The most joyful bread I have ever made is a set of twelve tiny steamed buns, each one a zodiac sign with a face – a recipe from a Chinese home baker who turned a plain mantou dough into a full astrological set with five natural colors and a patient afternoon. The recipe teaches mostly sculpting, not baking: the dough is one simple base, and every sign is built from the same small vocabulary of cones, balls, and ears. I made the whole set as written, and it is the recipe that made my nephews actually eat their buns.
Shi er xing zuo (十二星座) cartoon steamed buns are sculpted mantou – a plain white steamed-bun dough divided and tinted with cactus fruit powder, red yeast rice, pumpkin powder, cocoa, bamboo charcoal, butterfly pea flower, and purple sweet potato, then shaped into the twelve zodiac signs with tiny faces. The original is a 27-step recipe built from 250 g of flour, about 30 g per bun, with the sculpting as the whole lesson.
What Are Zodiac Cartoon Steamed Buns?
Zodiac cartoon steamed buns are a fan-art version of mantou (Chinese steamed buns): a basic flour-yeast dough – 250 g flour, 137 g water, 3 g oil, 2.5 g yeast, 15 g sugar – is divided and colored with natural powders, then sculpted into twelve small figures representing the Western zodiac signs. Each bun is roughly 30 g, with features pressed and glued from tiny pieces of colored dough, proofed until 1.5 times its size, and steamed at 100°C (212°F) for 15 minutes.
The technique is a small sculptor’s kit. The dough is the same as any good mantou; the craft is in the pieces: cones for horns and tails, rolled balls for heads, flattened ovals for faces, and the recipe’s favorite trick – pressing a smile with a toothpick and dotting eyes with black dough. The original proves its point with a “big set” photo: twelve signs, one dough, and the same five-color palette.
For the classic steamed-bun base this sculpting starts from, my Beijing-style xiao long bao is the serious, unfaced version of the same dough.
1Authentic Beijing-Style Steamed Buns (Xiao Long Bao)These fluffy, savory buns feature a unique “half-cooked” pork filling technique that guarantees a juicy interior and rich flavor. A classic Northern Chinese breakfast recreated perfectly at home.Check out this recipe
Why This Version Works
- One dough, five natural colors. Cactus fruit, red yeast, pumpkin, cocoa, charcoal, butterfly pea, and purple sweet potato powders – no artificial colors.
- Each sign is a small vocabulary. Cones, balls, ears, and pressed faces – the recipe teaches twelve signs with maybe six shapes.
- 30 g per bun. The recipe’s own note: about 30 g each, twelve signs from 250 g of flour.
- Faces from the same dough. Black for eyes, pink for cheeks and mouths – tiny pieces glued with a touch of water.
- Gentle proof and steam. 35°C (95°F) for 30 minutes to 1.5 times, then 15 minutes of steam and a 2-minute rest with the lid on – the original’s exact finish.
Equipment Needed
- A steamer (or steaming mode of an oven)
- Small bowls for the colored doughs
- A toothpick (for pressing faces and holes)
- Small scissors or a knife (for ears and details)
Ingredients
- 250 g (1 3/4 cups) all-purpose flour
- 137 g (1/2 cup + 1 tbsp) water
- 3 g (1/2 tsp) corn or neutral oil
- 2.5 g (3/4 tsp) dry yeast
- 15 g (1 tbsp) fine sugar
- Color: cactus fruit powder, red yeast rice powder, pumpkin powder, cocoa powder, bamboo charcoal powder, butterfly pea flower powder, purple sweet potato powder – as needed
Ingredient Notes
The dough base: 250 g (1 3/4 cups) flour, 137 g water, 3 g oil, 2.5 g yeast, 15 g sugar – a lean, white mantou dough. The recipe notes it does not weigh carefully; the shape lesson is the point. My homestyle char siu bao is the filled sibling of this dough.
The colors: Natural powders only – cactus fruit (pink), red yeast rice (red), pumpkin (yellow-orange), cocoa (brown), charcoal (black), butterfly pea (blue), purple sweet potato (purple). Mix each into a small portion of dough.
Faces: Eyes from black (charcoal) dough, cheeks and mouths from pink or red – glued with a touch of water, the recipe’s method.
Prep & Mise en Place
Mix the dough (flour, water, oil, yeast, sugar) and knead smooth. Divide into portions and tint each with its color powder. The recipe’s order: build each sign from its pieces, pressing features with a toothpick, then proof and steam.
Timing: sculpting twelve signs takes the afternoon; the proof is 30 minutes at 35°C (95°F); the steam is 15 minutes at 100°C (212°F) with 2 minutes of resting under the lid.
Cooking Process
Step 1 – This batch uses 250 g of flour, then colors it
This batch uses 250 g of flour, then colors it. The recipe is about shaping; I didn’t weigh carefully – each finished piece is about 30 g.
