Brush the inside of small bowls lightly with oil for easy release later. Rinse and drain raisins if using. Mix all dry ingredients (flour, sugar, yeast) in a large bowl until evenly combined.

Add eggs and warm water to the dry ingredients.

Stir with chopsticks or a whisk until a smooth, lump-free batter forms. No need to overmix—just combine until no dry flour remains.

Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm spot (28–30°C) until the batter doubles in size, about 40–60 minutes. It is ready when it has doubled in volume and the surface is covered with small bubbles. If you look closely, you should see a web of bubbles throughout—this is the "honeycomb" structure that makes the cake light.

If using raisins or other dried fruit, add them to the proofed batter now.

Using your whisk or a spatula, gently stir the batter for about 10-15 seconds. You are not beating it; you are just deflating the large air bubbles and folding in the fruit. Be gentle to preserve as much of the aerated structure as possible.

Pour the batter into the greased bowls, filling each one about 70–80% full. Then, place 5 red dates (jujubes) into the batter in each bowl.

Place in the steamer and cover. Let proof for 15 minutes until the batter expands to about 1.5 times its original size.

Add sufficient cold water to the steamer. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to medium and steam for 30 minutes (start timing once water boils). Turn off the heat and let cakes cool slightly.

Once slightly cooled, remove cakes from bowls. Serve warm. The crumb is soft, springy, and lightly sweet—a perfect snack or breakfast treat.