Puto (Filipino Steamed Cakes)

Puto is a tasty Filipino steamed cake that’s sweet, airy, and fluffy. These are delightful as a quick breakfast, afternoon snack, or even for dessert!

Making puto is incredibly simple. Nowadays, you can purchase premade puto mixes from the store (similar to those pancake mix boxes), but I find homemade just entirely better in terms of taste and texture.

This recipe was passed down from my grandma, to my mom, and now to all of you. Be sure to save the recipe and use it for your next get-together, potluck, or to impress a Filipino friend!

What is Puto?

Puto is a Filipino steamed cake that’s typically eaten for merienda (snack) or dessert. It has a mellow sweetness that makes it a great base for pairing it with other dishes such as salted egg or more commonly dinuguan (Filipino pork blood stew).

Puto is very much like a blank canvas. I personally love eating puto plain with a side of coffee, but you customize it to however you want depending on your preference.

Some, for example, like adding other flavourings into the batter, such pandan or ube extract to give it some variety and added color. Others, which is more popular, add a thin slice of cheese on top (sometimes even shredded) to make the classic variation: Puto cheese.

Puto Molds

The molds that I used when making puto came from my mom, which she purchased from a flea market back in the Philippines. These were around 2-3 inches in diameter.

For authenticity, you can purchase these molds from some Filipino convenience stores, although they may be hard to come by especially if you’re looking for them in the West.

Alternatively, you could also use mini muffin/tart cups or tins that are relatively around the same size of 2-3 inches.

Instructions for Puto

In a bowl, add in the eggs, milk, and unsalted butter. Mix until smooth.

Sift in the flour, sugar, powdered milk, and baking powder. Gently whisk until combined; minor lumps in the batter are okay (avoid over-mixing the batter to prevent a dense puto).

Spoon the batter into your puto molds about 3/4 of the way full.

Steam the puto for 15 minutes until risen and cooked all the way through.

If you’d like to add cheese, place the cheese slices after 13 minutes and continue steaming for an additional 2 minutes until melted.

Let cool slightly before removing from their molds. Enjoy warm!

Tips for Success

Sift your dry ingredients: Sifting ensures that no large clumps of the dry ingredients make its way into your batter. This will lead to a lighter batter consistency and better distribution of ingredients.

Do not over mix your puto batter: This recipe calls for flour, which, when over mixed, can begin to form elastic gluten strands that can make your puto tough, dense, and chewy -the opposite of what we want!

Storage

Puto is best enjoyed immediately (within the day) to take advantage of its airy and fluffy texture.

Otherwise, storing the puto in an airtight container inside the fridge can help elongate its life for up to 2-3 days.

You can re-heat the puto from the fridge in order to soften it by either microwaving it for about 10-15 seconds or steaming for 3-5 minutes.

If you loved this recipe, check out these other classic Filipino dishes:

• Taho (Filipino Tofu Dessert)
• Soy Marinated Filipino Short Ribs
• Tortang Talong (Filipino Eggplant Omelet)
• Bistek (Filipino Beefsteak)