These pillowy, cloud-soft buns come together from a simple yeasted dough enriched with a touch of milk and a hint of sugar, kneaded until smooth and left to rise until puffy. Each portion gets rolled thin, brushed lightly with oil, folded into that signature half-moon shape, and steamed until glossy white and springy to the touch. The result is a soft, slightly sweet wrapper with just enough chew to hold up to whatever you tuck inside, from glazed mushrooms and crispy tofu to saucy roasted veggies. Because the dough itself is built from pantry staples like flour, sugar, and baking powder, it's a naturally solid base for a vegetarian spread. Serve them warm straight from the steamer, open them up, and let everyone build their own — they're endlessly easy to customize for a vegetarian table. This is one of those recipes worth keeping on repeat for casual dinners or a fun DIY bao night with friends.
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Combine the yeast, 1 tsp sugar, and warm milk in a small bowl and stir to dissolve. Let stand for 5–8 minutes, until the surface is foamy and the mixture smells yeasty.
Whisk together the all-purpose flour, cake flour, 2 tbsp sugar, baking powder, and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large mixing bowl). Add the yeast mixture and 1 tbsp neutral oil, then mix on low speed with the dough hook until a shaggy dough forms, about 1 minute.
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