I can never stop at one slice of this Vietnamese Steamed Banana Cake, with its glossy coconut sauce, ripe banana sweetness, and soft chewy bite. It is naturally gluten free, dairy free, and vegan, yet rich enough to make everyone ask for seconds.
I’m obsessed with Banh Chuoi Hap because it hits that rare sweet spot: simple, sticky, and wildly fragrant without feeling heavy. Ripe bananas do all the loud talking, bringing deep sweetness and that almost floral banana aroma I can’t fake with anything else.
Then coconut milk slides in and makes every bite richer, silkier, and a little dangerous. I love the soft-chewy bounce, the glossy slices, the way each piece clings instead of politely sitting there.
And yes, I keep going back for “just one more.” No crumbs, no fuss. Just a cool, wobbly banana cake I absolutely adore.
Ingredients
- Ripe bananas bring natural sweetness, soft texture, and that cozy banana smell.
- Tapioca starch gives the cake its fun chewy, bouncy bite.
- Rice flour helps it set, so it’s tender but not gummy.
- Sugar rounds out the bananas, especially if yours aren’t super sweet.
- Full fat coconut milk makes everything rich, creamy, and a little dreamy.
- Warm water loosens the batter, so it steams up nicely.
- Vanilla adds a soft bakery vibe without taking over.
- Salt keeps the sweetness from tasting flat.
Tiny thing, big difference.
- Lime or lemon juice adds a light tang, if you’re into that.
- Coconut sauce is the creamy pour-over you’ll want on every bite.
- Plus, a little sugar in the sauce makes it taste dessert-level.
- Tapioca or cornstarch thickens the sauce so it clings, not runs.
- Basically, sesame seeds or shredded coconut add the needed crunch on top.
Ingredient Quantities
- 450 g ripe bananas (about 4 medium), mashed
- 1 cup (160 g) tapioca starch
- 1/2 cup (75 g) rice flour
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (240 ml) full fat coconut milk
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) warm water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp lime juice or lemon juice optional
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) coconut milk for the sauce
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar for the sauce
- 1 tsp tapioca starch or cornstarch for the sauce, mixed with 1 tbsp water
- Pinch of salt for the sauce
- 2 tbsp shredded coconut or toasted sesame seeds for garnish optional
How to Make this
1. Mash 450 g ripe bananas in a bowl until mostly smooth with some small chunks; stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract and optional 1 tsp lime or lemon juice.
2. In a separate large bowl whisk together 1 cup (160 g) tapioca starch, 1/2 cup (75 g) rice flour, 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar and 1/4 tsp salt.
3. Warm 1 cup (240 ml) full fat coconut milk until just warm, then slowly stir it into the dry ingredients until a smooth batter forms.
4. Add the mashed banana mixture to the batter and mix thoroughly; if batter seems too thick, stir in 1/4 cup (60 ml) warm water a little at a time until pourable but thick.
5. Prepare an 8-inch round or similar heatproof pan by lining with parchment or lightly greasing. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top.
6. Steam the cake over medium-high heat in a steamer or a large pot fitted with a rack, covered, for about 30 to 40 minutes until the center is set and a skewer comes out clean.
7. While the cake steams, make the coconut sauce: combine 3/4 cup (180 ml) coconut milk and 1 tbsp granulated sugar in a small saucepan and warm gently.
8. Mix 1 tsp tapioca starch or cornstarch with 1 tbsp water to make a slurry, then whisk the slurry into the warmed coconut milk. Cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens slightly; finish with a pinch of salt and remove from heat.
9. Let the steamed cake cool for 10 minutes, invert onto a plate, slice, and serve warm or at room temperature with the coconut sauce spooned over. Garnish with 2 tbsp shredded coconut or toasted sesame seeds if desired.
Equipment Needed
1. Medium mixing bowls (one for bananas, one for dry ingredients)
2. Potato masher or fork (to mash bananas)
3. Whisk and silicone spatula (for batter and sauce)
4. Measuring cups and spoons
5. 8 inch round heatproof pan plus parchment paper or brushable oil
6. Steamer setup or large pot with a rack and tight-fitting lid
7. Small saucepan for the coconut sauce
8. Small bowl and spoon for making the starch slurry
9. Skewer or toothpick and a serving plate for cooling and unmolding
FAQ
Vietnamese Steamed Banana Cake (Banh Chuoi Hap) Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Tapioca starch: substitute with an equal amount of cornstarch for similar binding and glossy texture; for a chewier bite use potato starch in the same quantity.
- Rice flour: substitute with equal part fine-milled all-purpose flour for structure; for a gluten free option use sorghum flour or a 1:1 gluten free flour blend, adjusting liquid slightly if needed.
