Butternut Squash Mushipan

Isn't it pretty? These were supposed to be individual mini cupcakes but they all fused into one giant flower.

I don't have a mini cupcake mold, so I thought it would be ok to just arrange the cupcake liners closely in a baking dish. Little did I know that the cupcakes liners are such flimsy little things, they just collapsed when the batter expanded. I am such a cupcake noob.

At least it turned out looking OK, like a flower. I should have kept quiet and told you that it was my intention heh =P

I came across this recipe at the Grub Town. The little cupcakes looked so cute I wrote down the recipe straightaway. Mushipan actually means steamed bread in Japanese. But the texture is more like a cake as it is not as dense as bread. It reminds me of Ma Lai Koh or Fatt Koh (Chinese steamed rice cake). The steamed bread/ cakes were really soft and moist.

Do not underestimate these fluffy "pans", they are extremely filling.

Ingredients:
Adapted from Grub Town

• 200 g self raising flour
• 4 tsp baking powder　
• 2 eggs
• 80 g sugar
• 180 ml milk
• 4 tsp vegetable oil

For butternut squash paste:

• 100 g butternut squash puree
• 1 tbs sugar
• 4 tbs milk
• A pinch cinnamon powder
• A pinch of grated nutmeg

Directions:
To prepare butternut squash puree:

• Preheat oven to 400˚F (200˚C). Cut off stem of squash, then cut in half lengthwise. Scoop out and discard seeds from cavity of squash. Rub all surfaces with olive oil or butter. Lay the halves, cut side down on a baking sheet. Place in oven and roast squash for 45 minutes until tender. Allow squash to cool, then scoop flesh out from skin, and purée the flesh in a food processor.
• Form a paste by combining butternut squash puree, sugar, milk, cinnamon powder and grated nutmeg.
• Store the leftover puree in the fridge for future use.

For the bread/ cake batter:

• Sift together self raising flour and baking powder.
• In a clean bowl, beat the eggs.
• Add sugar and mix.
• Pour in milk and oil, mix to combine.
• Add sifted ingredients to the egg batter, use a spatula to incorporate until smooth.
• Fill the paper cups until 80-90% full.
• Add about 1/2 tsp (or more) of butternut squash paste onto the bread/cake batter.
• Use a bamboo skewer or a chopstick to "marble" the batter.
• Steam over high heat for about 15 mins.