🥚 【Ingredients】
Eggs: 4-5 (large ones)
Cake flour: 80-90g (if you don’t have it, use a 4:1 mix of all-purpose flour and cornstarch)
Sugar: 50g (added in three batches)
Milk: 60ml
Corn oil: 40ml (use a neutral-flavored vegetable oil)
Lemon juice/white vinegar: A few drops (to remove the eggy smell and help stabilize the meringue)
🔥 【Tips for a Fluffy, Non-Collapsing Cake (Not a Flat “Egg Pancake”)】
1️⃣ The bowl must be grease-free and water-free: The bowl for whipping the egg whites must be perfectly clean. Any water or oil will cause the whipping to fail!
2️⃣ Whip the egg whites to stiff peaks: When you lift the whisk, the egg whites should form short, straight, stiff peaks. This structure is what prevents the cake from collapsing.
3️⃣ “Fold,” don’t stir: When combining the egg yolk mixture with the meringue, use a gentle folding motion (like flipping a spatula from the bottom up), just like you’re stir-frying. Never stir in circles! Stirring in circles will deflate the batter, and you’ll end up with a dense, flat omelette instead of a fluffy cake.
4️⃣ Preheat the rice cooker: Lightly grease the bottom of the rice cooker pot with a thin layer of oil. Press the “Cook” button to preheat it beforehand. This helps the bottom of the cake cook faster and prevents it from sticking.
✨ 【Step-by-Step】
Make the egg yolk batter: In a bowl, combine the egg yolks, oil, and milk. Sift in the flour mixture and stir until smooth and lump-free.
Whip the meringue: Add a few drops of lemon juice to the egg whites. Gradually add the sugar in three batches, whipping with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form (the tips stand straight up when you lift the whisk).
Combine: Gently fold 1/3 of the meringue into the egg yolk batter until just combined. Then, pour this mixture back into the bowl with the remaining meringue and quickly but gently fold until evenly combined.
Cook: Grease the inner pot of the rice cooker. Pour in the batter and gently tap the pot on the counter to release any large air bubbles. Press the “Cake” function button (if your cooker doesn’t have it, use the regular “Cook” button; when it switches to warm, cover the top with a kitchen towel and let it sit for 20 minutes, then press “Cook” one more time).
Release: Let the cake cool slightly in the pot before turning it out onto a plate. Done!