Recipe: Steamed Chinese Thousand Layer Cake

Irene, I haven't tried this myself as this is not really my kind of dessert. However, the recipe is from one of my old fav. Chinese cookbook and most of the reicpes from this book are all working for me. I think this is what you are looking for. If not, you need to describe your cake in detail for me before I could help you any further. :-) Good luck!

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Steamed Chinese Thousand Layer Cake*
make 2 large cakes

Filling:
1 1/2 cups shredded coconut
1 cup icing (confectioners) sugar
1/4 cup melted unsalted butter

Skin dough:
6 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup white sugar
1 3/4 cups warm water (110 degrees F)
1 Tbsp. active dry yeast
1 Tbsp. baking powder
2 Tbsp. shortening
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
2 1/2 Tbsp. water

2 Tbsp. lard or shortening (may be a typo)
1/2 cup candied papaya shreds (Can be obtained in most Chinese grocers.) or other candied peels.
1 sheet plastic (12" x 12") NOT THE CLING WRAP! If you don't have it, use foil instead.

Dough:
Dissolve 1/4 cup sugar in 1 3/4 cups warm water, and then add the yeast. Let stand for 10 minutes, or until mixture is frothy. Sift the flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Stir in 2 tablespoons shortening and the yeast mixture; mix well.
Knead the dough until smooth and elastic. Place the dough in a greased bowl, and cover it with a sheet of cling wrap. Let the dough rise in a warm place for about 2 hours, or until it has tripled in bulk.
Remove the dough from the bowl, and knead it on a lightly floured surface until it is smooth and elastic. Cut the dough in half.

Filling: Mix ingredients of the filling and divide into 8 portions.

Use a rolling pin to roll each half into 16" x 6" rectangular shape. Mentally, vertically divide the rectangular piece into thirds and spread one portion of the filling on the center of the dough. Fold the left side over the middle; spread with one portion of the filling, fold the right side over. Turn the folded dough to a horizontal position; repeat the rolling and folding process one more time. Roll out the strip into a 8" square shape. Make the other square in the same manner. Place the square on a sheet of plastic wrap and sprinkle them with papaya shreds. Let the cakes rise for 30 minutes then steam them for 30 minutes. Remove and allow to cool slightly; slice and serve.

Important for steaming Chinese dessert: You must have enough water in the wok really BOILING and HOT before you place the buns or cakes in it. Keep the water boiling all the time while steaming process or else the dessert will be doughy and clasp. If the water threaten to dry out, add more hot water. Therefore, it's always a good idea to have a kettle of boiling water standby. Also, make sure the lid is heavy enough to cover the dessert tightly.

*See recipe notes from Stephanie, San Francisco