Yochana said...

Hi Jacqueline.

You can get it cooled. Easier to cut when it's cooled.

Keep the balance in the fridge if you want to keep it overnight.

No need to re-steam before eating. Just Thaw it before consumption.

rgds

Midge Koh said...

Hello there, I am very very impressed with all your cakes, biscuits and everything in this blog. You are one very talented and creative woman.

I would like to ask, for this cake, is it ok if I omit the vanilla ice cream powder and use vanilla essence instead?

And also, can I omit also the watermelon powder? I am asking this because I can't seem to find a place that sell these powders. I know the cake won't taste of watermelon anymore, but I suppose I'll still survive and be happy if it is just plain.

I live in KL, if you do know any shop that sell it I would try to get it.

Anonymous said...

I can't find any watermelon powder in my area so do you think it would still work if I used real watermelon juice as an alternative to watermelon powder.

Aunty Yochana said...

hi anonymous,

no...you cannot replace it with watermelon juice. It will be too watery.

rgds

Kathryn said...

Hi Aunt Yochana, I am wondering if i can substitue the shortening with unsalted butter? I dun think i will hv much use for shortening after baking this watermelon cake. Wonder if it will affect the texture of the cake...?Thanks,

Aunty Yochana said...

Hi Kathryn

I've not tried using unsalted butter tho..

rgds

Yan said...

Hi Aunty Yochana

I wanted to know how this will taste like so.. I bought Watermelon Ice Blended drink from Sweet Talk. The smell is really good.

I think I'll get the powder from Phoon Huat. Can also use this to try making your lapis :D