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Recipes by Category » Desserts » Steamed Pumpkin Cake (Thai Dessert) | Khanom Fak Thong

Published: Oct 29, 2020 · Modified: May 6, 2021 by Nart · This post may contain affiliate links.

Steamed Pumpkin Cake (Thai Dessert) | Khanom Fak Thong

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 Topped with shredded fresh coconut, this Thai steamed pumpkin cake is a fun finger food that is easy to make, delicious, and totally portable. It’s the perfect treat for afternoon tea, get-togethers, and holiday parties.

steamed pumpkin cake | khanom fak thong | ขนมฟักทอง

Steamed Pumpkin Cake

If you want to up your pumpkin dessert game this Autumn or Thanksgiving and try something different, you’ve come to the right place. This Thai steamed pumpkin cake or khanom fak thong (ขนมฟักทอง) is one of the best Thai desserts that’s really easy to make and only uses 6 ingredients!

Like the Thai sweet potato balls, mango sticky rice, sticky rice pudding with corn, tubtim grob, and many other Thai desserts, Thai steamed pumpkin cake uses a part of a plant, in this case, the fruit (Thai squash), as the main ingredient. Also, it contains coconut milk, which I think makes our desserts rich and delicious.

Thai steamed pumpkin cake has a squidgy texture and is usually topped with shredded coconut, adding more depth to it.

Thai pumpkin cake ingredients

What Goes in This Steamed Pumpkin Cake Recipe

  • 15.2 ounces or 430 grams of pumpkin, peeled and cut into chunks
  • 8.8 ounces of 250 grams of granulated sugar
  • 8.8 ounces or 250 grams of rice flour
  • 7.05 ounces or 200 grams of tapioca flour
  • ½ cup of shredded fresh coconut
  • 2 cups of coconut milk

steamed pumpkin cake | khanom fak thong | ขนมฟักทอง

Thai Pumpkin or Squash | Fak Thong (ฟักทอง)

First things first, in Thai, pumpkin is called “fak thong.” People make jokes about the name ALL the time. Why? Because the first syllable is pronounced more or less the same as the word fu*k in English. But since we want to keep the sound of any dishes and desserts involving it pleasant, we try and come up with all sorts of spellings to avoid flat-out writing F*** thong.

So don’t be confused if you come across other transliterations like faak thong or fug thong. Enough about the name, I think? Let’s agree that we’re going to go with fak thong in this post!

While we refer to fak thong as “pumpkin” in English, the thing actually looks different from what most Westerners might envision in their minds when they hear the word pumpkin.

Fak thong is a kind of squash that is green on the outside and bright yellow on the inside. It has a very thick and rough skin that’s quite hard to peel but edible. Thai people use Thai pumpkin with the skin on in certain dishes and desserts. I’m not a big fan of it, but thankfully, we don’t use the skin in our steamed pumpkin cake.

steamed pumpkin cake | khanom fak thong | ขนมฟักทอง

Instructions

steamed Thai squash (fak thong)

  1. Fill half a large pot with water and bring it to a hard boil. Add a steamer on top and place all the pumpkin in it. Then, cover with a lid and steam for 15-20 minutes.
  2. Remove the pumpkin from heat and put it in a large bowl. Place your cake molds in the same steamer and steam.
  3. Mash the steamed pumpkin with a fork until fine.process of making cake batter
  4. Add the rice flour, tapioca flour, and sugar to a bowl and mix with a spoon.
  5. Gradually add the coconut milk to the dry mixture and whisk until well combined.process of making a Thai pumpkin dessert
  6. Pour the flour mixture into the mashed pumpkin bowl and whisk until combined.
  7. Add the pumpkin cake batter into the molds in the steamer and top each one with shredded coconut.Thai pumpkin cake being steamed
  8. Steam for 15-20 minutes. Then, remove from heat and let cool before removing the cake from the molds to enjoy.

steamed pumpkin cake | khanom fak thong | ขนมฟักทอง

Other Pumpkin/Squash Recipes You Might Enjoy:

  • Haupia Pumpkin Pie (Gluten-and-dairy-free)
  • Buttermilk Pumpkin Pancakes
  • Taste of Autumn Squash
  • Vegan Stuffed Pumpkin
  • Turkey Pumpkin Chili
  • Pumpkin, Cranberry and Almond Salad
steamed pumpkin cake | khanom fak thong | ขนมฟักทอง

Steamed Pumpkin Cake Recipe

Topped with shredded fresh coconut, this Thai steamed pumpkin cake is a fun finger food that is easy to make, delicious, and totally portable. It's the perfect treat for afternoon tea, get-togethers, and holiday parties.
5 from 46 votes
Print Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Asian, Thai
Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Author: Nart

