Chop Suey Cake
Printed From: Foods of the World Forum
Category: Asia
Forum Name: China and Mongolia
Forum Discription: China and Mongolia
URL: http://foodsoftheworld.ActiveBoards.net/forum_posts.asp?TID=1674
Printed Date: 26 March 2026 at 20:33
Topic: Chop Suey Cake
Posted By: coltsfan
Subject: Chop Suey Cake
Date Posted: 22 January 2012 at 21:10
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Chop Suey Cake To paraphrase Wikipedia's article, chop suey (simplified Chinese: 杂碎; traditional Chinese: 雜碎; pinyin: zá suì) is literally translated as "assorted pieces." There are many different versions with many stories about the origins of this dish, but it seems to me that it is basically a hash made from whatever was around at the time. When Chinese restaurants began to be popular in America in the early 20th Century, "chop suey" was a favorite among non-Chinese, even though the name was considered something of a joke among the Chinese restauranteers, since this highly-demanded meal was basically made from leftovers.  Obviously, this cake recipe isn't made from beef, chicken or pork, but it does keep with the "hodgepodge" tradition of chop suey. This recipe comes from http://www.chinesefooddiy.com - http://www.chinesefooddiy.com. - www.chinesefooddiy.com http://www.chinesefooddiy.com. - .
I'll be making this for a Chinese New Year Party at work on Wednesday.   ------------- Melissa |
An easy cake to make from scratch. Pineapple cinnamon and nuts team
up for a winning combination.Replies:
Posted By: coltsfan
Date Posted: 07 February 2012 at 16:13
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Ok, here we go. This cake was easy to make and was a big hit at the office party we had for the Chinese New Year.
Mr. Coltsfan says that we have to start with a picture of "the goods," so here they are, other than the flour:
 This is one of those recipes that is really easy to do and has delicious results. First, you measure out the flour, baking soda, sugar and cinnamon:
 Then, you get them combined really well:
 Our stand mixer worked great for this!
Next, you add the eggs, pineapple (juice and all) and nuts:
 No need to chop the nuts, since the beaters of the mixer do that for you.
Get this all whirling in the mixer until it looks about like this:
 And then pour the batter into a cake pan that has been greased and floured:
 It will look something like this right before it hits the oven:
 I find it helpful to grab the pan at both ends, lift it, and then slam it down on the table (not too hard!) so that you can eliminate the air bubbles.
After that, you bake it in a preheated 350-degree oven for 45 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick or knife blade comes out clean. Here's what you end up with:
 Not bad, for a cake made from scratch!
Next somes the icing, which is really simple and works perfectly for this flavorful cake. Just put the milk into the powdered sugar:
 And stir them together really well until you get something that looks like this:
 You want it to be runny, but not too thin or too thick.
From here, you need to work quickly, because the icing will begin to dry and harden. Simply pour it onto the cake:
 And then tilt the cake here and there, coating it with this sweet goodness from end to end and corner to corner:
 Until it is completely covered:
 Before long, the icing will harden to a nice shell, and your cake is ready.
How easy is that?
Like I said before, I really like the way this cake tasted. Sweet with a little bit of spice and some texture from the nuts. The pineapple gave it wonderful moisture and a really good, carmelized quality that made this a real treat.
Give it a try sometime!
 ------------- Melissa |