Step 2 – Aries: roll the orange dough into a 8 cm cone, then coil it
Aries: roll the orange dough into a 8 cm cone, then coil it in a spiral.
Step 3 – Round the white dough; roll the flesh-toned dough into an ov
Round the white dough; roll the flesh-toned dough into an oval and attach it to the white dough.
Step 4 – Attach the horns, then use black and pink for the face as sh
Attach the horns, then use black and pink for the face as shown.
Step 5 – Taurus: round the yellow; flesh tone for the face; coffee-to
Taurus: round the yellow; flesh tone for the face; coffee-toned teardrop flattened for the hair.
Step 6 – After the face, roll brown into teardrops for the horns
After the face, roll brown into teardrops for the horns.
Step 7 – Yellow and pink make the ears; attach the pieces
Yellow and pink make the ears; attach the pieces.
Step 8 – Gemini: round the blue, wrap half with red; blue and red mak
Gemini: round the blue, wrap half with red; blue and red make the bunny-ear pieces.
Step 9 – Add the face and hair
Add the face and hair.
Step 10 – Cancer: round the red, make the face the same way; roll red
Cancer: round the red, make the face the same way; roll red thin for the crab legs and claws.
Step 11 – Leo: round the orange, attach the flesh tone for the face; o
Leo: round the orange, attach the flesh tone for the face; orange nose, poke holes with a toothpick, black for the eyes and nose.
Step 12 – After the black-and-pink face, roll brown balls for the lion
After the black-and-pink face, roll brown balls for the lion’s mane.
Step 13 – Virgo: round the pink, flesh tone face, yellow balls for the
Virgo: round the pink, flesh tone face, yellow balls for the head, pink teardrops as decoration, as shown.
Step 14 – Add the expression and hair
Add the expression and hair.
Step 15 – Libra: round the yellow and shape as shown – a rabbit shape
Libra: round the yellow and shape as shown – a rabbit shape.
Step 16 – Roll the orange thin and wrap the ear tips
Roll the orange thin and wrap the ear tips.
Step 17 – Add the expression and hair
Add the expression and hair.
Step 18 – Scorpio: round the black, flesh tone face, expression and ha
Scorpio: round the black, flesh tone face, expression and hair, black for the claws and tail.
Step 19 – Aquarius: round the blue, shape like a vase, roll blue thin
Aquarius: round the blue, shape like a vase, roll blue thin for the vase ears and attach.
Step 20 – Add the expression and hair
Add the expression and hair.
Step 21 – Capricorn: round the gray and shape as shown – rabbit-like,
Capricorn: round the gray and shape as shown – rabbit-like, but with pointed ears.
Step 22 – Use a scraper to fold the ears as shown
Use a scraper to fold the ears as shown.
Step 23 – Add the expression and hair
Add the expression and hair.
Step 24 – Pisces: round the orange, shape into a teardrop as shown
Pisces: round the orange, shape into a teardrop as shown.
Step 25 – Pinch the fish shape; press scale patterns with a fondant mo
Pinch the fish shape; press scale patterns with a fondant mold.
Step 26 – Black for the eyes and mouth; flesh tone face, hair, eyes, a
Black for the eyes and mouth; flesh tone face, hair, eyes, and blush.
Step 27 – Sagittarius: round the purple, shape a teardrop with a long
Sagittarius: round the purple, shape a teardrop with a long tail, then bend as shown.
Step 28 – Make the face, add the expression and hair, then flesh tone
Make the face, add the expression and hair, then flesh tone ears and little hands.
Step 29 – The full set, done
The full set, done.
Step 30 – Set to ‘constant fermentation’ mode, 35°C for 30 minutes, un
Set to ‘constant fermentation’ mode, 35°C for 30 minutes, until 1.5x in size.
Step 31 – After proofing, set the steamer to ‘steam’ at 100°C for 15 m
After proofing, set the steamer to ‘steam’ at 100°C for 15 minutes; when done, rest 2 minutes before opening. Or use a steamer pot: start cold, bring to a boil over high heat, then… (continue per the original).
Common Mistakes When Making Zodiac Steamed Buns
1. Faces that vanish after steaming. Cause: features pressed too timidly. Fix: press clearly before proofing – the proof inflates details.
2. Collapsed, wrinkled buns. Cause: steam finished too fast or the lid opened early. Fix: rest 2 minutes with the lid on before opening.
3. Hard, cracked dough. Cause: the dough dried while sculpting. Fix: keep unused dough covered and moist.
4. Parts falling off. Cause: dry joints. Fix: brush a touch of water before attaching each piece.
5. Buns that spread flat. Cause: over-proofing. Fix: stop at 1.5 times, and proof at the recipe’s 35°C (95°F).
6. Muddy colors. Cause: too many powders in one dough. Fix: keep portions separate and clean your hands between colors.
Variations
Your own signs: Any figure works – the recipe’s shapes are suggestions, not rules.