- Granulated sugar: substitute with coconut sugar in a 1:1 ratio for a deeper caramel note, or use maple syrup or honey at 3/4 the volume and reduce other liquids by 1 to 2 tablespoons.
- Coconut milk (in batter or sauce): substitute with full fat canned evaporated milk for richness, or use a blend of almond milk plus 1 to 2 tablespoons melted butter for a dairy alternative with similar mouthfeel.
Pro Tips
1. Use very ripe, freckled bananas for the best sweetness and banana flavor; if they are not quite sweet enough, grate in a little extra banana or add 1 to 2 tablespoons more sugar to balance the starchiness.
2. Make sure the tapioca starch and rice flour are well sifted and whisked so the batter is silky; if it feels grainy, briefly beat with an electric whisk to hydrate the starches fully.
3. Keep the steamer lid wrapped in a clean kitchen towel or line the lid with foil to catch condensation so water does not drip onto the cake and make the surface soggy.
4. Test doneness with a thin skewer inserted near the center; a few moist crumbs are fine, but avoid oversteaming or the cake will become rubbery. Let it rest in the pan 5 to 10 minutes before inverting to help it set.
5. For a brighter sauce, finish the coconut sauce with a squeeze of lime or a tiny pinch of salt and taste as you go; if it seems too thick once cooled, whisk in a splash of warm coconut milk to regain a glossy pourable consistency.
Vietnamese Steamed Banana Cake (Banh Chuoi Hap) Recipe
I can never stop at one slice of this Vietnamese Steamed Banana Cake, with its glossy coconut sauce, ripe banana sweetness, and soft chewy bite. It is naturally gluten free, dairy free, and vegan, yet rich enough to make everyone ask for seconds.
8
servings
310
kcal
Equipment: 1. Medium mixing bowls (one for bananas, one for dry ingredients)
2. Potato masher or fork (to mash bananas)
3. Whisk and silicone spatula (for batter and sauce)
4. Measuring cups and spoons
5. 8 inch round heatproof pan plus parchment paper or brushable oil
6. Steamer setup or large pot with a rack and tight-fitting lid
7. Small saucepan for the coconut sauce
8. Small bowl and spoon for making the starch slurry
9. Skewer or toothpick and a serving plate for cooling and unmolding
Ingredients
450 g ripe bananas (about 4 medium), mashed
1 cup (160 g) tapioca starch
1/2 cup (75 g) rice flour
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1 cup (240 ml) full fat coconut milk
1/4 cup (60 ml) warm water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp lime juice or lemon juice optional
3/4 cup (180 ml) coconut milk for the sauce
1 tbsp granulated sugar for the sauce
1 tsp tapioca starch or cornstarch for the sauce, mixed with 1 tbsp water
Pinch of salt for the sauce
2 tbsp shredded coconut or toasted sesame seeds for garnish optional
Directions
- Mash 450 g ripe bananas in a bowl until mostly smooth with some small chunks; stir in 1 tsp vanilla extract and optional 1 tsp lime or lemon juice.
- In a separate large bowl whisk together 1 cup (160 g) tapioca starch, 1/2 cup (75 g) rice flour, 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar and 1/4 tsp salt.
- Warm 1 cup (240 ml) full fat coconut milk until just warm, then slowly stir it into the dry ingredients until a smooth batter forms.
- Add the mashed banana mixture to the batter and mix thoroughly; if batter seems too thick, stir in 1/4 cup (60 ml) warm water a little at a time until pourable but thick.
- Prepare an 8-inch round or similar heatproof pan by lining with parchment or lightly greasing. Pour the batter into the pan and smooth the top.
- Steam the cake over medium-high heat in a steamer or a large pot fitted with a rack, covered, for about 30 to 40 minutes until the center is set and a skewer comes out clean.
- While the cake steams, make the coconut sauce: combine 3/4 cup (180 ml) coconut milk and 1 tbsp granulated sugar in a small saucepan and warm gently.
- Mix 1 tsp tapioca starch or cornstarch with 1 tbsp water to make a slurry, then whisk the slurry into the warmed coconut milk. Cook, stirring, until the sauce thickens slightly; finish with a pinch of salt and remove from heat.
- Let the steamed cake cool for 10 minutes, invert onto a plate, slice, and serve warm or at room temperature with the coconut sauce spooned over. Garnish with 2 tbsp shredded coconut or toasted sesame seeds if desired.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 148g
- Total number of serves: 8
- Calories: 310kcal
- Fat: 10.8g
- Saturated Fat: 9.2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated: 0.19g
- Monounsaturated: 0.8g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
- Sodium: 90mg
- Potassium: 276mg
- Carbohydrates: 56.2g
- Fiber: 1.7g
- Sugar: 20.8g
- Protein: 2.3g
- Vitamin A: 50IU
- Vitamin C: 4.9mg
- Calcium: 15mg
- Iron: 0.53mg
