Soft, chewy, gluten-free and fragrant, Bánh Chuối Hấp is a beloved steamed banana cake from Vietnam’s Mekong Delta. Ready in just 45 minutes, it’s a tropical treat you can easily make at home!
Bánh Chuối Hấp – A Simple Taste of Miền Tây
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Miền Tây, the Mekong Delta, is bursting with tropical fruits that show up in all kinds of tasty dishes—from fresh, light Gỏi Cuốn (spring rolls) to crispy, sizzling Bánh Xèo (crepes).
But what really captures the heart of the region is its humble countryside cakes, or Bánh Quê. Local aunties here have a magic touch, turning simple ingredients like bananas, coconut, and pandan into desserts like:
And then there’s Bánh Chuối Hấp—steamed banana cake. Soft, chewy, fragrant, and often finished with a drizzle of creamy coconut sauce, it’s a comforting little bite that perfectly captures Miền Tây’s simple sweetness.
The best part? It’s easy to make at home. No exotic ingredients, just bananas, coconut milk, a mixing bowl, and a steamer—and in no time, you’ll have a warm, chewy cake ready to enjoy.
Ingredients
- Bananas: Sugar bananas (Thai bananas) are the best choice, but regular Cavendish bananas will work just fine. Use ripe sugar bananas and just-ripe Cavendish bananas for the best texture and flavor.
- Tapioca starch: It creates the distinct chewy texture for the cake.
- All-purpose flour: Helps keep the cake soft even after a day. For a gluten-free option, substitute with rice flour or more tapioca starch.
- Granulated sugar
- Cooking oil
- Turmeric powder (or yellow food coloring): Gives the cake its signature yellow hue.
Sweet Coconut Sauce (Nước Cốt Dừa):
- Coconut milk (Full-fat)
- Granulated sugar
- Tapioca starch or cornstarch: For thickening the sauce
- Salt
- Crushed roasted peanuts or toasted sesame seeds
- Pandan leaves (or pandan extract): Optional, for added fragrance
Instructions
Step 1: Make the batter
- Slice bananas into thin rounds, about 0.1 inches (2–3 mm) thick. Place them in a bowl and gently toss with sugar, salt, and turmeric powder (or yellow food color). Let the mixture sit for 5 minutes to bring out the flavors.
- Sprinkle in the tapioca starch and flour, mixing gently until fully incorporated with no visible white spots. Gradually pour in the hot water, stirring gently until smooth. Add the cooking oil and mix until everything is well-blended.
Step 2: Steam the cake
- Lightly grease a baking or silicone pan with cooking oil. Pour in the banana mixture and spread it evenly. Steam over medium-high heat for 25–30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Step 3: Make the sweet coconut sauce
- In a pot, warm coconut milk with sugar, salt, and pandan leaves, stirring until blended. Slowly pour in the tapioca starch slurry, stirring constantly over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens and begins to simmer.
Step 4: Serve
- Let the cake cool completely. Cut into parallelogram-shaped pieces for serving.
- Drizzle the sweet coconut sauce over the steamed banana cake. Sprinkle with crushed peanuts or toasted sesame seeds if desired, and enjoy!
Helpful Tips
- Bananas: Sugar bananas (Thai bananas) are ideal, but regular Cavendish bananas work well too. Use ripe sugar bananas or just-ripe Cavendish bananas for the best texture and flavor.
- Flour: Adding a bit of all-purpose flour helps the cake stay soft for longer. For a gluten-free option, substitute with rice flour or extra tapioca starch.
- Mixing: Gently combine ingredients for a smooth, even texture.
More Tasty & Easy Vietnamese Desserts
Easy Vietnamese Steamed Banana Cake (Bánh Chuối Hấp)
Ingredients
Steamed Banana Cake (For best results, use a kitchen scale)
- 1.1 pound bananas (peeled) (500g)
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar (25g)
- ¾ cup tapioca starch (90g)
- 1 tbsp all-purpose flour (10g)
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp turmeric powder
- ¼ cup boiling water (60ml)
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
Sweet Coconut Sauce
- 1 small can coconut milk (full fat) (160ml/5.4 fl oz)
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tbsp tapioca starch/cornstarch (for the slurry)
- 1 tbsp water (for the slurry)
- Pandan leaves (optional)
- Crushed roasted peanuts (or toasted sesame seeds)
Instructions
Steamed Banana Cake
- Slice the bananas into thin rounds, about 0.1 inches (2-3 mm) thick.
- In a bowl, gently toss the banana slices with sugar, salt, and turmeric powder. Let this mixture sit for 5 minutes to bring out the flavors.
- Sprinkle in the tapioca starch and flour, then mix gently until fully incorporated, with no visible white spots.
- Gradually pour in the hot water, stirring gently until smooth and well-combined. Finally, add the cooking oil and mix until everything is fully blended.
- Lightly grease a baking pan (a silicone pan works well) with cooking oil. Pour in the banana mixture, spreading it evenly across the pan.
- Steam the cake on medium-high heat for 25-30 minutes. Check if it's done by inserting a toothpick—it should come out clean, with no batter sticking to it.
- Let the cake cool completely before cutting it into parallelogram-shaped pieces for serving.
Sweet Coconut Sauce
- In a pot, warm the coconut milk, sugar, salt, and pandan leaves, stirring until everything is blended.
- Slowly pour in the tapioca starch slurry, stirring constantly over medium-low heat until the sauce thickens and starts to simmer.
- Serve the cake with a generous drizzle of coconut sauce, then sprinkle with crushed peanuts or toasted sesame seeds for extra flavor!
