蒸(む)しパン

むしぱん
noun
steamed cake; steamed bread
food
1. steamed cake; steamed bread (small, sweet)
A small, soft, cake-like steamed bun, typically lightly sweet and made with wheat flour. Popular as a snack and as homemade food for small children because of its light texture and the fact that it can be made without an oven.
蒸(む)しパンを作(つく)った。
I made steamed cakes.
子(こ)どもがおやつに蒸(む)しパンを食(た)べている。
The kids are having steamed bread for a snack.
Using pancake mix, you can easily make steamed cakes in the microwave.

Compound of 蒸(む)す (to steam) + パン (bread). The texture is somewhere between a muffin and a sponge cake, lighter and moister than baked bread.

Common collocations

Similar words

  • 肉(にく)まん / あんまん: filled steamed buns — quite different in size, texture, and use
  • カステラ: castella — baked sponge cake, denser and sweeter
  • マフィン: muffin — baked, with a crustier surface