I’ve finally decided to do the 52 Week of Cooking challenge on Reddit, where each week, we are challenged to highlight an ingredient or try out a new style of cooking. I’ve known of this and have been a follower of the subreddit since 2011, and have failed to start in the years 2012 and 2013. So here we are, 2014. I’m finally ready and determined to start the challenge, among other challenges in life. I’m so determined that I even started a new category on this blog for it!

Week 1: Eggs! I almost can’t believe how easy they made it this year to start. Eggs – I eat an average of two eggs a day, either at breakfast or when I’m making my healthy lunch soup (chicken stock, carrots, green leafy veggies, minced pork and egg!) I love eggs, especially the yolk, so I didn’t just want to just use eggs in a recipe; that would have been too easy. I wanted to make something that showcased the egg, and something preferably Asian (I miss home.) I had so many ideas – egg tarts, egg pancakes (蛋餅), tea eggs etc. – but I was always one ingredient short, and didn’t want to wade around in foot-high snow mounds to go to the store.

I finally found a recipe that was so ridiculously simple that I had all that I needed. It only asked for three ingredients – eggs, sugar and flour. Unbelievably simple! (Asians man, you got to give them props for being awesome.)

Also, first post featuring our brand new Kitchenaid stand mixer (dream come true!)

Look at it, it’s so airy and soft! And without any baking powder or soda!

Ingredients

1/2 cup eggs [that was 3 large eggs for me]

1/2 cup sugar (I reduced it to 3/8 cup of sugar, because I don’t like things too sweet.)

1/2 cup flour

I still can’t believe how simple this recipe is. Just scale the ratio up or down, keeping it at 1:1:1!

Crack the eggs into your mixing bowl and using the whipping attachment, start the mixer at speed level 4.

After 2 minutes, bring it up to max speed, and let it whip the eggs for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until your eggs are whitish and frothy, like in the second picture.

While the eggs are whipping, line your steaming container with wax paper. I’m using a silicon heart shaped mold.

When the eggs are done whipping, sift the flour into the eggs slowly, and fold the flour into the eggs. Try to keep as much air as possible in the eggs. This is what keeps the cake soft!

Pour the batter into the wax paper lined steaming container, and steam the cake for about 20 to 22 minutes. Steaming time will depend on the container it is steaming in. (Don’t you just love my steaming contraption? It’s just a 12 inch skillet with wooden sticks on the bottom!)

When the time is up, test the cake with a cake tester. The cake is done when the cake tester comes out clean!

What a beautiful cake. Not one drop of oil in there too!

Here’s a final picture to show you how fluffy it is (and also to show how color coordinated my kitchen is.) Off to eat some steamed cake with tea!