Chef Helen Nguyen Puts a Vietnamese Spin on a Traditional Easter Cake - Thrillist

Nguyen’s recipe is one that’s rooted in Vietnamese culture—the dish itself, Bánh Bò Nuong as it’s traditionally known, can be found in most Vietnamese delis and pastry shops. She’s tested and tweaked this recipe many times, and, according to her, adjusted it further through the help of friends and trial and error. “Growing up in California and Seattle, Vietnamese delis were bountiful. You could find one a minute's drive away and they all offered a variety of Vietnamese pastries, desserts, and food on the go,” Nguyen says. “This honeycomb cake was one of them and a favorite of mine. I also looked forward to house gatherings when my mom’s friends would bake them.”

While the ingredient list is fairly concise, with just six things to stock in your kitchen, be on the lookout for single-acting baking powder—a key ingredient that shouldn’t be subbed if you can avoid it. Single-acting baking powder reacts on contact with liquid, but not when baked, whereas the more commonly used double-acting baking powder reacts once it’s exposed to moisture, and again to heat exposure. The thought for using the former is supported by the fact that the cake can be quite sensitive and may end up with a fallen structure or be too dense, similar to over-proofed bread should you use double-acting. That’s better baking through chemistry, folks.

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