You might have come across my previous post in December 2014 on How I fail on Chiffon Cake. *Mood dampen* It just have to depress me in this way towards the end of 2014. Behind my mind, I was cursing and swearing how the hell other home bakers do it and why they can but not me.
So.... after almost a year since the last bake, with much reading up online plus researching, I finally pick up the courage to do it one more time. November 2015. I'm trying it all over again. Very determined because I don't wanna be just a lady who can cook but also bake. I believe I can but just too lazy. That's why I have dragged till now. Nevertheless, is never too late. And I'm glad I did. I can't wait to bake a birthday cake for my husband this December. More practice to fine-tune the process.
Pandan Chiffon Cake
Pandan Chiffon Cake
1st Attempt
Grow baby grow... nice surface. Oh by the way, my oven is a housewarming gift from my friend. Yeah... Joanne!!! Your oven is fully utilized from failure to success of chiffon cake. Thank you so much for this meaningful gift! *Muackz*
No matter how it cracks on the surface, this is my 1st success chiffon cake ever! Never give up trying again and again. Because it will turn out well, like what you are about to see.
2nd Attempt
Lesser cracks on the surface and looks nicer. Oh my god I love you so much baby! Determination pays off. My husband said it is soft like cotton candy without getting choke. He said so. Damn it!
Ingredients:
- 3 egg yolks
- 10g caster sugar
- 20ml canola oil
- 1/4 teaspoon pandan paste
- 40ml coconut milk
- 40g sifted plain flour
- Meringue
- 3 egg whites
- 40g caster sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
Steps:
- Beat together egg yolks and sugar in the mixer. When it turns a lighter shade after 3-4 minutes, add in canola oil and continue beating.
- When the canola oil is incorporated, add coconut milk and pandan paste.
- Add the sifted plain flour and mix until just combined. Set this aside.
- For the meringue, whisk the egg whites until foamy in a clean mixing bowl. Add cream of tartar and continue whisking.
- Add sugar gradually while whisking until the egg whites form a stiff peak.
- Fold 1/3 of the meringue into the yolk mixture. Beat it in.
- Fold the remaining meringue gently into the yolk mixture in 2 batches until no streaks remain.
- Then pour into a 5" tube pan, tap on the kitchen top to release the bubbles and bake at 170°C for 30 minutes.
- When done, tap on the kitchen top for a few times so that it doesn't shrink further, invert the pan and place it on a raised wire rack to cool completely.
As you know I don't wanna fail on this chiffon cake, I was superb duper careful. Esp when I work on the whites and yolks. I never let a bit of yolk trace in the whites. I rather dirty my hands and not let anything to screw this cake up. Plus measurements are all sharp sharp accurate. Also watch as it bakes and never feel tired at all. Well... you realize the determination in me.
The husband likes and supports me by having half of my chiffon cake. Superb happy! If not, the whole cake will go to waste as he is not a cake lover. Or should I say, depends on his mood! I also learnt from a tip to tap (or drop) the baked cake on the kitchen top to prevent shrinking further. So I put into the last step above.
By the way, the plate is from Daiso. $2 plate is nice to the max. Superb into such flora prints. But not real flowers though.
By the way, the plate is from Daiso. $2 plate is nice to the max. Superb into such flora prints. But not real flowers though.
Banana Chiffon Cake
1st Attempt
Quite annoying. Too wet inside, guess because I put too much mashed bananas (240g) and I thought it doesn't matter. But it does matter. And it is so dark like chocolate cake. Plus it didn't have the best appearance. Scratching head. But I finished up the cake so as not to waste. Cut away the stiff, wet part though. Kept wondering is it the baking soda's fault? Until I did my 2nd attempt, without mashed bananas but essence.
2nd Attempt
Ingredients:
- 3 egg yolks
- 12g caster sugar
- 30ml canola oil
- 90g mashed banana (or 1/2 or 1/4 teaspoon banana essence)
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 55g sifted plain flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Meringue
- 3 egg whites
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 45g caster sugar
- Beat together egg yolks and sugar in the mixer. When it turns a lighter shade after 3-4 minutes, add in canola oil and continue beating.
- Add vanilla extract, then mashed bananas (or banana essence). Mix to blend.
- Fold in the dry ingredients, flour + salt + baking soda. Once done, set this aside.
- For the meringue, whisk the egg whites until foamy in a clean mixing bowl. Add cream of tartar and continue whisking.
- When soft peaks form, add the sugar gradually while whisking till stiff peaks.
- Fold 1/3 of the meringue into the yolk mixture. Beat it in.
- Fold the remaining meringue gently into the yolk mixture in 2 batches until no streaks remain.
- Then pour into a 5" tube pan, tap on the kitchen top to release the bubbles and bake at 160°C for 30 minutes.
- When done, tap on the kitchen top for a few times so that it doesn't shrink further, invert the pan and place it on a raised wire rack to cool completely.
Woohoo... my 2nd attempt is good! Good job! I will NEVER condemn essence. Probably I should try again with lesser amount of mashed bananas next time. Because since others can do it, why can't I right? Okay... will do it and post on Instagram. Wait up for me!
Oops... I only have a pathetic 5" tube pan because I don't want to spend on a bigger one yet. So every chiffon cake I bake will be using that size, but then use a 7-8" tube pan recipe. Don't care. Till the confidence rises up, then I invest in a good baking pan. Just wait. I will.
No more embarrassing photos on my blog again! So peeps, this is how I succeed on chiffon cake... finally.
Adapted from http://thedomesticgoddesswannabe.com/2015/05/banana-chiffon-cake/