Ingredients

  • 15.2 ounces pumpkin peeled and cut into chunks
  • 8.8 ounces rice flour
  • 7.05 ounces tapioca flour
  • 8.8 ounces granulated sugar
  • 2 cups coconut milk
  • ½ cup shreded fresh coconut
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Fill half a large pot with water and bring it to a hard boil. Add a steamer on top and place all the pumpkin in it. Then, cover with a lid and steam for 15-20 minutes.
  • Remove the pumpkin from heat and put it in a large bowl. Place your cake molds in the same steamer and steam.
  • Mash the steamed pumpkin with a fork until fine.
  • Add the rice flour, tapioca flour, and sugar to a bowl and mix with a spoon.
  • Gradually add the coconut milk to the dry mixture and whisk until well combined.
  • Pour the flour mixture into the mashed pumpkin bowl and whisk until combined.
  • Add the pumpkin cake batter into the molds in the steamer and top each one with shredded coconut.
  • Steam for 15-20 minutes. Then, remove from heat and let cool before removing the cake from the molds to enjoy.

Video

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Comments

  1. Tammy says

    October 11, 2021 at 12:04 am

    5 stars
    Oh wow I’ve never had steamed cakes before but these look and sound delightful! A perfect treat for the season.

    Reply
    • Nart says

      October 13, 2021 at 10:34 am

      They are!

      Reply
  2. Heidy says

    October 10, 2021 at 8:48 pm

    5 stars
    This Fak Thong dessert was a game-changer for me. I noticed it on Pinterest and had to come to check the recipe out. I am so glad I did! What an amazing flavor they have. I will be sharing this link with my sister-in-law and friends. Have an awesome day!

    Reply
    • Nart says

      October 13, 2021 at 10:35 am

      Awww, thank you so much! <3

      Reply
  3. Amy Liu Dong says

    October 09, 2021 at 11:50 am

    5 stars
    Wow! Such a delicious and easy dessert to make. Perfect for my birthday!

    Reply
    • Nart says

      October 13, 2021 at 10:35 am

      Enjoy 🙂

      Reply
  4. veenaazmanov says

    October 09, 2021 at 2:55 am

    5 stars
    Looks delicious and sounds interesting to try.

    Reply
    • Nart says

      October 13, 2021 at 10:35 am

      Thanks! Hope you get to try it!

      Reply
  5. Linda says

    October 07, 2021 at 1:28 am

    5 stars
    We share a similar dessert, but I’ve never tried this with pumpkin. It sounds delicious and looks amazing

    Reply
    • Nart says

      October 13, 2021 at 10:48 am

      Thank you! What do you normally make this with if not pumpkin?

      Reply
  6. Colleen says

    October 07, 2021 at 12:19 am

    5 stars
    These look amazing. I was searching for a pumpkin dessert for our Canadian Thanksgiving and they will be perfect.

    Reply
    • Nart says

      October 13, 2021 at 10:47 am

      That’s awesome!

      Reply
  7. Heather says

    October 06, 2021 at 10:40 pm

    I adore cute, portable, and fun finger foods for parties or anytime!!

    Reply
    • Nart says

      October 13, 2021 at 10:47 am

      Same here!

      Reply
  8. Hayley Dhanecha says

    September 06, 2021 at 5:21 pm

    5 stars
    Such a tasty and inviting dessert, we made over the weekend, my family loved it. So easy and straightforward recipe. Thanks

    Reply
    • Nart says

      October 13, 2021 at 10:52 am

      You’re very welcome 🙂

      Reply
  9. Brianna says

    September 06, 2021 at 9:33 am

    5 stars
    I first had fak thong in Bangkok and fell in love. I can’t wait to try making your version at home.

    Reply
    • Nart says

      October 13, 2021 at 10:51 am

      Hope you like this recipe 🙂

      Reply
  10. Jamie says

    September 06, 2021 at 4:08 am

    5 stars
    I love the gorgeous color of this cake! The ingredients list is so simple and easy to follow. It was so delicious and satisfying.

    Reply
  11. Amy Liu Dong says

    September 04, 2021 at 11:45 pm

    5 stars
    Wow! This is so easy and looks really delicious. I want to make this and I will pair it with my hot brewed coffee or green tea.

    Reply
  12. Lauren Michael Harris says

    September 04, 2021 at 8:30 pm

    5 stars
    I’ve never had a steamed dessert like this. These look like the perfect pumpkin treat to start the season!

    Reply
  13. Elaine says

    September 04, 2021 at 3:50 pm

    5 stars
    I love this cake. The texture is absolutely stunning, and it is so easy to make!

    Reply
  14. Mikayla says

    September 04, 2021 at 10:00 am

    5 stars
    A new pumpkin dessert to share. Perfect little bite size cakes, just sweet enough to satisfy the craving for dessert!

    Reply
  15. Denise says

    September 03, 2021 at 2:58 am

    5 stars
    I have never tried these before, I can’t wait to make them, they look really tasty!

    Reply
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