Nian Gao (Chinese New Year Cake)

plate of chinese new year cake (nian gao)

5 from 1 vote

Celebrate the Lunar New Year with Nian Gao! Also known as Chinese New Year Cake, it's a traditional steamed cake made with glutinous rice flour. A not-too-sweet and slightly sticky cake filled with a delicious layer of red bean paste. The chewy texture and fragrant coconut milk make this such a special treat! A popular dessert that represents property and good luck, it's enjoyed at Chinese New Year celebrations with family and friends.

Prep Time1

Cook Time1

Cooling time (for sugar water + red bean filling)4

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Chinese

Keyword: Chinese New Year's Cake, Leen Goh, Nian Gao

Servings: big slices or 3 cakes (6 slices each)

Calories: 320kcal

Author: Mrs. Jenny Leong + Lis Lam

Equipment

3-tiered Steamer Baskets
Wok or big pot (to fit steamer baskets)
3 7-inch tinfoil cake pans (they actually measure 6 3/4")
Instant Pot (for red bean paste)
Cast Iron Skillet or thick bottomed/non-stick pan (for red bean paste)

Ingredients

Red Bean Filling:

1/3 cup/ 2.5 oz/ 70 g (dried) red adzuki beans
1 1/3 cup/ 307 ml water
40 grams/ 1 oz bar sugar
2-3 Tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup Nian Gao Batter (see below)

Sugar Water:

15 oz rock sugar
1 1/2 cups/ 350 ml water

Nian Gao Batter:

2 cups/ 10 oz / 280g Glutinous Rice Flour
1 1/4 cup/ 6 oz / 170g Wheat Starch
1 cup/ 8 oz/ 250ml coconut milk (from a can)
1 tsp coconut extract
3 Tbsp vegetable oil (any neutral oil will work)

Instructions

Red Bean Filling:

Cook red beans. Add dried red beans and water to the Instant Pot. Secure the lid and set the Instant Pot to Bean function, 25 minutes. When the timer beeps, release the steam manually. The beans should be soft and creamy; the liquid should be fully absorbed.
*The beans can also be cooked on the stovetop. Soak the dried beans in water for 8 hours or overnight. In a medium saucepan, add rehydrated beans and water. Cook (covered) until soft and creamy, about 1 - 1.5 hours.
Puree beans. Transfer cooked beans and remaining liquid to a food processor. Pulse until fully pureed and smooth, scraping down the sides once or twice.
Cook red bean paste. Heat a non-stick pan or cast iron skillet to medium heat and add 2 Tbsp oil. Add the pureed beans and broken up pieces of the brown sugar slab. (You can use a mortar and pestle or rolling pin to break the bar sugar into smaller pieces.) Cook down until a thick paste forms, stirring frequently. In the beginning, the red bean puree will look loose and thin. After 10-15 minutes of constant stirring, it will thicken. When the red bean paste holds its shape and the spatula comes out clean, it's done. Cover and set aside to cool completely. (You can complete this step the day before.)

Sugar Water:

Make sugar water. In a small saucepan, heat water on medium heat. Add rock sugar and melt until fully dissolved, about 5-10 minutes. Stir from time to time. Boiling is not necessary. Cover and set aside to cool. (You can complete this step the day before.)

Nian Gao Batter:

Make batter. In a large bowl, add glutinous rice flour and wheat starch. Add sugar water, coconut milk, coconut extract, and oil. Whisk until smooth and no lumps remain.
Add batter to red bean filling. Transfer 1/2 cup of the Coconut Milk Batter and add to the red bean puree. With a stiff spatula, mix until smooth. The texture should be similar to chocolate pudding. Roughly divide into thirds.

Steam Cakes:

Set up your steaming station. Stack a 3-tiered bamboo basket into a wok and fill with 2 inches of water. Make sure the water does not touch the bottom of th steamer basket. Heat the water on medium heat and wait until there are thick, steady clouds of steam.
Note: the water should not be a roiling boil with hard, bouncing, large bubbles breaking the surface. Instead, aim for a gentle simmer with small bubbles.
Grease foil pans. While the water comes to a boil, grease 3 foil pans with vegetable oil. (Any neutral oil works.)
Add 1st layer. When the water is steaming, add 3/4 cup of Coconut Milk Batter to each pan. I transfer batter into a measuring cup, making sure it measures 3/4 cup exactly. Then I use a small spatula to scrape into the foil pan. The batter is quite thick so scraping is a necessary step for measurement accuracy. Repeat for all cakes.
Steam 1st layer. Steam until the first layer sets, about 7-9 minutes. Gently shake the pan -- there should be no jiggle. It's ok if it looks bumpy. If the first layer is too soft, the red bean filling will sink through the batter and be difficult to spread.
Add red bean filling. Remove from heat and layer red bean filling on top. Make sure the red bean filling is evenly leveled and leave a 1/2-inch edge for sealing. Repeat for all cakes.
Add 2nd layer. Add additional 3/4 cup of Coconut Milk Batter directly on top. It should cover the red bean filling and spread all the way to the edge. Repeat for all cakes.
Steam 2nd layer. Steam until cooked through, an additional 45 minutes. Check the water, from time to time, to make sure it does not run out. When a skewer comes out clean, it's done.
Cool and serve. Cool for at least 1 hour. Invert onto a platter. Serve and enjoy!
*This cake tastes best the day it's made. Leftovers should be wrapped tightly with plastic wrap and placed in a air-tight container.

Video

Notes

*The recipe makes 3 cakes. If you think 3 cakes is too much, remember that the Lunar New Year is a time for sharing and gifting. Make one cake for yourself and give two cakes away! Or, make all 3 cakes and bring them to your extended family gathering for the Lunar New Year.

**The cake will harden over time, even if well-wrapped. Once the cake loses its soft and pillowy texture, dip in egg wash and fry in a non-stick pan.

PRO Tips:

Level the steamer baskets. When steaming, make sure the baskets are level. Even a small tilt will result in slanted cakes.
Use foil pans. The recipe calls for 7-inch round foil pans. Foil pans easily fit inside a bamboo steamer. They are also thin and light, making them ideal for steaming Chinese New Year's cake.
Store cakes in airtight containers. The cakes will harden, especially if exposed to air. Leftovers should be wrapped with plastic film and placed in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for 1 day. Otherwise, keep in the fridge.

Nutrition