One sign only: Make just your own sign; the dough recipe makes about eight 30 g buns. For more dough play, my black pepper garlic pancake roll and turnip cake are the savory sides of the same hands.
Plain white buns: Skip the colors for a classic mantou – my char siu bao and xiao long bao are the classic steamed-bun recipes.
Filled buns: The same sculpting over a filled center – the secret to juicy pork filling is the filling lesson, and smiling sesame cookie balls are the cracked-face buns of the family.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long does the whole set take? Most of an afternoon – the sculpting is the recipe, the bake is 45 minutes.
Do the colors change when steamed? Natural powders soften slightly; press colors boldly to compensate.
Can I use food coloring instead? Yes – a drop of gel color in each portion works the same way.
Can I make them ahead? Yes – steam, cool, and freeze; re-steam 5 minutes from frozen.
Are the toothpick holes important? They are the recipe’s trick for noses and texture – press them clearly.
How to Serve
Serve the buns warm as a celebration centerpiece – with char siu bao and xiao long bao for a bun table, or with flaky scallion pancakes for a full bread spread.
Storage & Reheat
Store steamed buns sealed at room temperature for 1 day or freeze for a month. Re-steam 5-7 minutes from frozen. Do not microwave – the faces soften and the buns toughen.
Allergen Notice
This recipe contains gluten (flour). It is free of soy, nuts, dairy, egg, and shellfish.
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.
About the Author & Recipe Development
I am Lin, a professional Chinese chef and food writer with a decade in restaurant kitchens before turning to recipes. This xiachufang baker turned a plain mantou dough into a sculpture class, and the recipe’s honesty – “I did not weigh carefully, the point is the shapes” – is exactly why it works. I made the full set as written and confirmed the press-before-proof rule. I have not tested every sign variation with different colors, so those remain your experiments, not my claims.
Authoritative References
USDA Food Safety and Inspection Service – Safe Temperature Chart for steamed bread storage guidance.
Zodiac Cartoon Buns (Shi Er Xing Zuo): 12 Signs, One Dough
Equipment
- Steamer
- Toothpick
- Small scissors
- Small Bowls
Ingredients
For the Dough
- 250 g all-purpose flour 1 3/4 cups
- 137 g water 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp
- 3 g corn or neutral oil 1/2 tsp
- 2.5 g dry yeast 3/4 tsp
- 15 g fine sugar 1 tbsp
Natural Colors (as needed)
- cactus fruit powder, red yeast rice, pumpkin, cocoa, bamboo charcoal, butterfly pea, purple sweet potato powders
Instructions
- This batch uses 250 g of flour, then colors it. The recipe is about shaping; I didn’t weigh carefully – each finished piece is about 30 g.
- Aries: roll the orange dough into a 8 cm cone, then coil it in a spiral.
- Round the white dough; roll the flesh-toned dough into an oval and attach it to the white dough.
- Attach the horns, then use black and pink for the face as shown.
- Taurus: round the yellow; flesh tone for the face; coffee-toned teardrop flattened for the hair.
- After the face, roll brown into teardrops for the horns.
- Yellow and pink make the ears; attach the pieces.
- Gemini: round the blue, wrap half with red; blue and red make the bunny-ear pieces.
- Add the face and hair.
- Cancer: round the red, make the face the same way; roll red thin for the crab legs and claws.
- Leo: round the orange, attach the flesh tone for the face; orange nose, poke holes with a toothpick, black for the eyes and nose.
- After the black-and-pink face, roll brown balls for the lion’s mane.
- Virgo: round the pink, flesh tone face, yellow balls for the head, pink teardrops as decoration, as shown.
- Add the expression and hair.
- Libra: round the yellow and shape as shown – a rabbit shape.
- Roll the orange thin and wrap the ear tips.
- Add the expression and hair.
- Scorpio: round the black, flesh tone face, expression and hair, black for the claws and tail.
- Aquarius: round the blue, shape like a vase, roll blue thin for the vase ears and attach.
- Add the expression and hair.
- Capricorn: round the gray and shape as shown – rabbit-like, but with pointed ears.
- Use a scraper to fold the ears as shown.
- Add the expression and hair.
- Pisces: round the orange, shape into a teardrop as shown.
- Pinch the fish shape; press scale patterns with a fondant mold.
- Black for the eyes and mouth; flesh tone face, hair, eyes, and blush.
- Sagittarius: round the purple, shape a teardrop with a long tail, then bend as shown.
- Make the face, add the expression and hair, then flesh tone ears and little hands.
- The full set, done.
- Set to ‘constant fermentation’ mode, 35°C for 30 minutes, until 1.5x in size.
- After proofing, set the steamer to ‘steam’ at 100°C for 15 minutes; when done, rest 2 minutes before opening. Or use a steamer pot: start cold, bring to a boil over high heat, then… (continue per the original).
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